"Knowledge is Good."

"Knowledge comes into play mainly because if we want our students to learn how to think critically, they must have something to think about."

"It’s true that knowledge gives students something to think about, but a reading of the research literature from cognitive science shows that knowledge does much more than just help students hone their thinking skills: It actually makes learning easier. Knowledge is not only cumulative, it grows exponentially. Those with a rich base of factual knowledge find it easier to learn more—the rich get richer. In addition, factual knowledge enhances cognitive processes like problem solving and reasoning. The richer the knowledge base, the more smoothly and effectively these cognitive processes—the very ones that teachers target—operate. So, the more knowledge students accumulate, the smarter they become."

Daniel T. Willingham
How Knowledge Helps
It Speeds and Strengthens Reading Comprehension, Learning—and Thinking