Do you know that the great scientist of the twentieth century, Albert Einstein, in his school years was considered a lazy person, unable to study well?

Einstein's teachers really considered his mental abilities to be very meager. Because of this, Albert Einstein at the end of his studies at the gymnasium was not able to receive the matriculation certificate that other students received. He could not even enter the Zurich Polytechnic on his first attempt.

But all these facts, in fact, were evidence not of the meager mind of a genius, but of the mistakes of the educational process. Einstein himself, as an adult, admitted that he was disgusted by the existing methods of education. According to him, they killed in the bud all the creative processes that were born in the minds of students. Here is an exact quote from his words: "they killed the sacred curiosity, a property necessary for scientific research."

Einstein was very negative about the mechanical memorization of scientific material, he considered this method harmful, since the creative process of thinking is not compatible with simple “memorization”.
Here is such an interesting fact in the life of the greatest scientist Albert Einstein. This fact should give thought to those who shape our modern educational system. After all, if Einstein himself considered the mechanical study of material harmful to the development of thinking, then do we, "mere mortals" have the right to argue with him? This is worth thinking about for each of us.

What do we really know about this person?

The associative mechanism of the brain slipped images and formulas - the hair on the head disheveled in creative chaos, a lush mustache, E = mc2, a protruding tongue in a super-popular photograph, I remembered the postulates of the theory of relativity, the speed of light, and so on and so forth, which, as it turned out, had nothing to do with the man Einstein, but was rather his pop projection in the mind. A sort of simplified image with two or three labels. I felt ashamed, and I decided to get acquainted with the biography of the great namesake closer. The result of the work was this short, but I hope an interesting excerpt from seven little-known facts that took place in the life of a genius.

Einstein was born a weak and sickly child during a difficult birth. His gigantic, irregularly deformed head aroused serious suspicions of doctors about the child's congenital mental retardation. Concerned parents watched in horror as the boy grew up and was silent. Albert did not utter a single word until the age of four. But even after reaching this seemingly already sufficient age for conversation, the boy spoke very slowly, which aggravated the suspicion of some developmental retardation.

In 1952, when Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann, died, the country's prime minister invited Einstein to head the state. Hey boy, you should do the same for your country's politics as you do for physics he suggested to the scientist. However, he refused the honorary position, expressing regret at the lack of the necessary personal qualities for big politics - “I’m afraid I don’t have the natural abilities and experience to deal with politicians and properly manage the state,” the scientist “froze off”.

Einstein died in 1955 at the age of 76. He needed an urgent operation, then he could live a few more years. But the scientist refused, telling the doctors: “I want to leave when my body asks for it. Prolonging life artificially seems to me in bad taste. This is my destiny, my time to leave. I'll do it gracefully." Seven hours after his death, autopsy expert Thomas Harver removed the brain of a scientist for study without the consent of relatives and friends. Moving from one state to another for work, Harvey carried the spirited brain of a genius with him everywhere. In the end, already in the 90s. of the last century, the brain was found in the new laboratory of Princeton University, where Harver removed them from the skull of the great scientist.

The brilliant physicist had an illegitimate daughter from Mileva Marich, his first wife. They formalized the relationship a year after the birth of the child. Interestingly, nothing is known about the further fate of the girl. At that time, Marich lived with her parents in Vojvodina without a loved one. Most likely, the girl died or was given up for education. A year later, in 1903, Einstein and Marich were married in Bern, and in 1904 their son Hans-Albert was born.

Before dying in his sleep, Einstein spoke his last words to the nurse in German, which she did not speak. Thus, these words were forever lost to posterity. The last entry ends in mid-sentence: "Political passions fan the flames, people are like their victims ...".

The German Wikipedia states that this myth is connected with the mistake of the first biographer of Einstein. Both Germany and Switzerland have adopted a six-point rating scale. But in Germany, the best score is 1, the worst - 6. And in Switzerland - on the contrary: the best - 6, the worst - 1. And so, they say, the biographer confused the marks in the Swiss certificate with the German ones.

True, this theory does not explain how Einstein - according to the biographer - was able to enter the Polytechnic Institute with "6" in all mathematical disciplines and physics, as well as "5" in chemistry and a number of other subjects.

Here is a hypothesis about the origin of the myth:

Das Gerücht, dass Einstein allgemein ein schlechter Schüler war, ist falsch: Es geht auf Einsteins ersten Biografen zurück, der das Benotungssystem der Schweiz mit dem deutschen verwechselte.

Objectively, Einstein was not a bad student.(in Russian - "double student" or "triple student"), just as he was not a "round excellent student" or even a "good student". As a child, he was very self-willed, he didn’t particularly want to study subjects that were not of interest to him (and, on the contrary, he studied subjects that were of interest; at the same time he lost his religiosity at the age of 12) - he received appropriate (but at least satisfactory) marks, was not afraid to express his opinion and argue with authorities (teachers, the director of the gymnasium or his own father: at least, on the issue of higher education, he went to the polytechnic, where he wanted to, and not where his father wanted to send).

Einstein did not finish the German gymnasium not because of poor progress (he did not have unsatisfactory grades) but because of a conflict with the director and teachers. They believed that Einstein behaved too badly and, moreover, negatively influenced others. In a word, he does not respect authorities and does not fit into the system. However, Einstein was not expelled, but simply left on his own. At the age of 15, by the way. Moreover, the parents already lived in another country (in Italy), and after a couple of years, they were threatened with being called up to serve in the Kaiser’s army (it was enough to live up to 17 years in Germany to turn into a military man), where Einstein did not want at all. By the way, he soon also refused German citizenship and for a number of years did not have any citizenship at all.

At the age of 16 - in Italy - he wrote the first scientific article("On the study of the state of the ether in a magnetic field"), which he sent to his uncle in Belgium for review. (And what scientific article did you write when you were 16? I, for example, did not.) The work was not sent to scientific journals and was not published.

Then the family moved to Switzerland and Einstein tried to get into the polytechnic. Since he did not have an education that gave him the right to enter a university (in Germany it is called Abitur, in Switzerland - Matura), he had to take entrance exams (by the way, if he remained in the gymnasium, he would still continue to study and would not enter any university at 16). Either he failed the exam in French (as the German Wikipedia claims), or also botany (as the Russian one claims), or - to the heap - also zoology (as stated in the previous answer). In any case, he passed everything else, although he did not finish his studies at the gymnasium, and, it seems, he did not take private lessons (except for learning to play the violin).

On the recommendation of one of the professors of the Polytechnic, Einstein accepted to study at a Swiss school, where he received his certificate about passing the exams for this very Matura (French - for 3, that is - in the five-point system - for a triple with a minus). Then entered the polytechnic, where he continued in his former spirit: he skipped lectures on subjects that did not interest him (he prepared for exams on the notes of fellow students). This time, it was mathematics that fell into disgrace, as being too theorized and far from the problems of physics. Subsequently, while working on general relativity, Einstein allegedly changed his mind on this matter and expressed regret about absenteeism from mathematical lectures during his studies at the polytechnic.

Many of us have heard stories of recognized geniuses, great people known to the whole world today, who, in the same turn, were not successful at school, even more - many of them were diagnosed by teachers with an inconsolable diagnosis: mental retardation. They include: Thomas Edison, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Winston Churchill, Isaac Newton and others. Of course, first of all, this list is headed by Albert Einstein. It is about him that will be discussed in the current article.

So what do we know about him? Twos in chemistry, mathematics, but most importantly, in physics - this is the field of knowledge in which Albert Einstein made more than one discovery, recognized as the greatest in our history. Chemistry - after all, for the achievement directly related to this discipline, Albert Einstein received the Nobel Prize. Well, without a deep knowledge of mathematics, it is unlikely that anything happened with the rest. In addition, another fact is known: one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century could not pass the final exam.

But is that really how things are?

At the age of 17, a graduate of a Swiss school, young Albert received a matriculation certificate, which included the following marks:

• Physics, algebra, geometry, history - 6 points;


• Chemistry, German and Italian - 5 points;


• French - 3 points;


• English - not certified.

So, one of the first biographers made a mistake, because of which the whole “cheese forest” began. Confusing the Swiss system of knowledge assessment with the German one, where there was an inverse relationship, namely: one corresponded to the mark "excellent" (sehr gut), two points - the mark "good" (gut) and so on, up to "insufficient" (ungenügend), which corresponded to 6 points - the lowest mark. Based on this, indeed, one could say about Einstein as a round loser. But “the whole point” is that, in fact, the greatest scientist shone with his knowledge even at school, if not in all, but in most disciplines!

In addition to grades, Albert did not develop relationships with teachers. By nature, already in his youth, he possessed free-thinking. We all know about the attitude of most teachers to any dissent. The student did not even try to hide his rejection of the teachers, he did not tolerate an authoritarian attitude towards himself (as well as other students) on the part of teachers. One of the teachers once said to the young genius: “It will be great when you eventually leave the gymnasium,” reinforcing his conviction. saying: "Your indifference to what we teach undermines the reputation of the entire educational institution." Disputes and conflicts between a 6th grade student and teachers were not uncommon.

Einstein was extremely negative about the mechanical cramming of "incoherent nonsense." But at the same time, I studied a lot on my own, read a lot. All this testifies to the originality of his personality.

Yes, about the failure of the final exam and problems with obtaining a certificate. The father insisted that Albert completely put “philosophical nonsense” out of his head and, since his son is so good in the exact sciences, he decided to send him to a technical school in engineering. But German universities were excluded only so that the young man was not drafted into the army at the age of 17, along with this, teaching had to be conducted in German. The choice fell on the Zurich Polytechnic Institute, despite the fact that Einstein was then only 16 years old, instead of the required 18. He did not like the specialty chosen for him by his parents, therefore, he practically did not prepare in those disciplines that were not interesting to him: languages, zoology, botany. He had no chance to enter, even in the exams, he excelled in physics and mathematics. The lack of a certificate, which he never received at the gymnasium, also played. Nevertheless, the director of the university, being amazed by the applicant's abilities in the exact sciences, advised one of the Swiss schools in order to still receive a certificate of completion of secondary education. A year later, having received a certificate, Albert Einstein was admitted to the university without exams. But this story gave life to the myth that the future genius could not pass the final exams the first time due to poor progress.

Many negligent students justify their grades with the following argument: some geniuses, for example, studied at school very badly.
This is not true: yes, little Albert was not among the first students, but he certainly was not a loser either. The thing is that Einstein studied most of the time in Germany, but received a school certificate in Switzerland, where the grading system was the opposite of German: in Germany, the highest score was one, just below two, and so on, and Swiss teachers used a direct six-point system.

At school, Einstein excelled especially in mathematics and science, devoting less time to French, geography and drawing - these subjects did not interest him much, but his average score was about five points out of six (according to the Swiss system).

By the way, the physicist received the Nobel Prize not for the theory of relativity, as many believe, but for the development of the quantum theory of the photoelectric effect.

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The biography of Albert Einstein, written by Walter Isaacsen, covers not only the intellectual achievements of the great physicist, but also what is indirectly related to this: fame, his anti-war activities, difficulties in marriage. But the most curious information concerns the part that talks about how Einstein.

How smart was Einstein?

One of the most common stories about Einstein says that he knew mathematics / physics “perfectly” and did not graduate from mathematical school. This is one of those stories that become legends, whether true or not.

But she is not true. Einstein was excellent at mathematics from an early age. He admits it himself: “I never failed math. Until the age of fifteen, I mastered differential and integral calculus. But then he was not considered a genius. By the way, you can easily find a photo of his diploma by using a search engine and typing "Albert Einstein's matriculation certificate 1896".

How did Einstein teach mathematics and physics?

Considering Einstein's contribution to physics, this is a very worthwhile question. Here are some of his methods that Isaacsen talks about in the book.

Learning comes from solving difficult problems, not from going to school

The famous scientist had an aversion to cramming and attending classes. As he himself stated: "I played a lot and studied the masters of theoretical physics at home."

When he was 12 years old, Einstein already had "a penchant for solving complex problems in arithmetic" and his parents bought him an advanced math textbook that he could study in the summer.

He studied physics, and did not obediently attend classes, as most did. He played with ideas and equations on his own. His main principle already at that time was "do, not listen."

When you can prove something, you really know it

How do you know that you really understand something? Einstein's method was to try to prove any statement himself. It all started at an early age when his uncle Jacob challenged him to prove the Pythagorean theorem.

Einstein recalled: "After great effort, I was able to 'prove' this theorem on the basis of the similarity of triangles."

Isaacsen explains that Einstein took up new theories, trying to prove them himself. This approach to the study of physics, which came naturally to Einstein, was inspired by a strong curiosity about how things work and his conviction that "nature can be understood through a relatively simple mathematical structure."

Already here it becomes noticeable that the famous scientist had incredible curiosity and intuition. Perhaps even more so than intelligence.

Intuition matters more than equations

Yes, he can be called rather an intuitive physicist. He was influenced by the books of Aaron Bershtein, who encouraged an intuitive approach to physics. They were replete with fictional images, such as "an imaginary journey through space" or "the speed of light."

How did Einstein develop intuition? His own thoughts on the subject were that intuition is nothing but the result of early intellectual experience. His early habit of proving theorems and solving complex problems supported his ability to create abstract-visual pictures in his mind.

Thinking Requires Quiet Space and Deep Concentration

Einstein had incredible ability. His son writes: “Even the loudest cry of a baby did not disturb the father. He was able to continue working despite the level of noise around him.”

Here is what the physicist himself says about his work at the Bern patent office: “I could do all the work in 2-3 hours. The rest of the time I developed my ideas.” The incredible concentration that he developed all this time helped to master the general theory of relativity, which culminated in "a debilitating four-week insanity." However, this had a bad effect on his health.

And yet, the ability to focus and the love of loneliness allowed him to achieve heights.

Understanding ideas arises through thought experiments

Einstein was a fan of thought experiments. They did not require expenses and were carried out very quickly. Einstein's paradox and the twin paradox were his most famous experiments.

All thought experiments were built on an intuitive understanding of physics, which in turn was based on his experience with theories and problems.

Insights come during friendly walks

Although solitude and concentration were important components of how Einstein studied and did physics, it was often talking and walking with people that led him to insights.

The most famous example was his walk with longtime friend Michele Besso. During his work on special relativity, he walked with a friend, trying to explain the theory to him. Frustrated, he announced that he was giving up. But suddenly it dawned on him - the next day he told Besso that he had completely solved the problem.

Discussing ideas out loud, sharing them with others, can often lead to new ideas.

Be a rebel

Einstein was never a conformist. His rebellious spirit hurt his early academic career, but also contributed to his greatest discoveries.

He questioned all the rules and traditions accepted in physics. He disliked the German education system, which he said was intolerant of dissent. When you start studying Einstein's biography, you will probably come to one important thought: you may not be able to match his intelligence, but anyone can develop Einstein's perseverance and curiosity.

We wish you good luck!