"The Ignorant Schoolmaster" is a philosophical work by Jacques Rancière that explores the relationship between knowledge and teaching. Rancière argues that traditional education often relies on the assumption that teachers must possess superior knowledge to effectively instruct their students. He challenges this notion by suggesting that anyone can teach, regardless of their own level of expertise. The book centers around the story of Joseph Jacotot, a 19th-century educator who discovered that students could learn independently without a knowledgeable teacher. Rancière uses Jacotot's experiences to illustrate the idea that learning is a process of self-discovery, emphasizing the importance of equality in education and the potential for all individuals to teach and learn from one another.