Teaching Learners to Think

It is in the opinion of the author that effectiveEducation should be about exposing the source of
education of the student is best accomplishedthe shadow to the learner. As a leader and an
through engaging and interactive environments.educator there is a larger role that learning plays
Education plays an integral role in expanding the mindwithin our lives and the general society. We must
and developing the ability of critical thought.remember the real concerns of institutions and the
Effectively developing learners for real worldexpectation of society that learning be of high quality
problems cannot be accomplished through simpleand that knowledge must be for more than gaining
exercises of memorization and fact regurgitation.new work skills (Schrum, 2000). There is a deeper
This practice does not lead the learner to the path ofpurpose to what we learn, a deeper meaning. The
understanding and mastery. Students should bemere aggrandizement of our circumstances should
taught how to grasp the deeper underlining principlenot be the sole focus of learning. There is an element
behind all knowledge, behaviors, and practices. Factsof responsibility that must be acknowledged.
and theories are simply manifestations of deeperIt is charged upon those of us who teach and lead
principles. As learners we sometimes mistake thethe responsibility of guiding others along the path of
manifestation for the thing itself. This practice is likeself-directed thought. Obedient automatons that
one seeing the shadow of a tree mistaking themerely follow orders and await instruction do not
shadow to be the tree itself. To becomeimprove the performance capacity of a society or
over-enamored with superficial representationsorganization. Sadly enough this is what many
prevents the learner from truly understanding theeducational processes are training people to become.
cause behind the phenomena.