Daniel T. Willingham

A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom

Why Don't Students Like School

Nelson Zagalo

If you’re a teacher, read this. If you’re a parent of kids in school age, read this. And if you nurture any interest about improving your cognitive skills, read this also.

After having read “Outliers: The Story of Success” (2008), “Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else” (2008) and “The Talent Code: Genius Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How.” (2009), “Why Don't Students Like School?” (2009) was the missing key. Most of the books on talent and experts are too centred upon experience, experts achievement throughout hard training and learning by doing. Daniel T. Willingham demonstrates how this is also relevant for the cognitive skills, and how it’s built in school.

The central argument of this book is simple, and I’ve been defending this in the past about the development of creativity, but as you’ll read here, this is the basis for every cognitive ability:

“You cannot develop 'thinking skills' in the absence of facts. We encourage students to think critically, not just memorize facts. However thinking skills depend on factual knowledge for their operation.”

This is a 5 stars book, that every teacher should read, and any interested parent also. I’m just sad about the title chosen, which will put this book away for many, and is not being able to translate all the brilliant knowledge inside.

For an in-depth review check this excellent summary by Tim Taylor: http://web.archive.org/web/2019081122...

Why Don't Students Like School A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom

Reviews