Book Quote by Alfred North Whitehead
“Whenever a text-book is written of real educational worth, you may be quite certain that some reviewer will say that it will be difficult to teach from it. Of course it will be difficult to teach from it. It it were easy, the book ought to be burned.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Philosophy of Education, 1920s
Educational works of true value are inherently challenging; ease would indicate lack of depth.
In simple terms: Good textbooks are hard to teach.
Embrace difficulty.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- teacher training
- curriculum design
- self‑study
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Why might simplicity betray superficiality?
- How can educators balance rigor with accessibility?