Wanting to Think
Much criticism is being leveled at teachers these days. Just what are they teaching our kids? Are they teaching the personal worldview and opinions that I embrace or the worldview and opinions of others? What is the purpose of education today?
American students were once fed their education. Memorization and recitation predominated. Facts, such as time tables and the dates of important events, filled the curriculum. Education was a who, what, when, and where event. Advanced students studied the why and how, the last two “Ws,” making connections between events and dates and the reasons behind them. What happened depended on the how’s and why’s that preceded it. The Great Depression resulted from…. The Civil War was caused by …. The Enlightenment (Renaissance, Dark Ages, Industrial Revolution) came about because …. Serious students looked behind the what, to the how and why of the world.
The ancient Greek teacher Socrates pushed his students beyond how and why. His teaching style encouraged critical thinking — asking questions and answering them — reflection — thinking about what you have learned in relation to who you are and the state of the world — and independent research — going beyond the classroom, reevaluating old ideas to ignite new areas of inquiry. Socrates wanted his students to know more than who, what, when, where, why and how. He challenged them to want to think.
Memorization and recitation require effort. Making connections requires energy. Thinking for yourself requires exertion. Many people today want to be fed. They watch the news that feeds their appetites, swallowing it whole, but don’t digest it. Dining solely on the newsfeed that satisfies their own worldview, opinions, or aspirations, they gobble up the what to think without processing the why’s and how’s behind it. If this politician who inflames my emotions or that celebrity who entertains me believes it, that’s good enough for me. Why think for myself when I can let others do it for me? Effort? Energy? Exertion? Not for me!
Are we stuck in a who, what, when, and where world? Do we inquire how and why? Do we want to think? One of the best reasons for learning to read is that you can find out for yourself. You don’t have to believe what other people tell you. When you can read, the world is open to you. But even with an open world, the reader must open his mind to new ideas which might challenge or oppose his own. Who, what, when, where, why and how are important but we must add a sixth W — we must want to think.
Thinking requires effort, energy, and exertion. Children who want to think become adults who want to think. Adults who want to think see beyond what is fed to them, beyond data to causes, beyond causes to new questions and new answers. Wanting to think must be the purpose of education.
Do I want to think or do I want others to think for me? Ask yourself this question. Answer with some questions of your own. Reflect on what you learn. Add information that leads to new questions and new answers. Open your mind. Want to think.
