Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is an important part of a student’s development as a genuine thinker and problem solver. What Mark Twain meant is that schooling should not interfere with a child’s educational training, i.e. critical thinking or the ability to analytically approach problems or issues at hand and come up with critical solutions. This requires inculcating traits such as inquisitiveness, open mindedness, prudence and an overall unbiased and judicious approach while problem solving. This could only be possible if the curriculum followed in the schools is also established on the same lines rather than only facts memorization and rote learning. Since critical thinking skills can be developed by learning, the quality of education imparted in schools can be increased by adopting this approach. The need for such approach is important as new problems defy conventional wisdom and must be approached with a critical analysis and thinking. Therefore, if schooling does not support education, one should stay cautious. 

10 Years Younger person’s opinion

Mark Twain meant that the difference between education and schooling is very broad. While education is learning that one takes, schooling might include activities that could not be of any value addition for the student. The true education lies not just in the facts and figures that students should learn but the ability to critically analyze problems and come up with feasible alternative solutions. The teaching methodologies or pedagogy in general comprises of schooling, while education comprises of the collective skill set a student develops as a real problem solver.

20 Years Older person’s opinion

Schooling is very important as without it one could not gain education. Mark Twain simply means that schools are not imparting enough knowledge to students. The content of textbooks needs to be updated regularly so as to keep abreast with the changing needs of changing times. Since schools are not meeting the knowledge requirements, one should strive on their own to gain extra knowledge.

The design and introduction of k-12 schooling to hamper critical thinking among students should not be encouraged at all. The real world problems of today are very different and require innovative approaches to solve them. The students who would become the leaders of tomorrow must be equipped with critical thinking abilities so as to prepare them for future challenges. This would only happen by the introduction of critical-thinking based learning models starting at the basic school level.