Peterson Says Educators Often Have No Idea Why They Teach Material

What was said

"My experience in school was, and this included university, was that it was often the case that the teachers who were attempting to impart information actually had no idea whatsoever why what they were teaching was good for anything. I especially remember that in mathematics because I would ask the educator why I needed to know this and they didn't know."

Jordan Peterson revealed his personal experience with teachers who could not explain the purpose of what they taught, citing mathematics as a primary example. He argued that educators must set the motivational frame for learning and dramatize why material matters, and that shallow knowledge prevents effective teaching. Peterson emphasized that students need to understand why topics like art, literature, and math have value beyond surface-level instruction.