Whether or not you’re involved in the world of education, you have likely heard the claim: “We don’t teach students what to think; we teach them how to think.” Commonly attributed to cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead, this sentiment has recently been co-opted by educational leaders on both the right and left — usually in an effort to create distance from the indoctrination and groupthink all too common on campus.
At first blush, it sounds reasonable. We (the authors) have each used the phrase ourselves in the past. It often leads to applause.
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