The Stigma of Genius: Einstein, Consciousness, and Education

by Shirley R. Steinberg, Shirley R. Steinberg, Deborah J. Tippins

In The Stigma of Einstein, Consciousness and Critical Education , we muse over ways in which to be, to become and to recognize uniqueness and different paths to genius. Understanding there is no prescribed procedure, we determine multiple actions, means and measures with which we recognize and teach to genius, we look at Einstein’s life and knowledges to connect our pedagogies and students. Today’s schools often exemplify an inability to stimulate and encourage students to find passion, goals and reasons to be educated. Many public school students do not succeed, they are disengaged, discouraged, and failing. Teachers are exhausted and overworked and lack respect and administrative support in districts controlled by local and national politics. Using Einstein as an example, but also a metaphor for educators, The Stigma of Genius is straight talk about the needs for schools/teachers/administrators/students to become critically and contextually aware. We argue for an education which is conscious of students’ needs and the nuances within each school and each classroom. Discussing cognition, classes, urban education and diversity, we have attempted to circle back to Einstein and understand ways to support and encourage today’s geniuses.

252 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Associate professor at McGill University in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education. A former theatre director, Shirley is a contributor to The Globe and Mail and the Montreal Gazette as a cultural critic. She holds a PhD in cultural studies from Pennsylvania State University.