Great Thinkers

Meet the great minds whose ideas have shaped the world — philosophers, scientists, artists, leaders, and revolutionaries whose thinking still matters today.

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Subject: Education × Era: Modern ×
Education
Linda Tuhiwai Smith
1950-present · Aotearoa New Zealand
Linda Tuhiwai Smith is a Māori scholar from Aotearoa New Zealand. She is one of the most important Indigenous thinkers on research and education in…
Critical thinking Research skills Ethical thinking Cultural heritage and identity +1
"The word itself, 'research', is probably one of the dirtiest words in the Indigenous world's vocabulary."
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Education
Maria Montessori
1870-1952 · Italy
Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was an Italian educator and doctor whose method of teaching young children has spread to thousands of schools around the world. She…
Scientific thinking Ethical thinking Research skills Creative expression +1
"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed."
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Education
Paulo Freire
1921–1997 · Brazil, Latin America
Paulo Freire (1921–1997) was a Brazilian educator and thinker. He grew up during a time of great poverty and saw how many poor people could…
Critical literacy Critical thinking Metacognition Resilience +1
"Education either functions as an instrument to bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom."
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Education
Savitribai Phule
1831-1897 · India (Maharashtra)
Savitribai Phule (1831-1897) was an Indian teacher, poet, and social reformer who is widely recognised as the first female teacher of India and one of…
Ethical thinking Cultural heritage and identity Creative expression Critical thinking +1
"Go, get education. Be self-reliant. Be industrious."
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