--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Children must be taught how to think, not…" description: "\"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.\" — Margaret Mead" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/margaret-mead-982_autism_children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not_45313.jpg" --- # Children must be taught how to think, not what to think. ![“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” quote by Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/margaret-mead-982_autism_children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not_45313.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/margaret-mead-982_autism_children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not_45313.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/margaret-mead-982_autism_children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not_45313.jpg) > “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes the importance of teaching critical thinking skills over imparting specific beliefs, fostering independent judgment. **In simple terms:** Teach thinking, not content. Key Takeaway Critical thinking over dogma. Themes education autonomy cognition empowerment philosophy Mood inspirational thoughtful Type maxim advice When to use this quote - classroom instruction - parental guidance - training programs - curriculum design Key Concepts critical thinking pedagogy intellectual independence Practical Applications - educational policy - learning frameworks Questions to Reflect On - How can we assess thinking skills? - What barriers hinder teaching thinking? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Educational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“We must turn all of our educational efforts to training our children for the choices which will confront them... The child who is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/we-must-turn-all-of-our-educational-efforts-to-training-our-children/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [It's actually very surprising how little we think about the quality of our decision-making and how we could improve it. How absent decision-making classes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/it-s-actually-very-surprising-how-little-we-think-about-the-quality/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [Yes, there is a way I was taught to think that's very suited to writing. And, of course, I'm thankful to have grown up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/yes-there-is-a-way-i-was-taught-to-think-that-s-very-suited-to/) [Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/) > [“However, rather than blindly following the computer’s recommendations, I would have the computer work in parallel with my own analysis and then compare the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/however-rather-than-blindly-following-the-computer-s-recommendations/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [In true democracy every man and woman is taught to think for himself or herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/in-true-democracy-every-man-and-woman-is-taught-to-think-for-himself/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I know that many have been taught to think that moderation, in a case like this, is a sort of treason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/i-know-that-many-have-been-taught-to-think-that-moderation-in-a-case/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [To be taught to read—what is the use of that, if you know not whether what you read is false or true? To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/to-be-taught-to-read-what-is-the-use-of-that-if-you-know-not-whether/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I am beginning to suspect all elaborate and special systems of education. They seem to me to be built up on the supposition that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/i-am-beginning-to-suspect-all-elaborate-and-special-systems-of-2/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [I was raised a Catholic and when you're raised a Catholic they don't teach you to think for yourself. You're taught not to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/i-was-raised-a-catholic-and-when-you-re-raised-a-catholic-they-don-t/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [There is a dearth of thinking skills - people are taught what to think, not how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-seckel/there-is-a-dearth-of-thinking-skills-people-are-taught-what-to-think/) [Al Seckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-seckel/) > [I am beginning to suspect all elaborate and special systems of education. They seem to me to be built up on the supposition that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sullivan/i-am-beginning-to-suspect-all-elaborate-and-special-systems-of/) [Anne Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sullivan/) > [“People are no longer taught how to think, they are taught what to think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-levon/people-are-no-longer-taught-how-to-think-they-are-taught-what-to-think/) [Elena Levon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-levon/) > [We've taught you that the earth is round, That red and white make pink, And something else that matters more - We've taught you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/we-ve-taught-you-that-the-earth-is-round-that-red-and-white-make-pink/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Now from a distance, I look back on what the Corps taught me: to think like men of action, and to act like men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/now-from-a-distance-i-look-back-on-what-the-corps-taught-me-to-think/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [Women are constantly taught to think about what other people are thinking, from those 'Jackie' magazine quizzes - 'What's he thinking?' - to being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-albertine/women-are-constantly-taught-to-think-about-what-other-people-are/) [Viv Albertine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-albertine/) ## More by Margaret Mead > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [If one cannot state a matter clearly enough so that even an intelligent twelve-year-old can understand it, one should remain within the cloistered walls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/if-one-cannot-state-a-matter-clearly-enough-so-that-even-an/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I learned the value of hard work by working hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/i-learned-the-value-of-hard-work-by-working-hard/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Women are scolded both for being mothers and for not being mothers, for wanting to eat their cake and have it too, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/women-are-scolded-both-for-being-mothers-and-for-not-being-mothers/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [we came to realize that a civilization which rode roughshod over the way of life of other peoples was incorporating evil in its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/we-came-to-realize-that-a-civilization-which-rode-roughshod-over-the/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [WE MUST DEVISE A SYSTEM IN WHICH PEACE IS MORE REWARDING THAN WAR.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/we-must-devise-a-system-in-which-peace-is-more-rewarding-than-war/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Through a grandmother's voice and hands the end of life is known at the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/through-a-grandmother-s-voice-and-hands-the-end-of-life-is-known-at/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [today's children are the first generation to grow up in a world that has the power to destroy itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/today-s-children-are-the-first-generation-to-grow-up-in-a-world-that/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [We are now at a point where we must educate our children in what no one knew yesterday, and prepare our schools for what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/we-are-now-at-a-point-where-we-must-educate-our-children-in-what-no/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Humanity . . . lies in man's capacity to question the known and imagine the unknown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/humanity-lies-in-man-s-capacity-to-question-the-known-and-imagine-the/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Fathers are biological necessities, but social accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/fathers-are-biological-necessities-but-social-accidents/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and not be held responsible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/one-of-the-most-dangerous-things-that-can-happen-to-a-child-is-to/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [We end up with the contradictory picture of a society that appears to throw its doors wide open to women, but translates her every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/we-end-up-with-the-contradictory-picture-of-a-society-that-appears-to/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“I was wise enough never to grow up, while fooling people into believing I had.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/i-was-wise-enough-never-to-grow-up-while-fooling-people-into/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) [Explore all 314 Margaret Mead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) ## More Autism quotes > [“We know that children with autism like order, that they are often very visual and that they can be quite literal. 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Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. 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Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) [Browse all 621 Autism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Mead" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Autism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/margaret-mead-982_autism_children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not_45313.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/margaret-mead-982_autism_children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not_45313.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/margaret-mead-982_autism_children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not_45313.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” — Margaret Mead", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Margaret Mead", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Children must be taught how to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```