Unexpectedly, I came upon an article in Psychology Today (May 12, 2014) by Marilyn Price-Mitchell in which she includes a list of brief but insightful observations by a wide variety of 40 prominent people. Here are the first 15:
o The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done. — Jean Piaget, 1896-1980, Swiss developmental psychologist, philosopher
o An education isn’t how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It’s being able to differentiate between what you know and what you don’t. — Anatole France, 1844-1924, French poet, novelist
o Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. — Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013, South African President, philanthropist
o The object of education is to teach us to love beauty. — Plato, 424 – 348 BC, philosopher mathematician
o The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education — Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929-1968, pastor, activist, humanitarian
o Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school. — Albert Einstein, 1879-1955, physicist
o It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. — Aristotle, 384-322 BC, Greek philosopher, scientist
o Education is the power to think clearly, the power to act well in the world’s work, and the power to appreciate life. — Brigham Young, 1801-1877, religious leader
o Real education should educate us out of self into something far finer – into a selflessness which links us with all humanity. — Nancy Astor, 1879-1964, American-born English politician and socialite
o Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. — William Butler Yeats, 1865-1939, Irish poet
o Education is freedom. – Paulo Freire, 1921-1997, Brazilian educator, philosopher
o Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. — John Dewey, 1859-1952, philosopher, psychologist, education reformer
o Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.– George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, scientist, botanist, educator
o Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught. -– Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900, Irish writer, poet
o The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows. — Sydney J. Harris, 1917-1986, journalist
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Here’s a direct link to the complete article.
Marilyn Price-Mitchell is a Fellow at the Institute for Social Innovation at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, CA.