Summary of The Unschooled Mind

The Unschooled Mind: How Children Think and How Schools Should Teach, by Howard Gardner, is an analysis of how education has changed over the years and how it should be changed to better accommodate the way children learn. Gardner looks at the differences between traditional schooling and the ways of learning that have been developed outside of the school system. He argues that schools should be more open to new ideas and methods of teaching, and that they should be more mindful of the different ways in which children learn. He also calls for a shift in the way that teachers and parents view children, away from the idea of “defects” or “failures” and towards an understanding of their natural capabilities. Gardner also suggests that schools should focus less on rote learning and more on creative and analytical thinking.