The following quote from Jean Piaget, Swiss psychologist (1896 – 1980) is one that has driven the direction of my own thinking about education. It has guided many of my choices both as a teacher and as a learner.
When I listen to the creative ideas and view the innovations demonstrated through TED talks, I know that the principle goal is being met by many.
When I hear about the wonderful work being done, such as that by The Philosophy Foundation and P4C (Philosophy for Children), to introduce school children to philosophic enquiry, including critical thinking and reasoning, I know the second goal is also being met.
“The principle goal of education is to create people who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done – people who are creative, inventive, and discoverers.
The second goal . . . is to form minds which can be critical, can verify, and not accept everything they are offered.”
What do you think?
How did your education help you achieve these goals?
How do you see these goals being achieved?
Norah Colvin 
I read a lot of Piaget during my ECC classes (Early Childhood Education). Even today, long after he wrote those words, he’s right.
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Wow! How did you find that old post?
I agree with you. I think those words will always be right.
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Ooh! Great link. I’ll have to look through that. Thanks. I think we’ve talked before about teaching kids philosophy. My little one loves it.
Excellent quote. Reminds me a bit of Galileo. He said something about being a “thinker” but not following philosophers such as Aristotle and believing in something but not the church because god gave him senses and a brain so he could discover things on his own and think for himself. Something like that. 🙂
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Thanks for exploring some of my past posts, Sarah. I am honoured that you have the interest and make the time to do so.
That quote by Galileo sounds like a good one too!
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Well…it was “archive day”. 🙂 I’d never participated in that hashtag day so thought I’d try. It was fun. And I love your old posts. Some gems hidden here.
Galileo:
We cannot teach people anything; we can only help them discover it within themselves.
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.
(This was why he didn’t let the church tell him what to believe or follow earlier philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, et al.)
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I love the quotations/goals that you’ve posted here! I am trying so hard to instill these values in my own students, but I find it is tough-going, as they haven’t been forced to think this way before. This is particularly with the second goal, getting students not to accept everything that they are told. I often give my students incorrect information and answers to problems, just to see if they will question me on it — they are starting to get better at it now, but at the beginning of the year, I could have told them anything and they would have believed me!
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Hi, Thanks for visiting and for your comment. I’m pleased you find the quote as inspirational as I do, and am impressed that you are working hard towards achieving these goals with your students. Your endeavours are worthwhile! Many opportunities for developing critical literacy skills abound with incorrect “information” provided in many children’s fiction as well as non-fiction texts. I think it’s important for children to realise that texts are written by authors for particular purposes e.g. entertain, persuade, inform, mislead. . . Locating books with obvious misinformation is a great place to start, or compare conflicting information in different sources. Many “easy to read” informational texts are good, or is that “poor”, sources. Keep up the great work. Your students will appreciate it!
Have a nice day! 😊🌏
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Ah, yes, while I am always on the lookout for “accurate” children’s literature, I think you make a good point about the value of sharing the less-than-correct stories, too. You are so right that students need to know that texts are written for a specific purpose and that the authors are human — I think my second graders, in particular, are prone to thinking anything written down must be true!
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That’s right. We need to make them aware of that fallacy pretty quickly!
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I had a very poor education so was forced to find education and learning through play. Which has been hugely influential in my career.
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Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your comment. I’m disappointed that you had a poor education, but pleased to hear that you were determined to seek out your own path to an education, and that that path includes play. Well done for not bowing under the pressure of what was given to you but finding the strength to find your own way.
Your career appears to be offering very positive experiences for children, a unique and niche approach?
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Indeed it is Norah, I am so focussed on children and have always enjoyed working with little ones, my business is an absolute joy, there is nothing better than a happy child.
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Hi Michelle,
Welcome back! I share your love of working with little ones and am inclined to agree with you about a happy child. There is certainly no joy in, or for, an unhappy child!
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It is interesting to read these goals for education, as education always seemed so implicit and almost accidental. Perhaps this is a result of your approach to teaching being to make it fun & never a chore!
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Did we hit it close to any of those goals? I hope so. 😊
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What a great quote! My education helped me achieve these goals by exposing me to different ways of thinking. My parents helped me achieve these goals by making sure that I had time to play as a kid.
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Thanks for sharing. You are a fortunate one! Great to hear!
Have a nice day! 😊🌏
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