Agony Quote by John Edensor Littlewood
“In passing, I firmly believe that research should be offset by a certain amount of teaching, if only as a change from the agony of research. The trouble, however, I freely admit, is that in practice you get either no teaching, or else far too much.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Lecture on Research and Teaching, 1960s
Balancing research with teaching is essential, but practical constraints often lead to either neglecting teaching or overloading it.
In simple terms: Research needs teaching, but balance is hard.
Key Takeaway
Seek realistic teaching commitments.
Themes
education
research
balance
Mood
reflective
concerned
Type
advisory
reflective
When to use this quote
- University faculty planning
- curriculum design
- mentor-mentee meetings
Key Concepts
Academic workload
pedagogy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can institutions incentivize balanced teaching?
- What structures support sustainable teaching loads?
A Different Perspective
Teaching quality may suffer if overloaded.
![“I constantly meet people who are doubtful, generally without due reason, about their potential capacity [as mathematicians]. The first test is whether you got anything out of geometry. To have disliked or failed to get on with other [mathematical] subjects need mean nothing; much drill and…” quote by John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ad0/john-edensor-littlewood-23851_born_i-constantly-meet-people-who-are-doubtfu_1210950.jpg)
![“[W]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range of music, and will not vibrate in the least under a touch that fills others with tremulous rapture or quivering agony.” quote by George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9be/george-eliot-84_agony_w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves_12409.jpg)