--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't realize that many people, who…" description: "\"“I didn't realize that many people, who may be good people, feel that working in schools is just a job and not a holy mission.”\" — Rafe Esquith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rafe-esquith-15671_education_i-didn-t-realize-that-many-people-who-ma_843030.png" --- # I didn't realize that many people, who may be good people… ![“I didn't realize that many people, who may be good people, feel that working in schools is just a job and not a holy mission.” quote by Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rafe-esquith-15671_education_i-didn-t-realize-that-many-people-who-ma_843030.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rafe-esquith-15671_education_i-didn-t-realize-that-many-people-who-ma_843030.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rafe-esquith-15671_education_i-didn-t-realize-that-many-people-who-ma_843030.png) > ““I didn't realize that many people, who may be good people, feel that working in schools is just a job and not a holy mission.”” [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many educators view teaching as a job rather than a sacred calling, limiting passion and impact. **In simple terms:** Teaching seen as work, not vocation. Key Takeaway Cultivate purpose in education. Themes education purpose motivation Mood reflective concerned Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - teacher training - school leadership - career counseling - faculty development Key Concepts vocational calling identity mission Questions to Reflect On - How can schools foster a sense of mission? - What barriers prevent teachers from feeling called? A Different Perspective Passion alone may not overcome systemic constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [People Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-feel/) [People Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-good/) [Realize People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realize-people/) [Working Schools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-schools-664249/) ## Related quotes > [I am an education ambassador, mainly working with schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daley-thompson/i-am-an-education-ambassador-mainly-working-with-schools/) [Daley Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daley-thompson/) > [I realize people feel a complex way about me and how I handle things compared to what I do in the ring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samoa-joe/i-realize-people-feel-a-complex-way-about-me-and-how-i-handle-things/) [Samoa Joe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samoa-joe/) > [You know how some people are - they always feel they have to do things for other people's good, no matter what happens to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-parkinson-keyes/you-know-how-some-people-are-they-always-feel-they-have-to-do-things/) [Frances Parkinson Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-parkinson-keyes/) > [“I realized that neither Paul nor Barnabas were bad people. They were good people. But they weren’t good together. And that’s okay. It’s so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/i-realized-that-neither-paul-nor-barnabas-were-bad-people-they-were/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [Surround yourself with good people and good things will start to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/surround-yourself-with-good-people-and-good-things-will-start-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do not say, that if the people do good to us, we will do good to them; and if the people oppress us, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad/do-not-say-that-if-the-people-do-good-to-us-we-will-do-good-to-them/) [Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad/) > [I find good people good And I find bad people good If I am good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/i-find-good-people-good-and-i-find-bad-people-good-if-i-am-good-enough/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Hang out with good people, do good things, and always put the team first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kraft/hang-out-with-good-people-do-good-things-and-always-put-the-team-first/) [Robert Kraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kraft/) > [When you surround yourself with good people there can only be good outcomes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-surround-yourself-with-good-people-there-can-only-be-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The key to life, in my opinion, is to hang with good people, to have good people around you all the time because you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kraft/the-key-to-life-in-my-opinion-is-to-hang-with-good-people-to-have/) [Robert Kraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kraft/) > [It's exciting to be with really, really good people. Some people make you feel like you've got to up your game. Working with good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/it-s-exciting-to-be-with-really-really-good-people-some-people-make/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [I am a person who believes in the good of people and who may have had things influence them to a certain degree, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-north/i-am-a-person-who-believes-in-the-good-of-people-and-who-may-have-had/) [Nolan North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-north/) > [“In good people I see good things”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-lawson/in-good-people-i-see-good-things/) [Gladys Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-lawson/) > [Make sure to surround yourself with good people, good pets, and better food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-sure-to-surround-yourself-with-good-people-good-pets-and-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It should not be this difficult for people of good will, people with experience, to offer it in service to their country. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annamie-paul/it-should-not-be-this-difficult-for-people-of-good-will-people-with/) [Annamie Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annamie-paul/) ## More by Rafe Esquith > [Teach like your hair's on fire!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/teach-like-your-hair-s-on-fire/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [I have students who are PhDs in music who come back and scored the music and teach the kids the instruments that I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/i-have-students-who-are-phds-in-music-who-come-back-and-scored-the/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [I don't think we expect enough of students. They just need someone to show them the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/i-don-t-think-we-expect-enough-of-students-they-just-need-someone-to/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' I realized then where the problem lay. My students, and so many of our young people today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-happiness-i-realized-then-where-the/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [“Those who celebrate failure will not be around to help today's students celebrate their jobs flipping burgers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/those-who-celebrate-failure-will-not-be-around-to-help-today-s/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [I always tell the kids that excellence is like pregnancy. You can't be a little bit pregnant. You either are or you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/i-always-tell-the-kids-that-excellence-is-like-pregnancy-you-can-t-be/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [Good teachers are an endangered species because they're giving up because of the tests and everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/good-teachers-are-an-endangered-species-because-they-re-giving-up/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [I'd like to give every young teacher some good news. Teaching is a very easy job. Administrators will tell you what to do. You'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/i-d-like-to-give-every-young-teacher-some-good-news-teaching-is-a/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [You hear terrible stories because there'll be a story about some terrible kid, but most of the kids I work with are terrific kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/you-hear-terrible-stories-because-there-ll-be-a-story-about-some/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [“Everything has become too easy for our young people, and we make things worse by lying to them. We don't help them face reality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/everything-has-become-too-easy-for-our-young-people-and-we-make/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [I am asking teachers to understand that we must make the education relevant for the children. If they're only working for the tests or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/i-am-asking-teachers-to-understand-that-we-must-make-the-education/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [But to paraphrase Henry Drummond in Inherit the Wind, ignorance and mediocrity are forever busy, and the forces of mediocrity aren't content with being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/but-to-paraphrase-henry-drummond-in-inherit-the-wind-ignorance-and/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [The reason I love teaching, it's like being a miner. I find all these undiscovered jewels and, with the right motivation, they're amazed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/the-reason-i-love-teaching-it-s-like-being-a-miner-i-find-all-these/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [With better vision, we sacrifice for students for whom that sacrifice will most likely pay off. I'm sorry to say this, but there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/with-better-vision-we-sacrifice-for-students-for-whom-that-sacrifice/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [I want my kids to know that they're just as good and just as American as Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, or Dr. Martin Luther…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/i-want-my-kids-to-know-that-they-re-just-as-good-and-just-as-american/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) [Explore all 42 Rafe Esquith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) [Ioannes Amos Commenius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioannes-amos-commenius/) > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) [H.D. (Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-hilda-doolittle/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I didn't realize that many people, who may be good people, feel that working in schools is just a job and not a holy mission.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rafe Esquith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/i-didn-t-realize-that-many-people-who-may-be-good-people-feel-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/i-didn-t-realize-that-many-people-who-may-be-good-people-feel-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rafe-esquith-15671_education_i-didn-t-realize-that-many-people-who-ma_843030.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rafe-esquith-15671_education_i-didn-t-realize-that-many-people-who-ma_843030.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/rafe-esquith-15671_education_i-didn-t-realize-that-many-people-who-ma_843030.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I didn't realize that many people, who may be good people, feel that working in schools is just a job and…” — Rafe Esquith", "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": "Rafe Esquith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I didn't realize that many people,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/i-didn-t-realize-that-many-people-who-may-be-good-people-feel-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/i-didn-t-realize-that-many-people-who-may-be-good-people-feel-that/#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 } } ] } ```