--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a teacher, teachers would come…" description: "\"When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my classroom and admire my desk on which lay nothing whatever, whereas theirs were heaped with papers an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/norman-maccaig-15658_admire_when-i-was-a-teacher-teachers-would-come_2176819.jpg" --- # When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my… ![“When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my classroom and admire my desk on which lay nothing whatever, whereas theirs were heaped with papers and books.” quote by Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/norman-maccaig-15658_admire_when-i-was-a-teacher-teachers-would-come_2176819.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/norman-maccaig-15658_admire_when-i-was-a-teacher-teachers-would-come_2176819.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/norman-maccaig-15658_admire_when-i-was-a-teacher-teachers-would-come_2176819.jpg) > “When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my classroom and admire my desk on which lay nothing whatever, whereas theirs were heaped with papers and books.” [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He contrasts his minimal desk with cluttered colleagues, highlighting humility and focus over material accumulation. **In simple terms:** Simplicity beats clutter. Key Takeaway Embrace minimalism. Themes humility education focus Mood reflective thoughtful Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - Classroom setup - teacher meetings - personal organization - creative spaces Key Concepts Materialism work environment Questions to Reflect On - Does a tidy space improve teaching? - How can teachers balance simplicity and preparedness? A Different Perspective Minimalism may limit resources needed for teaching. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Classroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classroom/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) ## Related quotes > [“They go out and visit the kinds of places they are learning about such as the county court system, the grocery store oe the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-whitney/they-go-out-and-visit-the-kinds-of-places-they-are-learning-about/) Fiona Whitney > [My best life lessons and education didn't come from a classroom - they've come from the wild. How you act in the big moments,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/my-best-life-lessons-and-education-didn-t-come-from-a-classroom-they/) [Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/) > [I've seen a lot of teachers come and go, and you do three or four years, and it's exhausting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-teachers-come-and-go-and-you-do-three-or-four/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [“Actually, I liked the principal’s office. It was interesting to see the teachers come and go, talking about what they would have for lunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/actually-i-liked-the-principal-s-office-it-was-interesting-to-see-the/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [Well, the traveling teachers do come through every few months," said the Baron. "Yes, sir, I know, sir, and they're useless, sir. They teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/well-the-traveling-teachers-do-come-through-every-few-months-said-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Singapore gives 10% "white space" time to all of its teachers to come up with their own innovations outside of the official curriculum. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/singapore-gives-10-white-space-time-to-all-of-its-teachers-to-come-up/) [Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/) > [My real first job was delivering newspapers with I was 15. I would ride my bike around and chuck papers at people's houses. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/my-real-first-job-was-delivering-newspapers-with-i-was-15-i-would/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Others may question your credentials, your papers, your degrees. Others may look for all kinds of ways to diminish your worth. But what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/others-may-question-your-credentials-your-papers-your-degrees-others/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [See you in the funny papers," he said. Jaunty, he reminded himself; always jaunty. In my panache is their hope for salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/see-you-in-the-funny-papers-he-said-jaunty-he-reminded-himself-always/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [To me, I read good reviews in lots of papers and bad reviews in lots of papers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-nevins/to-me-i-read-good-reviews-in-lots-of-papers-and-bad-reviews-in-lots/) [Sheila Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-nevins/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Sunday afternoon is for papers and writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-haslam/sunday-afternoon-is-for-papers-and-writing/) [Nicholas Haslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-haslam/) > [Authors of published papers and editors of scientific journals can, unfortunately, be slow to come to terms with criticism, and it's good that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-gelman/authors-of-published-papers-and-editors-of-scientific-journals-can/) Andrew Gelman > [You know, I read the papers and I watch the news a lot. I watch 'Dateline' and '48 Hours'. And I think we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-galecki/you-know-i-read-the-papers-and-i-watch-the-news-a-lot-i-watch/) [Johnny Galecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-galecki/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) ## More by Norman MacCaig > [“The day Was like the buzzard on the pine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/the-day-was-like-the-buzzard-on-the-pine/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [In fact a lot of them I think are absolute baloney. Those Charles Olsens and people like that. At first I was interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/in-fact-a-lot-of-them-i-think-are-absolute-baloney-those-charles/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [If I wrote a play with four characters every single one of them would talk like me regardless of age or sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/if-i-wrote-a-play-with-four-characters-every-single-one-of-them-would/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [I don't think of myself all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/i-don-t-think-of-myself-all-the-time/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [And it's impossible for me to read Henry James.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/and-it-s-impossible-for-me-to-read-henry-james/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [And the second question, can poetry be taught? I didn't think so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/and-the-second-question-can-poetry-be-taught-i-didn-t-think-so/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [Anybody who writes doesn't like to be misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/anybody-who-writes-doesn-t-like-to-be-misunderstood/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [All those authors there, most of whom of course I've never met. That's the poetry side, that's the prose side, that's the fishing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/all-those-authors-there-most-of-whom-of-course-i-ve-never-met-that-s/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [And in a way, that's been a help to me, because I take great passions for a particular poet - sometimes it lasts for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/and-in-a-way-that-s-been-a-help-to-me-because-i-take-great-passions/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [But I hang on to books. I love them. I even think they're very nice decor in a room - far better than paintings...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/but-i-hang-on-to-books-i-love-them-i-even-think-they-re-very-nice/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [I find it's impossible for me to read Proust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/i-find-it-s-impossible-for-me-to-read-proust/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [I was very interested in American poetry for many years. Much less now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/i-was-very-interested-in-american-poetry-for-many-years-much-less-now/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [A terrible thing about getting oldish is that your friends start dying, and in the last ten years I have lost seven or eight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/a-terrible-thing-about-getting-oldish-is-that-your-friends-start/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [I learned words, I learned words; but half of them died from lack of exercise. And the ones I use often look at me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/i-learned-words-i-learned-words-but-half-of-them-died-from-lack-of/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) > [Well, I love fishing. I wouldn't kill a fly myself but I've no hesitation in killing a fish. A lot of men are like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/well-i-love-fishing-i-wouldn-t-kill-a-fly-myself-but-i-ve-no/) [Norman MacCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) [Explore all 42 Norman MacCaig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/) ## More Admire quotes > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I admire Serena Williams, because, I mean, who doesn't admire Serena Williams?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/i-admire-serena-williams-because-i-mean-who-doesn-t-admire-serena/) [Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/) > [How proud I am to be compared to Oprah. I really admire her. She's a minority woman and she's done all this by herself...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/how-proud-i-am-to-be-compared-to-oprah-i-really-admire-her-she-s-a/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [I admire President Obama's ability to trust strangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/i-admire-president-obama-s-ability-to-trust-strangers/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [I really admire people's interactions with technology that aren't tech-centric but use it as a tool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-polachek/i-really-admire-people-s-interactions-with-technology-that-aren-t/) [Caroline Polachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-polachek/) > [During my first years in the Sierra, I was ever calling on everybody within reach to admire them, but I found no one half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/during-my-first-years-in-the-sierra-i-was-ever-calling-on-everybody/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [Shaw's works make me admire the magnificent tolerance and broadmindedness of the english.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/shaw-s-works-make-me-admire-the-magnificent-tolerance-and/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [I believe in a world where there are no heroes, and I've read and know humanity a lot. There are moments that I admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-believe-in-a-world-where-there-are-no-heroes-and-i-ve-read-and-know/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I think it's really good and helpful to have the people you most admire in some other discipline than what you work in. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-think-it-s-really-good-and-helpful-to-have-the-people-you-most/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [Part of what we admire about a painting or a piece of music is the order which the artist has imposed upon what would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/part-of-what-we-admire-about-a-painting-or-a-piece-of-music-is-the/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [I respect and admire the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/i-respect-and-admire-the-premier-league/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [“Admire and appreciate your man and he will be happy on your side”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-alfiori/admire-and-appreciate-your-man-and-he-will-be-happy-on-your-side/) [Linda Alfiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-alfiori/) > [“The thing I admire most about you is no matter how hard, or how much the world has tried to beat you, break you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-gill/the-thing-i-admire-most-about-you-is-no-matter-how-hard-or-how-much/) [Nikita Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-gill/) Browse all 2,369 Admire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my classroom and admire my desk on which lay nothing whatever, whereas theirs were heaped with papers and books.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norman MacCaig" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/when-i-was-a-teacher-teachers-would-come-into-my-classroom-and-admire/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Admire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/when-i-was-a-teacher-teachers-would-come-into-my-classroom-and-admire/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/norman-maccaig-15658_admire_when-i-was-a-teacher-teachers-would-come_2176819.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/norman-maccaig-15658_admire_when-i-was-a-teacher-teachers-would-come_2176819.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/norman-maccaig-15658_admire_when-i-was-a-teacher-teachers-would-come_2176819.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my classroom and admire my desk on which lay nothing…” — Norman MacCaig", "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": "Norman MacCaig", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maccaig/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was a teacher, teachers...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/when-i-was-a-teacher-teachers-would-come-into-my-classroom-and-admire/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maccaig/when-i-was-a-teacher-teachers-would-come-into-my-classroom-and-admire/#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 } } ] } ```