--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is what an excellent teacher does…" description: "\"This is what an excellent teacher does; he does not follow his disciples' fancy everywhere, but leads them to his own mind, and pulls up the thorns, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/953/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_answers_this-is-what-an-excellent-teacher-does-h_2517690.jpg" --- # This is what an excellent teacher does; he does not follow… ![“This is what an excellent teacher does; he does not follow his disciples' fancy everywhere, but leads them to his own mind, and pulls up the thorns, and then puts the seed in, and does not answer at once in all cases to the questions put to him.” quote by Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/953/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_answers_this-is-what-an-excellent-teacher-does-h_2517690.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/953/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_answers_this-is-what-an-excellent-teacher-does-h_2517690.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/953/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_answers_this-is-what-an-excellent-teacher-does-h_2517690.jpg) > “This is what an excellent teacher does; he does not follow his disciples' fancy everywhere, but leads them to his own mind, and pulls up the thorns, and then puts the seed in, and does not answer at once in all cases to the questions put to him.” [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An excellent teacher guides students thoughtfully, addressing difficulties and planting knowledge, without instantly answering every question. **In simple terms:** Good teachers guide and challenge, not just give answers. Key Takeaway Guide learners and encourage critical thinking. Themes education guidance patience wisdom Mood reflective encouraging Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - classroom teaching - mentoring - personal development Key Concepts pedagogy philosophy spiritual mentorship Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance guidance with allowing independent thought? - When should a teacher intervene directly? A Different Perspective Immediate answers can hinder deep understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Disciple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciple/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Excellent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent/) [Excellent Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent-teacher-289031/) [Fancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fancy/) [Follow Disciples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-disciples-1219968/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Pull ups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pull-ups/) [Pulls Thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pulls-thorns-1219969/) [Seeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeds/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teacher Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher-does-441315/) [Thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thorns/) ## Related quotes > [An excellent teacher not only teaches but also makes you believe that you can learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-excellent-teacher-not-only-teaches-but-also-makes-you-believe-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Travelling becomes an excellent teacher if the traveller becomes an excellent student!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/travelling-becomes-an-excellent-teacher-if-the-traveller-becomes-an/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The task of the excellent teacher is to stimulate 'apparently ordinary' people to unusual effort. The tough problem is not in identifying winners: it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-patricia-cross/the-task-of-the-excellent-teacher-is-to-stimulate-apparently-ordinary/) [K. Patricia Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-patricia-cross/) > [“Suffering has its beneficial aspects. It can be an excellent teacher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/suffering-has-its-beneficial-aspects-it-can-be-an-excellent-teacher/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“History is an excellent teacher with few pupils.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ariel-durant/history-is-an-excellent-teacher-with-few-pupils/) [Will & Ariel durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ariel-durant/) > [I once knew an otherwise excellent teacher who compelled his students to perform all their demonstrations with incorrect figures, on the theory that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-mach/i-once-knew-an-otherwise-excellent-teacher-who-compelled-his-students/) [Ernst Mach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-mach/) > [“You learn calmness from the lake; you learn power from the ocean waves; you learn goodness from the trees! Look around you! You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/you-learn-calmness-from-the-lake-you-learn-power-from-the-ocean-waves/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“If tomorrow all the bridges disappear in the world, then we can learn perfectly how very useful they were! Losing something is an excellent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-tomorrow-all-the-bridges-disappear-in-the-world-then-we-can-learn/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“time is an excellent teacher - unfortunately it kills all its pupils”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berlioz-hector-hector/time-is-an-excellent-teacher-unfortunately-it-kills-all-its-pupils/) [Berlioz Hector Hector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berlioz-hector-hector/) > [“Mrs March knew that experience was an excellent teacher, and, when it was possible, she left her children to learn alone the lessons which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/mrs-march-knew-that-experience-was-an-excellent-teacher-and-when-it/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Among the many things that made the Professor an excellent teacher was the fact that he wasn't afraid to say 'we don't know.' For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ogawa/among-the-many-things-that-made-the-professor-an-excellent-teacher/) [Yoko Ogawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ogawa/) > [To be a teacher does not mean simply to affirm that such a thing is so, or to deliver a lecture, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/to-be-a-teacher-does-not-mean-simply-to-affirm-that-such-a-thing-is/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A teacher does not make a new diamond, but discovers a pre-existing and shapes it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabeya/a-teacher-does-not-make-a-new-diamond-but-discovers-a-pre-existing/) [Rabeya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabeya/) > [“This is what a real teacher does: she opens the gates of our minds to the possibilities of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/this-is-what-a-real-teacher-does-she-opens-the-gates-of-our-minds-to/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [Solskjaer is our teacher and does a good job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred/solskjaer-is-our-teacher-and-does-a-good-job/) [Fred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred/) ## More by Saint John Chrysostom > [God measures out affliction to our need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/god-measures-out-affliction-to-our-need/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [If we approach with faith, we too will see Jesus... for the Eucharistic table takes the place of the crib. Here the Body of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/if-we-approach-with-faith-we-too-will-see-jesus-for-the-eucharistic/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [The slave should be resigned to his lot, in obeying his master he is obeying God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/the-slave-should-be-resigned-to-his-lot-in-obeying-his-master-he-is/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Every trace of the old philosophy and literatureof the ancient world has vanished from the face of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/every-trace-of-the-old-philosophy-and-literatureof-the-ancient-world/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [What the soul is in the body, let Christians be in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/what-the-soul-is-in-the-body-let-christians-be-in-the-world/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [...there is nothing that has been created without some reason, even if human nature is incapable of knowing precisely the reason for them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/there-is-nothing-that-has-been-created-without-some-reason-even-if/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [It is certainly a greater and more wonderful work to change the minds of enemies, bringing about a change of soul, than to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/it-is-certainly-a-greater-and-more-wonderful-work-to-change-the-minds/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [As a moth gnaws a garment, so doth envy consume a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/as-a-moth-gnaws-a-garment-so-doth-envy-consume-a-man/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [What is it to be a fool for Christ? It is to control one's thoughts when they stray out of line. It is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/what-is-it-to-be-a-fool-for-christ-it-is-to-control-one-s-thoughts/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Let us always guard our tongue; not that it should always be silent, but that it should speak at the proper time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that-it-should-always-be-silent/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [It brings comfort to have companions in whatever happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/it-brings-comfort-to-have-companions-in-whatever-happens/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [I do not think there are many among Bishops that will be saved, but many more that perish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/i-do-not-think-there-are-many-among-bishops-that-will-be-saved-but/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [When an archer desires to shoot his arrows successfully, he first takes great pains over his posture and aligns himself accurately with his mark.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/when-an-archer-desires-to-shoot-his-arrows-successfully-he-first/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Whether, therefore, we receive what we ask for, or do not receive it, let us still continue steadfast in prayer. For to fail in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/whether-therefore-we-receive-what-we-ask-for-or-do-not-receive-it-let/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Not to share our own wealth with the poor is theft from the poor and deprivation of their means of life; we do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/not-to-share-our-own-wealth-with-the-poor-is-theft-from-the-poor-and/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) [Explore all 169 Saint John Chrysostom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. 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