--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a kid really is retarded and can only…" description: "\"If a kid really is retarded and can only come up to a certain level, he will still have more success if what he learns is connected with something impo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/seymour-papert-12175_certain_if-a-kid-really-is-retarded-and-can-only_2534249.png" --- # If a kid really is retarded and can only come up to a… ![“If a kid really is retarded and can only come up to a certain level, he will still have more success if what he learns is connected with something important to him.” quote by Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/seymour-papert-12175_certain_if-a-kid-really-is-retarded-and-can-only_2534249.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/seymour-papert-12175_certain_if-a-kid-really-is-retarded-and-can-only_2534249.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/seymour-papert-12175_certain_if-a-kid-really-is-retarded-and-can-only_2534249.png) > “If a kid really is retarded and can only come up to a certain level, he will still have more success if what he learns is connected with something important to him.” [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Linking new knowledge to personal relevance boosts achievement, even for limited cognitive capacity. **In simple terms:** Connect learning to personal relevance. Key Takeaway Tie lessons to what matters to the learner. Themes education motivation personal relevance Mood encouraging practical Type inspirational educational When to use this quote - special education - skill training - career development Key Concepts constructivism cognitive development Questions to Reflect On - What topics resonate most with you? - How can relevance be balanced with core knowledge? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on relevance may neglect foundational skills. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Come up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-up/) [Connected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connected/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Kid Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kid-really-293117/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Level Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/level-success-356398/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Retarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retarded/) [Retarded Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retarded-come-1373701/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Success Learns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-learns-1373700/) ## Related quotes > [The person determined to achieve maximum success learns the principle that progress is made one step at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/the-person-determined-to-achieve-maximum-success-learns-the-principle/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [I was always singing as a kid. I was really annoying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-cain/i-was-always-singing-as-a-kid-i-was-really-annoying/) [Ethel Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-cain/) > [You know, I used to be made fun of as a kid for being really articulate; it was sort of like a strange thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-gugino/you-know-i-used-to-be-made-fun-of-as-a-kid-for-being-really/) [Carla Gugino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-gugino/) > [I'm still trying to be a kid. I really don't want to feel like an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-arenas/i-m-still-trying-to-be-a-kid-i-really-don-t-want-to-feel-like-an-adult/) [Gilbert Arenas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-arenas/) > [I was not a very fearful kid, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-was-not-a-very-fearful-kid-really/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I'm just a normal kid, really, from an inner-city background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-deeney/i-m-just-a-normal-kid-really-from-an-inner-city-background/) [Troy Deeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-deeney/) > [I was a bookish kid, not really athletic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-de-luca/i-was-a-bookish-kid-not-really-athletic/) [Michael De Luca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-de-luca/) > [Even when I was a kid - I was really young - I was drawn to comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/even-when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-really-young-i-was-drawn-to-comedy/) [Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/) > [My kid really loves bugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-martin/my-kid-really-loves-bugs/) [Kellie Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-martin/) > [When I was a kid, I really got into monsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-peretti/when-i-was-a-kid-i-really-got-into-monsters/) [Frank Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-peretti/) > [I remember as a kid being really scared of the Smurfs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-remember-as-a-kid-being-really-scared-of-the-smurfs/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I wish I was a kid again. Where nothing really mattered. The only hard decision you had to make was choosing what toy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wish-i-was-a-kid-again-where-nothing-really-mattered-the-only-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Back then, as a kid, you could really just do whatever you wanted until your parents got home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-chiang/back-then-as-a-kid-you-could-really-just-do-whatever-you-wanted-until/) [Cliff Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-chiang/) > [I was a very quiet kid. A really sweet kid, I might add.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-was-a-very-quiet-kid-a-really-sweet-kid-i-might-add/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [As a kid, I really wasn't thinkin' about no golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boo-weekley/as-a-kid-i-really-wasn-t-thinkin-about-no-golf/) [Boo Weekley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boo-weekley/) ## More by Seymour Papert > [We imagine a school in which students and teachers excitedly and joyfully stretch themselves to their limits in pursuit of projects built on their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/we-imagine-a-school-in-which-students-and-teachers-excitedly-and/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [It's not what you know about the computer that's important, but your ability to do things with it. By studying French in an academic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/it-s-not-what-you-know-about-the-computer-that-s-important-but-your/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [I prefer software where kids build something and run into problems they have to solve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/i-prefer-software-where-kids-build-something-and-run-into-problems/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [What the gears cannot do the computer might. The computer is the Proteus of machines. Its essence is its universality, its power to simulate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/what-the-gears-cannot-do-the-computer-might-the-computer-is-the/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [The reason most kids don't like school is not that the work is too hard, but that it is utterly boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/the-reason-most-kids-don-t-like-school-is-not-that-the-work-is-too/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [For what is important when we give children a theorem to use is not that they should memorize it. What matters most is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/for-what-is-important-when-we-give-children-a-theorem-to-use-is-not/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [We often treat children as if they're not very competent to do anything on their own. So we make them stop learning in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/we-often-treat-children-as-if-they-re-not-very-competent-to-do/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [I think Disney is a very interesting company, and it does have an extremely powerful means for projecting a certain way of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/i-think-disney-is-a-very-interesting-company-and-it-does-have-an/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [One might say the computer is being used to program the child. In my vision, the child programs the computer, and in doing so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/one-might-say-the-computer-is-being-used-to-program-the-child-in-my/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [The goal is to teach in such a way as to produce the most learning from the least teaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/the-goal-is-to-teach-in-such-a-way-as-to-produce-the-most-learning/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Similarly, computer literacy courses tend to produce computer people who know a lot about computers or a piece of software but they don't help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/similarly-computer-literacy-courses-tend-to-produce-computer-people/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Our goal in education should be to foster the ability to use the computer in everything you do, even if you don't have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/our-goal-in-education-should-be-to-foster-the-ability-to-use-the/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [This frenzy about cyberporn indicates some deeper fear of adults as they see kids become more independent and learn things they never learned. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/this-frenzy-about-cyberporn-indicates-some-deeper-fear-of-adults-as/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Rather than pushing children to think like adults, we might do better to remember that they are great learners and to try harder to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/rather-than-pushing-children-to-think-like-adults-we-might-do-better/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Working with the computer gives rise to many opportunities to transcend asocial behavior, because it produces exciting and visually interesting things to share, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/working-with-the-computer-gives-rise-to-many-opportunities-to/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) [Explore all 56 Seymour Papert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) ## More Certain quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [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/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Why do we love certain homes, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/why-do-we-love-certain-homes-and-why-do-they-seem-to-love-us-it-is/) [T. H. 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But later in life good poets burn their early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-think-that-at-a-certain-age-say-fifteen-or-sixteen-poetry-is-like/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [If a person does not listen to the demands of their own spiritual and heart life and insists on a certain program, you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/if-a-person-does-not-listen-to-the-demands-of-their-own-spiritual-and/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) [Browse all 13,673 Certain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If a kid really is retarded and can only come up to a certain level, he will still have more success if what he learns is connected with something important to him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seymour Papert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/if-a-kid-really-is-retarded-and-can-only-come-up-to-a-certain-level/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Certain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/if-a-kid-really-is-retarded-and-can-only-come-up-to-a-certain-level/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/seymour-papert-12175_certain_if-a-kid-really-is-retarded-and-can-only_2534249.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/seymour-papert-12175_certain_if-a-kid-really-is-retarded-and-can-only_2534249.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/seymour-papert-12175_certain_if-a-kid-really-is-retarded-and-can-only_2534249.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a kid really is retarded and can only come up to a certain level, he will still have more success if what…” — Seymour Papert", "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": "Seymour Papert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If a kid really is retarded...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/if-a-kid-really-is-retarded-and-can-only-come-up-to-a-certain-level/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/if-a-kid-really-is-retarded-and-can-only-come-up-to-a-certain-level/#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 } } ] } ```