Thinking: A Neglected Art. New Learning and Thinking Curricula Require Collaboration. Effective communication and collaboration are essential to becoming a successful learner. It is primarily through dialogue and examining different perspectives that students become knowledgeable, strategic, self-determined, and empathetic. Moreover, involving students in real-world tasks and linking new information to prior knowledge requires effective communication and collaboration among teachers, students, and others. Indeed, it is through dialogue and interaction that curriculum objectives come alive. Collaborative learning affords students enormous advantages not available from more traditional instruction because a group--whether it be the whole class or a learning group within the class--can accomplish meaningful learning and solve problems better than any individual can alone. This focus on the collective knowledge and thinking of the group changes the roles of students and teachers and the way they interact in the classroom. Significantly, a groundswell of interest exists among practitioners to involve students in collaboration in classrooms at all grade levels.

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Carolyn Kane

     It is generally agreed that the American education system is in deep trouble. Everyone is aware of the horrible facts: school systems are running out of money, teachers can't spell, students can't read, high school graduates can't even find China on the map.

    Most of us know, or think we know, who is to blame: liberal courts, spineless school boards, ridiculous government regulations. It's easy to select a bad guy.

    But possibly the problem lies not so much in our institutions as in our attitudes. It is sad that although most of us claim that we believe in education, we place no value on intellectual activity.

    We Americans are a charitable and humane people: We have institutions devoted to every good cause from rescuing homeless cats to preventing World War III. But what have we done to promote the art of thinking? Certainly we make no room for thought in our daily lives. Suppose a man were to say to his friends, "I'm not going to PTA tonight (or the baseball game, or whatever) because I need some time to myself, some time to think"? Such a man would be shunned by his neighbors; his family would be ashamed of him. What if a teenager were to say, "I'm not going to the dance tonight because I need some time to think"? His parents would immediately start looking in the Yellow Pages for a psychiatrist.

    Several years ago a college administrator told me that if he wanted to do any serious thinking, he had to get up at 5:30 in the morning -- I suppose because that was the only time when no one would interrupt him. More recently I heard a professor remark that when his friends catch him in the act of reading a book, they say, "My, it must be nice to have so much free time." And even though I am an English teacher -- a person who should know better -- I find myself feeling vaguely guilty whenever I sneak off to the library to read. It is a common belief that if a man is thinking or reading, he is doing nothing. Through our words and our actions, we express this attitude every day of our lives. Then we wonder why our children refuse to take their studies seriously and why they say to their teachers, "Why do I need to learn this stuff? It won't do me any good; I'll never need it." 

     It's easy to understand the reasons for this prejudice against thinking. One problem is that to most of us, thinking looks suspiciously like doing nothing. A human being in deep thought is an uninspiring sight. He leans back in his chair, props up his feet, puffs on his pipe and stares into space. He gives every appearance of wasting time. Besides, he's leaving all the hard work for us! We wish he would get up and do something useful -- clean the house, maybe, or mow the lawn. Our resentment is natural.

   But thinking is far different from laziness. Thinking is one of the most productive activities a human being can undertake. Every beautiful and useful thing we have created exists because somebody took the time and effort to think of it.

     And thinking does require time and effort. It's a common misconception that if a person is "gifted"or "bright"or "talented,"wonderful ideas will flash spontaneously into his mind. Unfortunately, the intellect doesn't work this way. Even Einstein had to study and think for months before he could formulate his theory of relativity. Those of us who are less intelligent find it a struggle to conceive even a moderately good idea, let alone a brilliant one.

   Another reason why we distrust thinking is that it seems unnatural. Human beings are a social species, but thinking is an activity that people do best when they're alone. Consequently, we worry about people who like to think. It disturbs us to meet a person who deliberately chooses to sit alone and think instead of going to a party or a soccer match. We suspect that such a person needs counseling. In addition, such people can sometimes appear unfriendly -- and that makes us deeply uneasy.

   Our concern is misplaced. Intelligence is just as much a part of human nature as friendliness. It would certainly be unnatural for someone to totally isolate themselves. But it would be equally unnatural for a person to allow his mind to die of neglect.

    If Americans ever became convinced of the importance of thought, we would probably find ways to solve the problems of our schools, problems that now seem impossible to overcome. But how can we revive interest in the art of thinking? The best place to start would be in the home. Family members should practice saying such things as, "I'll wash the dishes tonight because I know you want to catch up on your thinking." 

   This may sound crazy. But if we are to survive as a free people, we will have to take some such course of action as soon as possible, because regardless of what some advertisers have led us to believe, this country does not run on oil. It runs on ideas.

卡罗琳·凯恩

   人们普遍认为美国的教育制度已深陷困境。人人都意识到了这些可怕的事实：学校系统经费短缺，老师不会拼写，学生不会阅读，高中毕业生在地图上连中国也找不到。

   我们大多数人都知道，或自以为知道，这应该怪谁：怪执法不严的法庭，怪软弱无能的校董会，怪荒唐可笑的政府法令。要找个顶罪的坏蛋很容易。

      但也许问题不是在于我们的机制而是在于我们的态度。可悲的是， 虽然我们大多数人都声称自己相信教育的价值， 但我们却不重视智力活动。

   我们美国是一个宽厚、仁慈的民族。我们有致力于每一项美好事业的机制 ── 从拯救无家可归的猫到防止第三次世界大战爆发。但是为促进思考的艺术我们做了些什么呢？当然在日常生活中我们没有为思考留出时间。 假定一位男子对朋友们说，“今晚我不去参加家长教师联谊会（或不去看棒球赛或诸如此类的事）了，因为我需要留一些时间给我自己，留一些时间进行思考”？对这位男子邻居们就会避而远之；家人就会为他感到羞耻。如果一个十几岁的青少年说，“今天晚上我不去跳舞了，我需要一些时间进行思考”，那又会怎么样呢？他的父母会立即开始在黄页簿中查寻精神病医生的电话。

   几年前一位学院行政管理人员告诉我，如果他想进行任何认真的思考，他只得早上5点30分起床 ── 我猜想因为那是唯一没人会打扰他的时刻。前些时候，我听到一位教授说，当他的朋友们撞见他正在读书时，他们会说，“啊， 有这么多空闲时间一定很开心。” 尽管我是一名英语教师 ── 是一个应该更明事理的人 ── 但我却发现自己每次悄悄溜进图书馆看书时，都会隐隐约约感到有点心虚。 人们普遍认为：如果一个人在思考或阅读，他就是在无所事事。在生活中的每一天，我们都在通过言行表达这种看法。还有，我们疑惑不解为什么孩子们不肯认真对待他们的学习，为什么他们对老师说，“我为什么要学这玩意儿？这些东西以后对我什么用也没有；我永远都用不着。”

   要理解为什么对思考会有这种偏见并不难。问题之一就是，在我们大多数人看来，思考似乎有无所事事之嫌。一个陷于沉思的人看上去的样子就叫人没劲。他靠着椅背，支起双脚，一口一口地抽着烟斗，两眼茫然地凝视着前方。他的样子完全是在浪费时间。而且，他把所有的累活都留给了我们！我们希望他能站起来干些有用的事 ── 也许是打扫屋子，或者给草坪刈草。我们忿忿不平是很自然的。

   但是，思考决非懒惰。思考是人所能从事的最有成果的活动之一。我们创造的每一样美丽和有用的东西之所以存在都是因为曾经有人花费时间和精力去思考它。

      思考的确需要时间和精力。许多人错误地以为，如果一个人有“天赋”或“有才华”或“有才干”，绝妙的思想就会自动在他的头脑中闪现。遗憾的是，才智的发挥并不是这样的。 就连爱因斯坦在能够系统地阐明他的相对论之前也不得不研究思考了几个月。我们这些智力平平的人连想出一个稍微好一点的主意都得费尽心思，更别提一个绝妙的主意了。

   我们不相信思考的另一个原因是，它似乎不合乎人之常情。人是社会性的物种，但思考却是一种人们独处时做得最好的活动。所以，我们很担心那些爱思考的人。 遇上一个有意选择独自一人坐着思考， 而不去参加聚会或观看足球比赛的人，我们会感到困惑。我们心里会想这样的人需要心理咨询。而且，这样的人有时会显得很不友好 ── 这使我们深感不安。

   我们的忧虑毫无必要。智慧如同友善一样也是人性的一部分。如果一个人完全把自己隔离起来，那当然不正常。但如果一个人任凭自己的思想因弃置不用而枯竭，那同样也不正常。

   如果美国人什么时候相信了思考的重要性， 我们也许就会找到办法来解决我们学校的问题，那些现在似乎不可能解决的问题。但我们如何重新唤起对思考艺术的兴趣呢？开始的最好地方是在家里。家庭成员应该养成习惯说这样的话，“今天晚上我来洗碗，我知道你要继续进行思考。”

   这听上去也许荒唐。但如果我们要作为一个自由的民族生存下去，我们就必须尽快采取一些这样的行动， 因为这个国家并不像有些广告商所引导我们相信的那样，是靠石油在运转。它是靠思想在运转。

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