Albert Einstein at school short answer type questions :

1. Who is the author of the essay ?

Ans : The author of the essay is Patrick Pringle.

2. Who was the history teacher ?

Ans : The history teacher was Mr. Braun.

3. What was the first question asked by Mr. Braun to Einstein ?

Ans : The question asked by Mr. Braun to Einstein was-"When did the Prussians defeat
the French at Waterloo ?"

4. What should we learn according to Albert Einstein ?

Ans : We should learn the idea of the things not the facts according to Albert Einstein ?

5. What do the landlady do to her children ?

Ans : The landlady beat her children regularly.

6. What did her husband do ?

Ans : Her husband came drunk and beat her every saturday.

7. What did Albert like to play ?

Ans : Albert liked to play his violin regularly.

8. Who was Mr. Koch ?

Ans : Mr. Koch was the Mathematics teacher.

9. What did the doctor give to Albert ?

Ans : The doctor gave Albert a nervous breakdown certificate which made him to keep
away from school for the long six month.

10. Did Albert submit his medical certificate ? If not why ?

Ans : No, Albert did not have to submit his medical certificate. Because, his headmaster
had already decided to ask him to leave the school.

Albert Einstein at school long answer type questions :

1. What do you understand of Einstein's nature from his conversations with his history
teacher, his mathematics teacher and the headmaster ?

Ans : Albert Einstein was not at all satisfied with the school system in Germany. It was
completly outdated and unproductive. The history teacher considered only learning
facts, dates and years of events. For Einstein education means ideas. He did not see
any point of knowing the dates which can be seen in books.

His mathematics teacher was very cooperative and helpful minded whom he respected
much. Albert praised Mr. Koch.

Albert did not like his headmaster who told Albert to leave the school. The headmaster
even insulted Albert by saying that Albert became a burden on the teacher and also for
the students. Then Albert became angry and asked the headmaster what he had done
for the progress of the school and what he had thought over it.

2. "The school system often curbs individual talents"- Discuss.

Ans : It is quite true that the school education often curbs individual talents. Most of the
time it is unproductive and outdated. Education received within the four walls may not
be considered as real education. Actually, it has been seen that schools interfere with
the free growth and development of children. They don't provide proper atmosphere for
their proper growth. Too many notification and dead formalities will reduce the natural
growth in children. Too much discipline also proved quite unproductive. Children are
needed freedom without it no physical or mental growth is possible. School education
should not be heavy, dull and cumbersome. There should be entertainment instead of
domination. Then only, the school will produce man like Albert.

3. How do you distinguish between information gathering and insight formation ?

Ans : Education is not confined to information gathering. Information only keeps us well
informed about things. To albert education only confirms that information gathering has
its limitation. The history teacher asked when the Prussians defeated the French at
Waterloo. Actually he is seeking an information. It can be easily gathered from any book
on history. Einstein thinks that learning of days, dates, and figures have no meaning or
importance. Ideas are important than facts. So well formation must be the aim of
education. Schools should not overwhelm students with the heap of data collection. It is
necessary to know how many soldiers are killed but more important to know why
soldiers are killed. The real fact is more important than that of data collection.

Albert Einstein at school extra question answer :

1. What should education be all about according to Albert ?

Ans : According to Albert education should be based not on facts but on ideas. Albert
said that one could get these facts from books. He was more interested in knowing why
soldiers were killed rather than knowing their numbers.

2. What punishment did the history teacher give to Albert for not answering his
question ?

Ans : The history teacher got irritated. His eyes got cold and cruel. He said that he did
not want attendance from him. He punished Albert by making him stay in for an extra
period that day. He also told him that he was a disgrace to the institution.

3. Why did not Albert feel cheerful to go back to his lodging ?

Ans : Albert did not feel cheerful to return to his lodging. His room was in the poorest
quarters of Munich. Then his landlord beat his wife after he had returned home drunk on
saturdays. He hated the atmosphere of slum violence. The atmosphere made him sick.

4. What advice did Elsa give to Albert regarding passing the examination ?

Ans : Elsa told Albert that she know many boys who were more stupid than Albert. They
could pass the examination easily. For this Albert didn't need to learn what had been
taught to him. However, he should be able to repeat it in the exam.

5. How did Albert decide to get rid of his school ? Explain.

Ans : Albert did not feel ease at school. After his encounter with the teacher's insults he
decided to get rid of his school by providing a false certificate from a doctor. The doctor
was to certify that he had a nervous breakdown. It was his plan to get rid of school as he
wouldn't be medically fit to go to school.
6. What advice did Yuri give to Albert before meeting Dr. Ernest Weil ?

Ans : Yuri told Albert not to deceive Dr. Ernest Weil. He should tell everything clearly. He
should be frank with him. He should not pretend to be what he is not. He should behave
honestly and normally.

7. What was the view of Elsa about Albert ?

Ans : Elsa was Albert's cousin. Albert met Elsa when she came to Munich. She told him
that if he tried he could pass the examination. she also told him that she knew lots of
boys who were much more stupid than Albert and they passed easily. He was required
just to be made to report what he was taught.

8. How do you distinguish between information gathering and insight formation ?

Ans : Our education system emphasis on information gathering rather than insight
formation. Information gathering is relatively easy and useless. The history teacher
insisted on memorizing information on dates and figures. But according to Einstein it
would be more educative to know why battles were fought and an insight analysis of it.
Information can be gathered from the books but one needs to put the mind to work for
insight formation. Education as we experience today does not teach us to analyse or go
to the depths. It provides substantial knowledge which geniuses like Einstein could not
accept.

9. How did Mr. Koch react to Albert leaving the school ?

Ans : Mr. Koch admitted that Albert was wasting his time in his class as there was
nothing more to teach him. He wrote that Albert was ready to immediately go in for
higher studies in maths.

10. What was Albert told by the headmaster ?

Ans : The headmaster told Albert to leave the school without further delay. He said that
Albert had been a disgrace to the school and a nuisance for the teachers. He was a bad
influence on other students.