Education Quote by Neil Postman, The End of Education
““Poverty is a great educator. Having no boundaries and refusing to be ignored, it mostly teaches hopelessness. But not always. Politics is also a great educator. Mostly it teaches, I am afraid, cynicism. But not always. Television is a great educator as well. Mostly it teaches consumerism. But not always. It is the "not always" that keeps the romantic spirit alive in those who write about schooling. The faith is that despite some of the more debilitating teachings of culture itself, something can be done in school that will alter the lenses through which one sees the world; which is to say, that nontrivial schooling can provide a point of view from which what IS can be seen clearly, what WAS as a living present, and what WILL BE as filled with possibility””
About This Quote
Source Book: The End of Education, 1995
Various cultural forces educate us, often imparting negative lessons, yet the occasional positive insight preserves hope and the potential for transformative schooling.
In simple terms: Culture teaches both harmful and hopeful lessons; occasional positives keep hope alive.
Key Takeaway
Seek and nurture the rare positive lessons in education.
Themes
education
culture
hope
critical thinking
Mood
thoughtful
inspirational
Type
educational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- classroom design
- curriculum development
- media literacy programs
Key Concepts
media influence
political social
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- What positive lessons can schools prioritize?
- How can educators counteract pervasive cynicism?
A Different Perspective
Positive lessons are rare and require intentional emphasis.
![“We had a great educator [in the school band], a man named Larry Laurenzano. He was tough, but we knew that he loved us. And that was the beginning of playing music with people and really being inspired and having fun and being in a community.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7dd/jon-gordon-1655_band_we-had-a-great-educator-in-the-school-ba_592776.jpg)
