Becoming an adult means leaving the world of your parents and starting to make your way toward the future that you will share with your peers.

Teaching is a very effective way to get children to learn something specific - this tube squeaks, say, or a squish then a press then a pull causes the music to play. But it also makes children less likely to discover unexpected information and to draw unexpected conclusions.

Developmental scientists like me explore the basic science of learning by designing controlled experiments.

Alison Gopnik Quotes