Education Quote by Neil Postman
““We may take as our guide, here, John Dewey's observation that the content of a lesson is the least important thing about learning. As he wrote in Experience and Education, "Perhaps the greatest of all pedagogical fallacies is the notion that a person learns only what he is studying at the time. Collateral learning in the way of formation of enduring attitudes may be and often is more important than the spelling lesson, or the lesson in geography or history. For these attitudes are fundamentally what count in the future." In other words, the most important thing one learns is always something about *how* one learns. As Dewey wrote in another place, "We learn what we do.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Teaching as a Subversive Activity, 1970
Learning how to learn is more vital than specific content; attitudes shape future ability.
In simple terms: Learning process matters more than facts.
Key Takeaway
Focus on learning strategies.
Themes
education
metacognition
attitudes
Mood
thoughtful
educational
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- classroom teaching
- self‑study
- skill acquisition
Key Concepts
pedagogy
lifelong learning
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you teach learning how to learn?
- What attitudes foster lasting growth?
A Different Perspective
Content knowledge still essential for foundation.
