Albert Einstein at School
Questions and Answers
Q.1. What was Einstein’s theory of education?
Or
What was Einstein’s idea of education? (HS 2018)
Or
Why did not Einstein take interest in learning the dates?
Ans: According to Albert, education should be based on ideas. He did not find any point in learning dates and facts. He was completely against rote learning. For him, ideas were more important than facts and dates.
Q.2. What did Elsa think of Albert?
Or
What was the view of Elsa about Albert?(HS 2014)
Or
Who was Elsa? What was her advice to Albert?
Ans: Elsa was Einstein's cousin who used to live in Berlin where her father had his business. She believed that one must learn just enough to pass exams. She told Albert that she was sure Albert could learn enough to pass the examinations if he tried. She told him that she knew many students more stupid than Albert.
Q.3. Why did Albert see no point in learning dates and facts? (HS 2020)
Ans: Albert did not see any point in learning dates and facts because one can always look them up in a book.
Q.4. Why was Albert expelled from school?
Ans: The headmaster told Albert that he was expelling him from school because his presence in the classroom made it impossible for the teacher to teach and other pupils to learn. No serious work could be done while he was in the class. Albert refused to learn and he was in constant rebellion.
Q.5. What is the central(main) idea of ‘Albert Einstein at School’ ?
Or
What is the basic theme of ‘Albert Einstein at School’?
Ans: The central idea of ‘Albert Einstein at School’ is to throw light on the modern way of providing education. Education does not mean mugging updates, it means understanding facts and gaining practical knowledge.
Q.6. How did Albert hope to get admission to an Italian college without a diploma from the German school?
Ans: Albert hoped to get admission to an Italian college by getting reference from his mathematics teacher.
Q.7.How did music help Albert?
Ans: Albert liked music and loved to play violin. He liked music because music gave him comfort.
Q.8. What was the punishment given by the history teacher to Albert Einstein for not answering his questions?
Ans: The history teacher asked him to stay in for an extra period that day.
Q.9. Who was Ernest Weil? How did he helped Albert?
Ans: Ernest Weil was a doctor who had qualified as a doctor recently. He was a wise and sympathetic man. He certified that Albert had a nervous breakdown and he needed to stay away from school for six months.
Q.10. Why did Mr Braun (the history teacher) scold Albert? (HS 2020)
Ans: Mr Braun, the history teacher scolded Albert because he did not remember the dates of events in history. Albert told him that he could not see any point in learning dates which could be read in a book as well.
Q.11. Do you think Albert is being impolite while answering the history teacher’s questions? Give your reasons.
Ans: Albert addresses his history teacher politely. His answers are straightforward and blunt but his opinions are strong. A firm conviction cannot be termed as rudeness.
Q.12. How does the example of Einstein prove that the school system ends up by curbing individual talent? ( HS 2017)
Ans: The situation of Albert where he was forced to read undesired study pattern proves that the school ends up by curbing individual talent.
Q.13. Why was Albert miserable in school? How did he plan to move out of it?
Or
Why was Albert miserable in Munich?
Ans: Albert Einstein was studying for his diploma in school in Munich. He was an intelligent student but not good at rote learning dates and facts in history. This outraged Mr Braun, his history teacher. The teacher taunted him by calling his views the ‘Einstein’s theory of education’. The authorities believed that Albert had no desire to learn and was wasting his father’s money. Moreover, Albert had got a room in an area that was ugly. He had no comfort, nor did he like the food there. The atmosphere was bad as his landlady kept beating her children and her husband came drunk and beat her. She even prohibited him to play the violin. All this made him miserable. Expulsion from his school was a relief to him.
Q.14. How does the example of Einstein prove that the school system ends up by curbing individual talent? (HS 2016, 2018)
Ans: In most schools, teachers force students to mug up facts. No attention is paid to individual talents and interests. All children are given the same type of education. Any arguments or questions from the students are discouraged. As a result of all these, individual talents are badly curbed. For example, the situation Of Albert where he was forced to read undesired study pattern proves that the school ends up by curbing individual talent.
Q.15. How do you distinguish between information gathering and insight information? (HS 2018)
Or
How do you distinguish between information gathering and insight information from your reading of ‘Albert Einstein at School’? (HS 2020)
Ans: Information gathering and insight information are two different concepts. Information gathering is the collection of information based on various things. These details are part of knowledge which are content based but it does not help the students in creating ideas of their own. Information like dates or facts could be ascertained from the books any time by just looking them up. On the other hand, insight information requires objective analysis of the given facts. It focuses more on logic rather than rote learning. It develops the all over personality of a person as it stresses on logical thinking. Einstein’s views about education assures that information gathering has its limitations. According to him, education should be based on ideas.
Q.16. Comment on the role of Yuri as describes in ‘Albert Einstein at School’.
Ans: Yuri was Albert’s friend during his school days in Munich. He stood by him and consoled him when he felt miserable. Albert did not want to go to school anymore. Therefore, he asked Yuri, if he knew any friendly doctor. He told him that if a doctor certified that he had a nervous breakdown he could easily get way from school. Yuri found him Dr. Ernest Weil, a specialist in nervous troubles. The doctor gave him a medical certificate.
Q. 17. Were the teachers interested in understanding Albert and bringing out his potential?
Ans: The given extract mentions only three of the teachers—Mr Braun, the history teacher; Mr Koch, the mathematics teacher; and the head teacher. The history teacher was not at all interested in bringing out Albert’s potential. He followed the traditional method of teaching history and laid more emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge, by rote learning, rather than the understanding of ideas. He also had a sarcastic attitude and mocked Albert for his views. He did not help the talented boy to achieve his potential rather he complained to the head teacher and got him expelled.
Mr Koch, Albert’s mathematics teacher, on the other hand, acknowledged his exceptional ability. He willingly gave him reference and wanted him to join the college or an institution.
The head teacher humiliated Albert and expelled him from the school for being rebellious and for not allowing the classwork to go on. Neither the history teacher nor the head teacher acknowledged Albert’s mathematical genius.
Q.18. What do you understand of Einstein’s nature from his conversation with his history teacher, his mathematics teacher, and the head teacher? (HS 2017)
Ans: Albert Einstein, from his childhood, was a person who could not be confined to restricted thinking.From the conversation between Albert and the history teacher, we come to know that Albert is honest and truthful. He admits the fact that he cannot learn the date. He expresses his thoughts without fear. Thus, his basic intelligence and logical reasoning are highlighted.
Einstein’s mathematics teacher had a high opinion of him. According to Mr. Koch, Einstein had more knowledge than him and soon Albert would be able to teach him. So, from here we understand that Albert was a genius boy.
Albert’s interaction with the head teacher shows that his self respect was hurt on learning the fact that he was being expelled. He restrained himself from back answering the head teacher even after being blamed for the wrong reason. So, from this conversation we come to know that Albert had self control and he addressed his teachers respectfully.
AHSEC Solutions For Class 11 English Snapshots Albert Einstein at School.
