---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think I ever had a bad teacher…"
description: "\"I don't think I ever had a bad teacher, which is really rare.\" — John Smoltz"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/john-smoltz-6392_bad_i-don-t-think-i-ever-had-a-bad-teacher-w_2510554.jpg"
---

#  I don't think I ever had a bad teacher, which is really…

![“I don't think I ever had a bad teacher, which is really rare.” quote by John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/john-smoltz-6392_bad_i-don-t-think-i-ever-had-a-bad-teacher-w_2510554.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/john-smoltz-6392_bad_i-don-t-think-i-ever-had-a-bad-teacher-w_2510554.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/john-smoltz-6392_bad_i-don-t-think-i-ever-had-a-bad-teacher-w_2510554.jpg)

> “I don't think I ever had a bad teacher, which is really rare.”

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Good teachers are rare, and appreciating them is valuable.

**In simple terms:** Great teachers are uncommon.

Key Takeaway

Value and learn from good mentors.

Themes

education gratitude mentorship

Mood

appreciative inspired

Type

motivational reflective

When to use this quote

- classroom
- coaching
- personal development

Key Concepts

teacher quality learning impact

Questions to Reflect On

- Who has been your most influential teacher?
- How can you become a better teacher?

A Different Perspective

Not everyone has access to quality teaching.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [Bad teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-teacher/) [Mentorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentorship/) [Rare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rare/) [Really Rare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-rare-1152406/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teacher Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher-really-959817/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/)

## Related quotes

> [Only bad teachers lecture at a tutorial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/only-bad-teachers-lecture-at-a-tutorial/)

[David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/)

> [It is really rare to find someone you really, really love and that you want to spend your life with and all that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/it-is-really-rare-to-find-someone-you-really-really-love-and-that-you/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [To find someone who loves your children like you do is really rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-find-someone-who-loves-your-children-like-you-do-is-really-rare/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's really rare that an entire genre of music allows an artist from a different genre to come and live there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/it-s-really-rare-that-an-entire-genre-of-music-allows-an-artist-from/)

[Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/)

> [Having that opportunity to talk with people that you look up to in the design world is really rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-consani/having-that-opportunity-to-talk-with-people-that-you-look-up-to-in/)

[Alex Consani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-consani/)

> [Growing up, a black face on TV was really rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/growing-up-a-black-face-on-tv-was-really-rare/)

[Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/)

> [I'm a very bad teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/i-m-a-very-bad-teacher/)

[Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/)

> [I just felt like every situation I was in, I had a teacher that really was motivating me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-just-felt-like-every-situation-i-was-in-i-had-a-teacher-that-really/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [You know your a bad teacher when none of your classes knows what to do...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-your-a-bad-teacher-when-none-of-your-classes-knows-what-to-do/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [My first plays were amazingly bad, but I had a teacher who thought I had promise, and he kept working with me. I finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/my-first-plays-were-amazingly-bad-but-i-had-a-teacher-who-thought-i/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [It's really rare that you get to work with people who are passionate about what they do and show up every day and really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kennedy-montgomery/it-s-really-rare-that-you-get-to-work-with-people-who-are-passionate/)

[Lisa Kennedy Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kennedy-montgomery/)

> [“Glimpses of how it really was before us are rare, if not impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-king/glimpses-of-how-it-really-was-before-us-are-rare-if-not-impossible/)

[Lily King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-king/)

> [It's really rare to come across a character, a show, or a movie that allows you to completely play four or five different characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/it-s-really-rare-to-come-across-a-character-a-show-or-a-movie-that/)

[Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/)

> [That's something that's really rare and special and what any actor would love - to have somebody that's specifically writing for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tenney/that-s-something-that-s-really-rare-and-special-and-what-any-actor/)

[Jon Tenney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tenney/)

> [It's really rare in TV not to think, 'Well, I've seen a version of this before.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-chan/it-s-really-rare-in-tv-not-to-think-well-i-ve-seen-a-version-of-this/)

[Gemma Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-chan/)

## More by John Smoltz

> [A definition of a good broadcast is when 50 percent of the people think you're rooting for one team and the other 50 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/a-definition-of-a-good-broadcast-is-when-50-percent-of-the-people/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [Pitching for the Boston Red Sox proved to be one of the few challenges in my career that I was unable to overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/pitching-for-the-boston-red-sox-proved-to-be-one-of-the-few/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [I gave up a lot of money to stay with the Braves four different times and I don't regret any second of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-gave-up-a-lot-of-money-to-stay-with-the-braves-four-different-times/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [I've learned so much through golf and myself. I've been frustrated a lot, but I've proved a lot, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-ve-learned-so-much-through-golf-and-myself-i-ve-been-frustrated-a/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [If the players don't produce, and aren't in the position to be evaluated correctly, then a manager's job of winning or losing baseball games…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/if-the-players-don-t-produce-and-aren-t-in-the-position-to-be/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [When you go into the minor leagues and you take a kid out after 75 to 90 pitches, what do you expect him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/when-you-go-into-the-minor-leagues-and-you-take-a-kid-out-after-75-to/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [I don't know that we'll ever see a 3,000-strikeout guy again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-don-t-know-that-we-ll-ever-see-a-3-000-strikeout-guy-again/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [To be honest with you, the two greatest games I ever pitched resulted in losses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/to-be-honest-with-you-the-two-greatest-games-i-ever-pitched-resulted/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [I never grunted, and never overthrew a pitch when I was a starter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-never-grunted-and-never-overthrew-a-pitch-when-i-was-a-starter/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [I try to squeeze in a round of golf here and there when I get a chance to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-try-to-squeeze-in-a-round-of-golf-here-and-there-when-i-get-a/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [Yeah, I've never been afraid of any challenge, and I'm either all in or all out, because that's the mindset I've always had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/yeah-i-ve-never-been-afraid-of-any-challenge-and-i-m-either-all-in-or/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [Going to the pen was something I had to learn to do. It wasn't something I wanted to do. If it made our team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/going-to-the-pen-was-something-i-had-to-learn-to-do-it-wasn-t/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [Alan Trammell came right up to me. I was sitting in a locker, looking like I don't belong here. He shook my hand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/alan-trammell-came-right-up-to-me-i-was-sitting-in-a-locker-looking/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [I love to compete. I really do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-love-to-compete-i-really-do/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

> [Golf was a great way to be better in baseball. And now golf is something I enjoy, and a way to better experience and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/golf-was-a-great-way-to-be-better-in-baseball-and-now-golf-is/)

[John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

[Explore all 99 John Smoltz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/)

## More Bad quotes

> [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/)

[Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/)

> [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/)

[Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/)

> [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/)

[Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/)

> [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/)

[Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/)

> [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/)

[Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/)

[Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/)

> [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/)

[Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/)

> [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/)

[Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/)

> [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/)

[Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/)

> [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/)

[Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/)

> [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/)

[Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/)

> [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/)

[Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/)

[Browse all 7,973 Bad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I don't think I ever had a bad teacher, which is really rare.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Smoltz"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-don-t-think-i-ever-had-a-bad-teacher-which-is-really-rare/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bad"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-don-t-think-i-ever-had-a-bad-teacher-which-is-really-rare/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/john-smoltz-6392_bad_i-don-t-think-i-ever-had-a-bad-teacher-w_2510554.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/john-smoltz-6392_bad_i-don-t-think-i-ever-had-a-bad-teacher-w_2510554.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/john-smoltz-6392_bad_i-don-t-think-i-ever-had-a-bad-teacher-w_2510554.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I don't think I ever had a bad teacher, which is really rare.” — John Smoltz",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Smoltz",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I don't think I ever had...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-don-t-think-i-ever-had-a-bad-teacher-which-is-really-rare/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-don-t-think-i-ever-had-a-bad-teacher-which-is-really-rare/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
