--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are some great teachers who have…" description: "\"There are some great teachers who have had great students, but they themselves can't play a note. I don't understand it, because the most I learned fro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/joshua-bell-13600_great-teacher_there-are-some-great-teachers-who-have-h_283321.png" --- # There are some great teachers who have had great students… ![“There are some great teachers who have had great students, but they themselves can't play a note. I don't understand it, because the most I learned from my teacher was just hearing him play.” quote by Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/joshua-bell-13600_great-teacher_there-are-some-great-teachers-who-have-h_283321.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/joshua-bell-13600_great-teacher_there-are-some-great-teachers-who-have-h_283321.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/joshua-bell-13600_great-teacher_there-are-some-great-teachers-who-have-h_283321.png) > “There are some great teachers who have had great students, but they themselves can't play a note. I don't understand it, because the most I learned from my teacher was just hearing him play.” [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A teacher may inspire great students without being able to demonstrate the skill themselves; learning can come from observation rather than direct instruction. **In simple terms:** Great teachers can inspire without being masters themselves. Key Takeaway Value learning from observation. Themes education music mentorship Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical insightful When to use this quote - music lessons - artistic mentorship - self‑directed learning Key Concepts observational learning implicit teaching skill transmission Questions to Reflect On - What have you learned by watching others? - How can teachers improve without direct demonstration? A Different Perspective Relying solely on observation may limit deep skill acquisition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-teacher/) [Great teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-teachers/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) ## Related quotes > [We have had this massive effort on K-12 reform, raising standards, great teachers, great principals, turning around chronically failing schools, raising the bar, huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/we-have-had-this-massive-effort-on-k-12-reform-raising-standards/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [“Great teachers had great personalities and that the greatest teachers had outrageous personalities. I did not like decorum or rectitude in a classroom; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/great-teachers-had-great-personalities-and-that-the-greatest-teachers/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [“Great people live a simple life, Great Inventions have simple ideas Great teachers make matters simple. Great Students simply understand in-spite of Teachers The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-v-rao/great-people-live-a-simple-life-great-inventions-have-simple-ideas/) T.V. Rao > [I need to stress that I could not be more supportive of great teachers and great teaching, no matter what kind of delivery vehicle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-devos/i-need-to-stress-that-i-could-not-be-more-supportive-of-great/) [Betsy DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-devos/) > [That is the difference between good teachers and great teachers: good teachers make the best of a pupil's means; great teachers foresee a pupil's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-callas/that-is-the-difference-between-good-teachers-and-great-teachers-good/) [Maria Callas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-callas/) > [Martin Luther King Jr. was a great teacher and just a great person in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akeem-ayers/martin-luther-king-jr-was-a-great-teacher-and-just-a-great-person-in/) [Akeem Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akeem-ayers/) > [The message of music was also the first thing what I learned from my first teacher. She was an organist too and she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-masur/the-message-of-music-was-also-the-first-thing-what-i-learned-from-my/) [Kurt Masur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-masur/) > [“All this attending educational lectures and reading is greatly tempting, of course, and a great many would-be students spend their whole lives in such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-forester/all-this-attending-educational-lectures-and-reading-is-greatly/) [H.M. Forester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-forester/) > [“Now it is true that I could have learned without a teacher, but it would have been risky for me, because of my natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/now-it-is-true-that-i-could-have-learned-without-a-teacher-but-it/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Richard continued, “What I mean is that if you really want to understand something, the best way is to try and explain it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/richard-continued-what-i-mean-is-that-if-you-really-want-to/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I think all students start off with incredible ability and curiosity, and if they're given the opportunity to pursue that, if they're given a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-think-all-students-start-off-with-incredible-ability-and-curiosity/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Dogs are great teachers. They are at home in the world. They live in the moment, and they force us to stay there with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cheever/dogs-are-great-teachers-they-are-at-home-in-the-world-they-live-in/) [Susan Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cheever/) > [Teachers teach and students educate. Students are the only true educators. Historically, every other method of education has failed. Education occurs when students get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-demille/teachers-teach-and-students-educate-students-are-the-only-true/) [Oliver DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-demille/) > [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More by Joshua Bell > [You're a constant student, as a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/you-re-a-constant-student-as-a-musician/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [When you play a violin piece, you are a storyteller, and you're telling a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/when-you-play-a-violin-piece-you-are-a-storyteller-and-you-re-telling/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [I love the outdoor festival feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/i-love-the-outdoor-festival-feeling/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [I always find it funny when people say, "I don't really like classical music" or "it doesn't do anything for me." I tell them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/i-always-find-it-funny-when-people-say-i-don-t-really-like-classical/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [Social media puts us inside our phones and our computers and our headphones, and we're not connecting so much with our outside environment. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/social-media-puts-us-inside-our-phones-and-our-computers-and-our/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [ There are days that I get neurotic with the instrument \[violin\]. Every little adjustment will change the balance for good or for bad. It's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/there-are-days-that-i-get-neurotic-with-the-instrument-violin-every/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [I want to do everything. That's my problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/i-want-to-do-everything-that-s-my-problem/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [There's nothing more frustrating than seeing a conductor say, 'Play softer,' as they're waving their hands in huge gestures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/there-s-nothing-more-frustrating-than-seeing-a-conductor-say-play/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [You don't have to have lots of love affairs to know what love is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/you-don-t-have-to-have-lots-of-love-affairs-to-know-what-love-is/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [I write arrangements. Im sort of a wannabe composer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/i-write-arrangements-im-sort-of-a-wannabe-composer/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [What drew me to the violin was mastering the instrument technically, which I'm continuing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/what-drew-me-to-the-violin-was-mastering-the-instrument-technically/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [If you mess up the tiniest little thing in the Beethoven concerto, or the phrasing isn't just exactly perfectly executed, Beethoven brings out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/if-you-mess-up-the-tiniest-little-thing-in-the-beethoven-concerto-or/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [I use Facebook quite a lot to keep up with my friends, although I had to delete 'Words With Friends' from my phone because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/i-use-facebook-quite-a-lot-to-keep-up-with-my-friends-although-i-had/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [Over the years, I've collected a lot of musical friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/over-the-years-i-ve-collected-a-lot-of-musical-friends/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [We live in the least ugly time in history. If you look at back when Beethoven was writing, half the kids were dying, mothers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/we-live-in-the-least-ugly-time-in-history-if-you-look-at-back-when/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) [Explore all 50 Joshua Bell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) ## More Great teacher quotes > [No matter how many great things you say about Jacques Pepin, there's always more. Through his books and videos, he taught me the importance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-kenji-lopez-alt/no-matter-how-many-great-things-you-say-about-jacques-pepin-there-s/) [J. Kenji Lopez-Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-kenji-lopez-alt/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [What a great teacher, a great parent, a great psychotherapist and a great coach have in common is a deep belief in the potential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/what-a-great-teacher-a-great-parent-a-great-psychotherapist-and-a/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Parents can shape a child, but a great teacher can, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-bier/parents-can-shape-a-child-but-a-great-teacher-can-too/) [Susanne Bier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-bier/) > [“Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all pupils”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-hector-berlioz/time-is-a-great-teacher-but-unfortunately-it-kills-all-pupils/) Louis Hector Berlioz > [Experience is a great teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/experience-is-a-great-teacher/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity a greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/prosperity-is-a-great-teacher-adversity-a-greater/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Those who are highly evolved, maintain an undiscriminating perception. Seeing everything, labeling nothing, they maintain their awareness of the Great Oneness. Thus they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/those-who-are-highly-evolved-maintain-an-undiscriminating-perception/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“The Holy Spirit is our great Teacher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-holy-spirit-is-our-great-teacher/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Pain is the great teacher of mankind. Beneath its breath souls develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/pain-is-the-great-teacher-of-mankind-beneath-its-breath-souls-develop/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Teachers teach and students educate. Students are the only true educators. Historically, every other method of education has failed. Education occurs when students get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-demille/teachers-teach-and-students-educate-students-are-the-only-true/) [Oliver DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-demille/) > [History is a great teacher. Now everyone knows that the labor movement did not diminish the strength of the nation but enlarged it. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/history-is-a-great-teacher-now-everyone-knows-that-the-labor-movement/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Adversity is a great teacher, but this teacher makes us pay dearly for its instruction; and often the profit we derive, is not worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hardwick/adversity-is-a-great-teacher-but-this-teacher-makes-us-pay-dearly-for/) [Elizabeth Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hardwick/) [Browse all 229 Great teacher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-teacher/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are some great teachers who have had great students, but they themselves can't play a note. 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