--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In school, we're rewarded for having the…" description: "\"In school, we're rewarded for having the answer, not for asking a good question.\" — Richard Saul Wurman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/richard-saul-wurman-19944_answers_in-school-we-re-rewarded-for-having-the_2516886.png" --- # In school, we're rewarded for having the answer, not for… ![“In school, we're rewarded for having the answer, not for asking a good question.” quote by Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/richard-saul-wurman-19944_answers_in-school-we-re-rewarded-for-having-the_2516886.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/richard-saul-wurman-19944_answers_in-school-we-re-rewarded-for-having-the_2516886.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/richard-saul-wurman-19944_answers_in-school-we-re-rewarded-for-having-the_2516886.png) > “In school, we're rewarded for having the answer, not for asking a good question.” [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education tends to value quick answers over curiosity, stifling deeper inquiry. **In simple terms:** Schools reward answers, not questions. Key Takeaway Encourage questioning over immediate answers. Themes education curiosity critical thinking Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - classroom discussions - research projects - innovation workshops - team meetings Key Concepts inquiry learning culture Questions to Reflect On - How can teachers balance answers and questions? - What incentives promote curiosity? A Different Perspective Focusing only on questions can delay decision‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answer Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer-asking-390264/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/) [Asking Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-good-1212556/) [Asking questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-questions/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Good questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-questions/) [Having Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-answer-1212555/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Rewarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewarded/) [Right questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-questions/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Rewarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-rewarded-1212554/) ## Related quotes > [The way that you become world-class is... by asking good questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/the-way-that-you-become-world-class-is-by-asking-good-questions/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [Asking good questions is half of learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-muhammad/asking-good-questions-is-half-of-learning/) [Elijah Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-muhammad/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [If you stop complaining and asking for what you never will get, you will have a good life. A good life is not measured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/if-you-stop-complaining-and-asking-for-what-you-never-will-get-you/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [People are always asking about the good old days. I say, why don't you say the good now days?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-young/people-are-always-asking-about-the-good-old-days-i-say-why-don-t-you/) [Robert M Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-young/) > [Almost everyone thinks they are a good person, but the question you should be asking is, am I good enough to go to Heaven?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/almost-everyone-thinks-they-are-a-good-person-but-the-question-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Not all question asking is good. It depends on the attitude. Is there a submission to the Word of God and a readiness to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/not-all-question-asking-is-good-it-depends-on-the-attitude-is-there-a/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Sometimes when an opportunity is in front of you, you’re so busy asking if you’re good enough for the challenge, you forget to ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allie-larkin/sometimes-when-an-opportunity-is-in-front-of-you-you-re-so-busy/) [Allie Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allie-larkin/) > [If you're asking if I need you. The answer is FOREVER. If you're asking if I'll leave you. The answer is NEVER. If you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-asking-if-i-need-you-the-answer-is-forever-if-you-re-asking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you are asking if Id hurt you, the answer is never. If you are asking if I love u,the answer is forever. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-asking-if-id-hurt-you-the-answer-is-never-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The answer of you asking her to get married is based on the ring you buy...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trunxbeats/the-answer-of-you-asking-her-to-get-married-is-based-on-the-ring-you/) [Trunxbeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trunxbeats/) > [If your asking If I need you. The answer is forever. If your asking if I'll leave you. The answer is never. If your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/if-your-asking-if-i-need-you-the-answer-is-forever-if-your-asking-if/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Are you asking a question because you want to know the answer or are you asking the question because you want your partner to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/are-you-asking-a-question-because-you-want-to-know-the-answer-or-are/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [If you're asking if I want to be with you, the answer is forever. If you're asking if I want to leave you, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoheb/if-you-re-asking-if-i-want-to-be-with-you-the-answer-is-forever-if/) [Zoheb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoheb/) > [“There are a hundred answers to one question in this world. So it's hard for me to give you a correct answer. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sohn-won-pyung/there-are-a-hundred-answers-to-one-question-in-this-world-so-it-s/) [Sohn Won-Pyung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sohn-won-pyung/) ## More by Richard Saul Wurman > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [Allow the information to tell you how it wants to be displayed. As architecture is ‘frozen music’, information architecture is ‘frozen conversation’. Any good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/allow-the-information-to-tell-you-how-it-wants-to-be-displayed-as/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [I live by two credos: If you don't ask, you don't get. And most things don't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/i-live-by-two-credos-if-you-don-t-ask-you-don-t-get-and-most-things/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [Everyone spoke of an information overload, but what there was in fact was a non-information overload.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/everyone-spoke-of-an-information-overload-but-what-there-was-in-fact/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [Information anxiety is the black hole between data and knowledge, and it happens when information doesn't tell us what we want or need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/information-anxiety-is-the-black-hole-between-data-and-knowledge-and/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [A weekday edition of The New York Times contains more information than the average person was likely to come across in a lifetime in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/a-weekday-edition-of-the-new-york-times-contains-more-information/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [People never forget things, they just never remembered it in the first place because it was too boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/people-never-forget-things-they-just-never-remembered-it-in-the-first/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [I am terribly fascinated with things that I don’t understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/i-am-terribly-fascinated-with-things-that-i-don-t-understand/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [“I believe I’m very normal. I’m hyper-normal. I’m more normal than anyone else I know. I think my thoughts, my indulgences, my desires, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/i-believe-i-m-very-normal-i-m-hyper-normal-i-m-more-normal-than/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [Order is no guarantee of understanding. Sometimes just the opposite is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/order-is-no-guarantee-of-understanding-sometimes-just-the-opposite-is/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [The journey from not knowing to knowing was his work. He was selling his desire to learn about a subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/the-journey-from-not-knowing-to-knowing-was-his-work-he-was-selling/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [Learning can be defined as the process of remembering what you are interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/learning-can-be-defined-as-the-process-of-remembering-what-you-are/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [You only understand information relative to what you already understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/you-only-understand-information-relative-to-what-you-already/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [People can be motivated to creativity simply with the instruction to "be creative."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/people-can-be-motivated-to-creativity-simply-with-the-instruction-to/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [The fundamental failure of most graphic, product, architectural and even urban design is its insistence on serving the God of Looking-Good rather than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/the-fundamental-failure-of-most-graphic-product-architectural-and/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) [Explore all 31 Richard Saul Wurman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) [Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In school, we're rewarded for having the answer, not for asking a good question.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Saul Wurman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/in-school-we-re-rewarded-for-having-the-answer-not-for-asking-a-good/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/in-school-we-re-rewarded-for-having-the-answer-not-for-asking-a-good/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/richard-saul-wurman-19944_answers_in-school-we-re-rewarded-for-having-the_2516886.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/richard-saul-wurman-19944_answers_in-school-we-re-rewarded-for-having-the_2516886.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/richard-saul-wurman-19944_answers_in-school-we-re-rewarded-for-having-the_2516886.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In school, we're rewarded for having the answer, not for asking a good question.” — Richard Saul Wurman", "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": "Richard Saul Wurman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In school, we're rewarded for having...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/in-school-we-re-rewarded-for-having-the-answer-not-for-asking-a-good/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/in-school-we-re-rewarded-for-having-the-answer-not-for-asking-a-good/#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 } } ] } ```