--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a teacher once, grade school…" description: "\"I had a teacher once, grade school somewhere. Philippines, I think, because she always wore a big white hat. So it was somewhere hot. I was always twic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b25/lee-child-980_bigs_i-had-a-teacher-once-grade-school-somewh_2690180.jpg" --- # I had a teacher once, grade school somewhere. Philippines… ![“I had a teacher once, grade school somewhere. Philippines, I think, because she always wore a big white hat. So it was somewhere hot. I was always twice the size of the other kids, and she used to say to me: count to ten before you get mad, Reacher. And I've counted way past ten on this one. Way…” quote by Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b25/lee-child-980_bigs_i-had-a-teacher-once-grade-school-somewh_2690180.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b25/lee-child-980_bigs_i-had-a-teacher-once-grade-school-somewh_2690180.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b25/lee-child-980_bigs_i-had-a-teacher-once-grade-school-somewh_2690180.jpg) > “I had a teacher once, grade school somewhere. Philippines, I think, because she always wore a big white hat. So it was somewhere hot. I was always twice the size of the other kids, and she used to say to me: count to ten before you get mad, Reacher. And I've counted way past ten on this one. Way past.” [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) ## 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 taught a calming technique—counting to ten—to manage anger, but the speaker often exceeds it. **In simple terms:** Counting helps control anger. Key Takeaway Practice counting before reacting. Themes self‑control anger management mindfulness Mood reflective pragmatic Type self‑help advice When to use this quote - conflict resolution - stress reduction - personal discipline Key Concepts psychology self‑help Questions to Reflect On - When does counting break down? - What alternative coping strategies work? A Different Perspective Technique may fail under extreme stress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Grade school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grade-school/) [Grades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grades/) [Grades in school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grades-in-school/) [Hats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hats/) [Hot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hot/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Kids Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-used-781914/) [Mad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mad/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Philippines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philippines/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Size](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/size/) [Size Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/size-kids-2651914/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teacher Grade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher-grade-2513284/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) ## Related quotes > [Experience, they say, is the best teacher, but we get the grade first and the lesson later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/experience-they-say-is-the-best-teacher-but-we-get-the-grade-first/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [I remember having a grade-school teacher I thought was a hard-ass. When you're that age, you think the guy is Himmler. Then you visit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-remember-having-a-grade-school-teacher-i-thought-was-a-hard-ass/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [The teachers liked me. In grade school, they make you copy pictures from books. I think the first one was Robert Louis Stevenson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/the-teachers-liked-me-in-grade-school-they-make-you-copy-pictures/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Of course, in our grade school, in those days, there were no organized sports at all. We just went out and ran around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shepard/of-course-in-our-grade-school-in-those-days-there-were-no-organized/) [Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) > [When I was in grade school I was into chess club, Latin club, D&D, computer camp - everything that made vaginas go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/when-i-was-in-grade-school-i-was-into-chess-club-latin-club-d-d/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [Basketball was not my main sport in grade school, or even the first year of high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/basketball-was-not-my-main-sport-in-grade-school-or-even-the-first/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [My mother had been a grade-school teacher, and my father had an eighth-grade education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-bell/my-mother-had-been-a-grade-school-teacher-and-my-father-had-an-eighth/) [Gordon Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-bell/) > [You can't have an honest fourth grade school teacher. Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Johnny, your son, your only child, the fruit of your loin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dom-irrera/you-can-t-have-an-honest-fourth-grade-school-teacher-mr-and-mrs-jones/) [Dom Irrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dom-irrera/) > [I did plays in grade school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-hanks/i-did-plays-in-grade-school/) [Colin Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-hanks/) > [If you think I'm annoying and preachy now, you should have known me in grade school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/if-you-think-i-m-annoying-and-preachy-now-you-should-have-known-me-in/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [I got kicked out in grade school because I staged a riot because I wanted more library time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bitsie-tulloch/i-got-kicked-out-in-grade-school-because-i-staged-a-riot-because-i/) [Bitsie Tulloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bitsie-tulloch/) > [Kids now are so used to surround sound and the power in theater speakers, that the concert hall is a disappointment to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogden-stiers/kids-now-are-so-used-to-surround-sound-and-the-power-in-theater/) [David Ogden Stiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogden-stiers/) > [Kids used to tease me and call me 'fille des etoiles,' which translates to 'daughter of the stars.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khoudia-diop/kids-used-to-tease-me-and-call-me-fille-des-etoiles-which-translates/) [Khoudia Diop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khoudia-diop/) > [Kids used to tease me unmercifully about that name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-schott/kids-used-to-tease-me-unmercifully-about-that-name/) [Marge Schott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-schott/) > [Kids used to say stuff all the time about how I was different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yu-darvish/kids-used-to-say-stuff-all-the-time-about-how-i-was-different/) [Yu Darvish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yu-darvish/) ## More by Lee Child > [“Reacher got to them on the plane. He put them out of action and stole their wallets.” “On the plane?” “He broke Lozano’s fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/reacher-got-to-them-on-the-plane-he-put-them-out-of-action-and-stole/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“A maintenance dose. It would keep her asleep all night. It would keep her warm, and gentle, and relaxed, and at peace, and cradled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/a-maintenance-dose-it-would-keep-her-asleep-all-night-it-would-keep/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“It had maroon paint and exposed brick and scarred wood, and a chalkboard menu about ninety percent full of things that don’t really belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/it-had-maroon-paint-and-exposed-brick-and-scarred-wood-and-a/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [Spread love and understanding,” Reacher said. “Use force if necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/spread-love-and-understanding-reacher-said-use-force-if-necessary/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“or especially fragile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/or-especially-fragile/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [Now they broke my toothbrush, I don't own anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/now-they-broke-my-toothbrush-i-don-t-own-anything/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“The Zip Code is about the size of Chicago. With five people. But hey, welcome to Wyoming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/the-zip-code-is-about-the-size-of-chicago-with-five-people-but-hey/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“You got to imagine your memory is like an old bucket, you know? Once it’s filled up with old stuff there ain’t no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/you-got-to-imagine-your-memory-is-like-an-old-bucket-you-know-once-it/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“foreign legal systems. So I made”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/foreign-legal-systems-so-i-made/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [That should be your town motto. It's all I ever hear. Like: New Hampshire, Live Free or Die. It should be: Despair, You Need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/that-should-be-your-town-motto-it-s-all-i-ever-hear-like-new/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [Writing is showbusiness for shy people. That's how I see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/writing-is-showbusiness-for-shy-people-that-s-how-i-see-it/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“OK, Finlay, let’s get it done,” I said. “I don’t have an address because I don’t live anywhere. Maybe one day I’ll live somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/ok-finlay-let-s-get-it-done-i-said-i-don-t-have-an-address-because-i/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“He changed his final wad up at the train station. Which was a sad place now. There were homeless people and disturbed people hanging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/he-changed-his-final-wad-up-at-the-train-station-which-was-a-sad/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“They had come for us in the night. Hey had come expecting a lot of blood. They had come with all their gear. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/they-had-come-for-us-in-the-night-hey-had-come-expecting-a-lot-of/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“He hauled the right-hand guy next to the left-hand guy, close together, shoulder to shoulder, and he picked up the heavy box like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/he-hauled-the-right-hand-guy-next-to-the-left-hand-guy-close-together/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) [Explore all 306 Lee Child quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) [Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had a teacher once, grade school somewhere. Philippines, I think, because she always wore a big white hat. 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