Able Quote by Leo Tolstoy
“School is established, not in order that it should be convenient for the children to study, but that teachers should be able to teach in comfort. The children's conversations, motion, merriment are not convenient for the teacher, and so in the schools, which are built on the plan of prisons, are prohibited.”
About This Quote
Schools are designed for teachers' convenience, often resembling prisons, which suppress children's natural curiosity and movement.
In simple terms: Schools prioritize teacher comfort over child freedom.
Key Takeaway
Educational design can stifle student vitality.
Themes
education
institutional design
child development
freedom
Mood
critical
hopeful
Type
social critique
educational commentary
When to use this quote
- classroom layout planning
- curriculum reform
- school policy debates
Key Concepts
pedagogy
environmental psychology
Practical Applications
- create flexible learning spaces
- center curricula on student engagement
Questions to Reflect On
- How can schools balance order with child‑centered freedom?
- What alternatives exist to the 'prison‑like' model?
A Different Perspective
Some argue structure is necessary for discipline and learning outcomes.
![“The atmosphere [in the school lunchroom] is not quite that of a prison, because the students are permitted to talk quietly, under the frowning scrutiny of teachers standing around on duty, during their meal-they are not supposed to talk while standing in line, though this rule is only sporadically…” quote by Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cc7/edgar-friedenberg-25150_atmosphere_the-atmosphere-in-the-school-lunchroom-i_989560.jpg)
