What Einstein *actually* said about school
đź’ˇ THOUGHT
Albert Einstein on his early education
In a world overflowing with misattributed Einstein quotes, it’s refreshing to find one he actually said that speaks so pointedly to the state of modern education:
“The teachers behaved like sergeants. I wanted to learn what I wanted to know, but they wanted me to learn for the exam… I felt that my thirst for knowledge was being strangled by my teachers; grades were their only measurement. How can a teacher understand youth with such a system?”
– Albert Einstein, as quoted in Einstein and the Poet: In Search of the Cosmic Man (1983) by William Hermanns
đź“Š TREND
Public Schools Are Getting the Hybrid Memo
A public school in Tennessee is experimenting with a new model: students attend brick-and-mortar classes just one day a week, learning from home the other four.
- Teachers love it (90%+ satisfaction vs just 18% in traditional schools).
- Parents get the best of both worlds: professional guidance + family time
- Kids benefit from personalized attention and flexible pacing
It’s great to see public school districts embracing the idea that education doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. You can blend the structure of traditional schooling with the flexibility of home learning.
Could this be the beginning of a bigger shift in public education? With teacher burnout at record highs and more families seeking alternatives, hybrid models might just be the bridge many have been waiting for.
⚒️ TOOL
Outschool.com
Just when you thought you’d figured out the difference between unschooling and deschooling, along comes Outschool. But don’t let the name fool you – this isn’t about avoiding education, it’s about reimagining it.
Think of Outschool as the Netflix of learning, except instead of binge-watching trashy TV shows, your kids might find themselves binge-learning about anything from Minecraft coding to medieval history.
Here’s what makes Outschool special:
- Small group classes (typically 2-8 students)
- Passionate teachers who create their own courses
- Flexible scheduling (one-time classes to ongoing courses)
- Real-time interaction with experts and peers
- Market-driven quality (poorly rated classes don’t survive)
As the company’s founder Amir Nathoo recently shared on the LiberatED podcast: “When parents realize that letting kids pursue their interests is a way to get them excited about learning and is a better way to help their kids thrive in the world, that’s really powerful to see.”
OpenEd families get 20% off all classes and tutoring with code OPENED20 at checkout. You can also try classes before you commit. Teachers post video introductions, and most offer single-session classes so you can test the waters before diving into longer courses.
That’s all for today!
– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)