--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For what is important when we give…" description: "\"For what is important when we give children a theorem to use is not that they should memorize it. What matters most is that by growing up with a few ve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/seymour-papert-12175_appreciate_for-what-is-important-when-we-give-child_174426.png" --- # For what is important when we give children a theorem to… ![“For what is important when we give children a theorem to use is not that they should memorize it. What matters most is that by growing up with a few very powerful theorems one comes to appreciate how certain ideas can be used as tools to think with over a lifetime. One learns to enjoy and to…” quote by Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/seymour-papert-12175_appreciate_for-what-is-important-when-we-give-child_174426.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/seymour-papert-12175_appreciate_for-what-is-important-when-we-give-child_174426.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/seymour-papert-12175_appreciate_for-what-is-important-when-we-give-child_174426.png) > “For what is important when we give children a theorem to use is not that they should memorize it. What matters most is that by growing up with a few very powerful theorems one comes to appreciate how certain ideas can be used as tools to think with over a lifetime. One learns to enjoy and to respect the power of powerful ideas. One learns that the most powerful idea of all is the idea of powerful ideas.” [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The key is not memorizing theorems but using them as tools for lifelong thinking, developing appreciation for powerful ideas. **In simple terms:** Use theorems as thinking tools, not memorized facts. Key Takeaway Cultivate deep understanding of ideas as mental tools. Themes education learning critical thinking ideas tools Mood inspired reflective Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - teaching math - curriculum design - student inquiry - lifelong learning Key Concepts constructivism cognitive development metacognition Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a theorem into a thinking tool? - What ideas have shaped your problem‑solving? A Different Perspective Memorization alone may limit creative application of concepts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Theorems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theorems/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) ## Related quotes > [The truly powerful ideas are precisely the ones that never have to justify themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-truly-powerful-ideas-are-precisely-the-ones-that-never-have-to/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [All the most powerful ideas in history go back to archetypes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/all-the-most-powerful-ideas-in-history-go-back-to-archetypes/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Sometimes the most powerful ideas come from simply combining two existing ideas nobody else ever thought to unite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-the-most-powerful-ideas-come-from-simply-combining-two/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Corrupt people fear books because they contain something more powerful than themselves: ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandt-legg/corrupt-people-fear-books-because-they-contain-something-more/) [Brandt Legg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandt-legg/) > [All I remember about the examination is that there was a question on Sturm's theorem about equations, which I could not do then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-j-mordell/all-i-remember-about-the-examination-is-that-there-was-a-question-on/) [Louis J. Mordell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-j-mordell/) > [There are very few theorems in advanced analysis which have been demonstrated in a logically tenable manner. Everywhere one finds this miserable way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niels-henrik-abel/there-are-very-few-theorems-in-advanced-analysis-which-have-been/) [Niels Henrik Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niels-henrik-abel/) > [Mathematics does not grow through a monotonous increase of the number of indubitably established theorems but through the incessant improvement of guesses by speculation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imre-lakatos/mathematics-does-not-grow-through-a-monotonous-increase-of-the-number/) [Imre Lakatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imre-lakatos/) > [It is a melancholy experience for a professional mathematician to find himself writing about mathematics. The function of a mathematician is to do something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-h-hardy/it-is-a-melancholy-experience-for-a-professional-mathematician-to/) [G. H. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-h-hardy/) > [ In 1975, ... \[speaking with Shiing Shen Chern\], I told him I had finally learned ... the beauty of fiber-bundle theory and the profound… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-ning-yang/in-1975-speaking-with-shiing-shen-chern-i-told-him-i-had-finally/) Chen-Ning Yang > [The scientist has to take 95 per cent of his subject on trust. He has to because he can't possibly do all the experiments,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-zeeman/the-scientist-has-to-take-95-per-cent-of-his-subject-on-trust-he-has/) Christopher Zeeman > [Without computers we will be stuck only proving theorems that have short proofs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-appel/without-computers-we-will-be-stuck-only-proving-theorems-that-have/) Kenneth Appel > [A mathematician is a device for turning coffee into theorems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-erdos/a-mathematician-is-a-device-for-turning-coffee-into-theorems/) [Paul Erdos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-erdos/) > [The "seriousness" of a mathematical theorem lies, not in its practical consequences, which are usually negligible, but in the significance of the mathematical ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-h-hardy/the-seriousness-of-a-mathematical-theorem-lies-not-in-its-practical/) [G. H. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-h-hardy/) > [The great poem and the deep theorem are new to every reader, and yet are his own experiences, because he himself recreates them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/the-great-poem-and-the-deep-theorem-are-new-to-every-reader-and-yet/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [Theorems often tell us complex truths about the simple things, but only rarely tell us simple truths about the complex ones. To believe otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-minsky/theorems-often-tell-us-complex-truths-about-the-simple-things-but/) [Marvin Minsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-minsky/) ## More by Seymour Papert > [We imagine a school in which students and teachers excitedly and joyfully stretch themselves to their limits in pursuit of projects built on their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/we-imagine-a-school-in-which-students-and-teachers-excitedly-and/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [It's not what you know about the computer that's important, but your ability to do things with it. By studying French in an academic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/it-s-not-what-you-know-about-the-computer-that-s-important-but-your/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [I prefer software where kids build something and run into problems they have to solve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/i-prefer-software-where-kids-build-something-and-run-into-problems/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [What the gears cannot do the computer might. The computer is the Proteus of machines. Its essence is its universality, its power to simulate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/what-the-gears-cannot-do-the-computer-might-the-computer-is-the/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [The reason most kids don't like school is not that the work is too hard, but that it is utterly boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/the-reason-most-kids-don-t-like-school-is-not-that-the-work-is-too/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [We often treat children as if they're not very competent to do anything on their own. So we make them stop learning in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/we-often-treat-children-as-if-they-re-not-very-competent-to-do/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [I think Disney is a very interesting company, and it does have an extremely powerful means for projecting a certain way of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/i-think-disney-is-a-very-interesting-company-and-it-does-have-an/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [One might say the computer is being used to program the child. In my vision, the child programs the computer, and in doing so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/one-might-say-the-computer-is-being-used-to-program-the-child-in-my/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [The goal is to teach in such a way as to produce the most learning from the least teaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/the-goal-is-to-teach-in-such-a-way-as-to-produce-the-most-learning/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Similarly, computer literacy courses tend to produce computer people who know a lot about computers or a piece of software but they don't help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/similarly-computer-literacy-courses-tend-to-produce-computer-people/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Our goal in education should be to foster the ability to use the computer in everything you do, even if you don't have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/our-goal-in-education-should-be-to-foster-the-ability-to-use-the/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [This frenzy about cyberporn indicates some deeper fear of adults as they see kids become more independent and learn things they never learned. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/this-frenzy-about-cyberporn-indicates-some-deeper-fear-of-adults-as/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Rather than pushing children to think like adults, we might do better to remember that they are great learners and to try harder to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/rather-than-pushing-children-to-think-like-adults-we-might-do-better/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Working with the computer gives rise to many opportunities to transcend asocial behavior, because it produces exciting and visually interesting things to share, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/working-with-the-computer-gives-rise-to-many-opportunities-to/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [I don't like MTV, and I don't like the culture that goes with it. It's OK in very small doses, maybe. Nevertheless, it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/i-don-t-like-mtv-and-i-don-t-like-the-culture-that-goes-with-it-it-s/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) [Explore all 56 Seymour Papert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) ## More Appreciate quotes > [All I hear is the people that appreciate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-hardy/all-i-hear-is-the-people-that-appreciate-me/) [Greg Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-hardy/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Time is really gold,spent it wisely with the people around you.Spread love,appreciate the beauty around you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jglargosta/time-is-really-gold-spent-it-wisely-with-the-people-around-you-spread/) [Jglargosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jglargosta/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-connoisseur-of-art-must-be-able-to-appreciate-what-is-simply/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [This time, there were no drugs involved. The hours were completely normal daytime hours. I think we were able to appreciate the interplay, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/this-time-there-were-no-drugs-involved-the-hours-were-completely/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [I would like beautiful gymnastics to be recognized as the best. I want the judges to appreciate things that are not necessarily winning points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kohei-uchimura/i-would-like-beautiful-gymnastics-to-be-recognized-as-the-best-i-want/) [Kohei Uchimura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kohei-uchimura/) > [One of the most important rules for success is this: Every great success is the result of hundreds and thousands of small efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/one-of-the-most-important-rules-for-success-is-this-every-great/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [It's great at this stage in my life to still be in the running, that people appreciate you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/it-s-great-at-this-stage-in-my-life-to-still-be-in-the-running-that/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Love is too wonderful for us but why we often times do not ever appreciate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamad-idrus/love-is-too-wonderful-for-us-but-why-we-often-times-do-not-ever/) [Mohamad Idrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamad-idrus/) > [I think the most important thing is to stay hopeful, to believe wonderful things are possible and do your best. Basically, to not give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irena-a-hoffman/i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-to-stay-hopeful-to-believe/) [Irena A. Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irena-a-hoffman/) > [“Admire and appreciate your man and he will be happy on your side”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-alfiori/admire-and-appreciate-your-man-and-he-will-be-happy-on-your-side/) [Linda Alfiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-alfiori/) Browse all 3,873 Appreciate quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For what is important when we give children a theorem to use is not that they should memorize it. What matters most is that by growing up with a few very powerful theorems one comes to appreciate how certain ideas can be used as tools to think with over a lifetime. One learns to enjoy and to respect the power of powerful ideas. One learns that the most powerful idea of all is the idea of powerful ideas.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seymour Papert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/for-what-is-important-when-we-give-children-a-theorem-to-use-is-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appreciate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/for-what-is-important-when-we-give-children-a-theorem-to-use-is-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/seymour-papert-12175_appreciate_for-what-is-important-when-we-give-child_174426.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/seymour-papert-12175_appreciate_for-what-is-important-when-we-give-child_174426.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/seymour-papert-12175_appreciate_for-what-is-important-when-we-give-child_174426.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For what is important when we give children a theorem to use is not that they should memorize it. What…” — Seymour Papert", "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": "Seymour Papert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For what is important when we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/for-what-is-important-when-we-give-children-a-theorem-to-use-is-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/for-what-is-important-when-we-give-children-a-theorem-to-use-is-not/#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 } } ] } ```