--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was at school you got an overall…" description: "\"When I was at school you got an overall general education on many things, even just basic facts.\" — Jo Brand" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/jo-brand-1915_education_when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall_21538.png" --- # When I was at school you got an overall general education… ![“When I was at school you got an overall general education on many things, even just basic facts.” quote by Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/jo-brand-1915_education_when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall_21538.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/jo-brand-1915_education_when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall_21538.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/jo-brand-1915_education_when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall_21538.png) > “When I was at school you got an overall general education on many things, even just basic facts.” [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique of modern education's breadth, suggesting it provides superficial knowledge across many topics rather than deep expertise. **In simple terms:** Broad but shallow schooling. Key Takeaway Breadth over depth limits mastery. Themes Education Curriculum design Knowledge depth Learning outcomes Critical thinking Mood Reflective Critical Nostalgic Type Observation Critique When to use this quote - High school curriculum planning - Parent-teacher discussions - Policy debates on education reform - Student self-assessment Key Concepts General education Fact memorization Specialization trade-off Practical Applications - Designing interdisciplinary programs - Balancing core subjects with electives Questions to Reflect On - How can schools balance breadth and depth? - What skills are most valuable in a rapidly changing world? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [General education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-education/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [“General education is not, only the way to be educated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fakhru-uddin-ahammed/general-education-is-not-only-the-way-to-be-educated/) Fakhru Uddin Ahammed > [In school, many of us procrastinate and then successfully cram for tests. We get the grades and degrees we need to get the jobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/in-school-many-of-us-procrastinate-and-then-successfully-cram-for/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Education to me is the most important thing that we've got going in this country. I mean, a lot of my family are teachers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-t-nelson/education-to-me-is-the-most-important-thing-that-we-ve-got-going-in/) [Craig T. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-t-nelson/) > [I think that one of the greatest challenges we have today is around education. One of the things that is dividing us more and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-think-that-one-of-the-greatest-challenges-we-have-today-is-around/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [The mere imparting of information is not education. Above all things, the effort must result in making a man think and do for himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/the-mere-imparting-of-information-is-not-education-above-all-things/) [Carter G. Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-g-woodson/) > [America put more money into research, into the new and the unknown than any nation in history, and the same thing with education, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/america-put-more-money-into-research-into-the-new-and-the-unknown/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [There are many things that go to make up an education, but there are just two things without which no man can ever hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-murray-butler/there-are-many-things-that-go-to-make-up-an-education-but-there-are/) [Nicholas Murray Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-murray-butler/) > [In many places it is literally not safe physically for youngsters to go to school. And in many schools, and its becoming almost generally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/in-many-places-it-is-literally-not-safe-physically-for-youngsters-to/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [General education is the best preventive of the evils now most dreaded. In the civilized countries of the world, the question is how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/general-education-is-the-best-preventive-of-the-evils-now-most/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [As women slowly gain power, their values and priorities are reshaping the agenda. A multitude of studies show that when women control the family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/as-women-slowly-gain-power-their-values-and-priorities-are-reshaping/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Men have their virtues and their vices, their heroisms and their perversities; men are neither wholly good nor wholly bad, but possess and practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/men-have-their-virtues-and-their-vices-their-heroisms-and-their/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The more Adams thought about the future of his country, the more convinced he became that it rested on education. Before any great things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/the-more-adams-thought-about-the-future-of-his-country-the-more/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [The education that prepared me was my general education classes, which I tried to avoid when I was a stupid undergraduate, but which gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-education-that-prepared-me-was-my-general-education-classes-which/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [We are lucky in the United States to have our liberal arts system. In most countries, if you go to university, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-c-nussbaum/we-are-lucky-in-the-united-states-to-have-our-liberal-arts-system-in/) [Martha C. Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-c-nussbaum/) > [Basically, my mother is a piano teacher, and she actually teaches piano at Yamaha School of Music today. She's a really, really amazing human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldar-djangirov/basically-my-mother-is-a-piano-teacher-and-she-actually-teaches-piano/) [Eldar Djangirov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldar-djangirov/) ## More by Jo Brand > [Regular panelists on shows can be terrifying. They own that space, and many guest comics suspect they are favoured in the edit, while their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/regular-panelists-on-shows-can-be-terrifying-they-own-that-space-and/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [I suspect most politicians feel overwhelmed because people's lives are a real struggle, full of unhappiness, and you would probably feel powerless to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/i-suspect-most-politicians-feel-overwhelmed-because-people-s-lives/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [The funny thing is, I don't actually think of myself as fat at all. I don't think I am. Not really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/the-funny-thing-is-i-don-t-actually-think-of-myself-as-fat-at-all-i/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [What could be funnier than a fat person trying to run a marathon?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/what-could-be-funnier-than-a-fat-person-trying-to-run-a-marathon/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [I like men. They are hugely entertaining, but they have a lot of shortcomings and you just have to bear those in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/i-like-men-they-are-hugely-entertaining-but-they-have-a-lot-of/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [Does anyone really go into nursing intending to be apathetic, cold and removed from suffering? I find that very difficult to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/does-anyone-really-go-into-nursing-intending-to-be-apathetic-cold-and/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [I have such admiration for single mothers. I simply don't comprehend how you'd cope with that intensity, the lack of breaks, ever, on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/i-have-such-admiration-for-single-mothers-i-simply-don-t-comprehend/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [The reason I used a name was because I was a nurse at the time, and I didn't want my name in Timeout and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/the-reason-i-used-a-name-was-because-i-was-a-nurse-at-the-time-and-i/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [You look across the board at comedy quiz shows, and they are mainly hosted by men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/you-look-across-the-board-at-comedy-quiz-shows-and-they-are-mainly/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [My mum is bright, ambitious, well read, political and very bolshie: when my dad was conscripted into the Army and posted to Libya, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/my-mum-is-bright-ambitious-well-read-political-and-very-bolshie-when/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [I know there are certain men that hate women or don't like women, and in order to make women feel small, they tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/i-know-there-are-certain-men-that-hate-women-or-don-t-like-women-and/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [Not many women will go out on a limb to make themselves really unattractive and unfeminine so you can get the laughs, but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/not-many-women-will-go-out-on-a-limb-to-make-themselves-really/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [When I was a nurse my favourite assignment was the anorexic ward. I sometimes ate as many as seventeen dinners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/when-i-was-a-nurse-my-favourite-assignment-was-the-anorexic-ward-i/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [There are lots of people who believe that caricature of me the tabloids created, so they think they don't like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/there-are-lots-of-people-who-believe-that-caricature-of-me-the/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [I just don't like travelling very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/i-just-don-t-like-travelling-very-much/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) [Explore all 198 Jo Brand quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) ## 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 > [“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 > [“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 > [“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": "When I was at school you got an overall general education on many things, even just basic facts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jo Brand" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall-general-education-on-many/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall-general-education-on-many/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/jo-brand-1915_education_when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall_21538.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/jo-brand-1915_education_when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall_21538.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/jo-brand-1915_education_when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall_21538.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was at school you got an overall general education on many things, even just basic facts.” — Jo Brand", "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": "Jo Brand", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was at school you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall-general-education-on-many/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall-general-education-on-many/#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 } } ] } ```