27 Quotes by Tony Wagner

While at Harvard University Graduate School of Education, Tony found himself to be a complete outlier. He was almost constantly at odds with the mainstream of education. He is the first to admit that a doctorate from Harvard is important largely because everyone thinks it’s important.Page 3

Let’s talk about goal presentations in high school classes. We will be brief because there aren't any. Many students get through high school without ever having to practice and perform a single speech before a real audience." page 112.

If college admissions officers are going to encourage kids to take the same AP math class, why not statistics? Almost every career (whether in business, nonprofits, academics, law, or medicine benefits from proficiency in statistics. Being an informed, responsible citizen requires a sound knowledge of statistics, as politicians, reporters, and bloggers all rely on "data" to justify positions. [p.98]

Students spend their school hours bored, covering irrelevant material, doing mindless tasks, taking far too many standardized tests, and having the creativity and innovation schooled out of them. Our focus shouldn't be to give all kids equal access to the same bad education. We need to reinvent education and give all kids a fighting chance in life. page 58

In today’s world, if you can’t invent and reinvent your own job and distinctive skills, you risk chronic underemployment. Individuals need to change professions several times in their lifetime. Page 63

Four years ago, about 4,900 ninth grades began their high school career in the Boston Public schools. Today there are about 3,400 twelth graders. Nearly one third -- 1500 students -- have dropped out of the class in three and a half years. Almost half of the group that hopes to graduate (1,648) in six months' time has not passed the required standardized test (MCAS).

Most lecture-based courses contribute nothing to real learning. Consequential and retained learning comes from applying knowledge to new situations or problems, research on questions and issues that students consider important, peer interaction, activities, and projects. Experiences, rather than short-term memorization, help students develop the skills and motivation that transforms lives." [p. 7-8]

We're sorry about the circumstances, ... but we're glad to have a young man and a football player of his caliber.

I think we're haunted at tailback, ... At one time, we were pretty deep at tailback.