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Are our ways of teaching students to ask some questions…

“Are our ways of teaching students to ask some questions always correlative with our ways of teaching them not to ask - indeed, to be unconscious of - others? Does the educational system exist in order to promulgate knowledge, or is its main function rather to universalize a society’s tacit…” quote by Barbara Johnson
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“Are our ways of teaching students to ask some questions always correlative with our ways of teaching them not to ask - indeed, to be unconscious of - others? Does the educational system exist in order to promulgate knowledge, or is its main function rather to universalize a society’s tacit agreement about what it has decided it does not and cannot know?”

Barbara Johnson

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

She questions whether education teaches both inquiry and the avoidance of certain topics, shaping societal blind spots.

In simple terms: Education may limit questioning to maintain norms.

Key Takeaway

Encourage critical thinking beyond norms.

Themes

education critical thinking societal norms

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical inquisitive

When to use this quote

  • classroom discussions
  • curriculum design
  • policy debates

Key Concepts

pedagogy knowledge control cognitive bias

Questions to Reflect On

  • What topics are discouraged in schools?
  • How can curricula reveal hidden assumptions?
A Different Perspective

Might overlook practical knowledge.

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