--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first object of any act of learning…" description: "\"The first object of any act of learning, over and beyond the pleasure it may give, is that it should serve us in the future. Learning should not only t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/ted-sizer-42828_allowing_the-first-object-of-any-act-of-learning_1968294.jpg" --- # The first object of any act of learning, over and beyond… ![“The first object of any act of learning, over and beyond the pleasure it may give, is that it should serve us in the future. Learning should not only take us somewhere; it should allow us later to go further more easily.” quote by Ted Sizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/ted-sizer-42828_allowing_the-first-object-of-any-act-of-learning_1968294.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/ted-sizer-42828_allowing_the-first-object-of-any-act-of-learning_1968294.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/ted-sizer-42828_allowing_the-first-object-of-any-act-of-learning_1968294.jpg) > “The first object of any act of learning, over and beyond the pleasure it may give, is that it should serve us in the future. Learning should not only take us somewhere; it should allow us later to go further more easily.” [Ted Sizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-sizer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning should be a tool for future advancement, not just immediate enjoyment; it must enable easier progress later. **In simple terms:** Learning is a means to future growth. Key Takeaway Seek knowledge that builds future capability. Themes education growth future‑orientation Mood thoughtful motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career development - academic study - personal improvement - strategic planning Key Concepts long‑term utility skill scaffolding Questions to Reflect On - What knowledge will help you later? - How can you balance present pleasure with future benefit? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on future utility may neglect present joy and curiosity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowing/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Future Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-learning-2468457/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Joy of learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy-of-learning/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge is power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-is-power/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Learning Allow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-allow-3289298/) [Learning Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-pleasure-3289297/) [Life learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-learning/) [Live and learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-and-learn/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Moving forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-forward/) [Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objects/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Serve Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serve-future-2996800/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [You live and you learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you-live-and-you-learn/) ## Related quotes > [If you're going to be passionate about something, be passionate about learning. If you're going to fight something, fight for those in need. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goldston/if-you-re-going-to-be-passionate-about-something-be-passionate-about/) [Daniel Goldston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goldston/) > [The more you think about yourself, the better you understand yourself. The more you understand yourself, the better you serve your future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-you-think-about-yourself-the-better-you-understand-yourself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Quality in education is what makes learning a pleasure and a joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-tribus/quality-in-education-is-what-makes-learning-a-pleasure-and-a-joy/) [Myron Tribus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-tribus/) > [We all learn something everyday. Learning from the future, learning from the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-all-learn-something-everyday-learning-from-the-future-learning/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My wish is that we design the future of learning. We don't want to be spare parts for a great human computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/my-wish-is-that-we-design-the-future-of-learning-we-don-t-want-to-be/) [Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/) > [If great lecture is theatre, the future of learning is games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anant-agarwal/if-great-lecture-is-theatre-the-future-of-learning-is-games/) [Anant Agarwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anant-agarwal/) > [My wish is to help design the future of learning by supporting children all over the world to tap into their innate sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/my-wish-is-to-help-design-the-future-of-learning-by-supporting/) [Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/) > [The joy of learning is as indispensable in study as breathing is in running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-joy-of-learning-is-as-indispensable-in-study-as-breathing-is-in/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [If Anonymous and Lulzsec are the id of hacking, then physical hackerspaces are the heart of the higher-minded hacking ideals: freedom of information, meritocracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brooke/if-anonymous-and-lulzsec-are-the-id-of-hacking-then-physical/) [Heather Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brooke/) > [The joy of learning is as indispensable in study as breathing is in running. Where it is lacking there are no real students, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-joy-of-learning-is-as-indispensable-in-study-as-breathing-is-in-2/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Chinese culture is already telling children to work hard. That's not growth mindset because they're working hard for the product, not for the growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-s-dweck/chinese-culture-is-already-telling-children-to-work-hard-that-s-not/) [Carol S. Dweck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-s-dweck/) > [What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the human soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/what-sculpture-is-to-a-block-of-marble-education-is-to-the-human-soul/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“Keep those faces in mind, the little girls and boys in the early grades, all trusting the adults to show them the way, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-hallowell/keep-those-faces-in-mind-the-little-girls-and-boys-in-the-early/) [Edward M. Hallowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-hallowell/) > [The pursuit of learning is not a piece of content that can be taught. It is a value that teachers model. Only teachers who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-haberman/the-pursuit-of-learning-is-not-a-piece-of-content-that-can-be-taught/) [Martin Haberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-haberman/) > [I know that knowledge and intelligence are not the same thing - but they do live in the same neighborhood. I know once again,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/i-know-that-knowledge-and-intelligence-are-not-the-same-thing-but/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) ## More by Ted Sizer > [Inspiration, hunger: these are the qualities that drive good schools. The best we educational planners can do is to create the most likely conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-sizer/inspiration-hunger-these-are-the-qualities-that-drive-good-schools/) [Ted Sizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-sizer/) > [A good education teaches you how to ask a question. It’s knowing what you don’t know; the skills of critical thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-sizer/a-good-education-teaches-you-how-to-ask-a-question-it-s-knowing-what/) [Ted Sizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-sizer/) > [Things remain the same because it is impossible to change very much without changing most of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-sizer/things-remain-the-same-because-it-is-impossible-to-change-very-much/) [Ted Sizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-sizer/) > [... the kids do what no one expects them to do. That's progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-sizer/the-kids-do-what-no-one-expects-them-to-do-that-s-progress/) [Ted Sizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-sizer/) > [Every student, without exception, should be able to succeed well at something consequential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-sizer/every-student-without-exception-should-be-able-to-succeed-well-at/) [Ted Sizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-sizer/) > [I cannot teach a child I do not know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-sizer/i-cannot-teach-a-child-i-do-not-know/) [Ted Sizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-sizer/) > [Writing is the litmus paper of thoughtthe very center of schooling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-sizer/writing-is-the-litmus-paper-of-thoughtthe-very-center-of-schooling/) [Ted Sizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-sizer/) > [In the history of education, the most striking phenomenon is that schools of learning, which at one epoch are alive with a ferment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-sizer/in-the-history-of-education-the-most-striking-phenomenon-is-that/) [Ted Sizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-sizer/) > [The schools schedule is a series of units of time; the clock is king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-sizer/the-schools-schedule-is-a-series-of-units-of-time-the-clock-is-king/) [Ted Sizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-sizer/) [Explore all 10 Ted Sizer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-sizer/) ## More Allowing quotes > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Is the minor convenience of allowing the present generation the luxury of doubling its energy consumption every 10 years worth the major hazard of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-brower/is-the-minor-convenience-of-allowing-the-present-generation-the/) [David R. 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But actually, it is about allowing myself to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-get-afraid-it-has-defined-me-that-sense-of-grief-loss-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Meditation is actually a very simple exercise in resting in the natural state of your present mind, and allowing yourself to be simply and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/meditation-is-actually-a-very-simple-exercise-in-resting-in-the/) [Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/) > [When you're still, and some actors are really brilliant at that, you bring a kind of energy to you as opposed to sending the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-byrne/when-you-re-still-and-some-actors-are-really-brilliant-at-that-you/) [Gabriel Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-byrne/) > [The only reason I would write a break-up song is because my own problem of allowing myself to relate to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up-song-is-because-my-own/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [I just think fashion is about enjoying yourself and being comfortable in your skin and allowing you to be you - all the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-scott/i-just-think-fashion-is-about-enjoying-yourself-and-being-comfortable/) [Jill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-scott/) > [I don't think there's any harm at all in allowing a kid to fantasize. In fact, I think to stop people from fantasizing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-there-s-any-harm-at-all-in-allowing-a-kid-to-fantasize/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [All I wanted to do was put together one of the best home maths systems in the world, and that's what we've done. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-vorderman/all-i-wanted-to-do-was-put-together-one-of-the-best-home-maths/) [Carol Vorderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-vorderman/) > [I want to deal with the homeless situation here in Washington, D.C. I think it is a travesty that we've got men - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-deal-with-the-homeless-situation-here-in-washington-d-c-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Browse all 916 Allowing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first object of any act of learning, over and beyond the pleasure it may give, is that it should serve us in the future. 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