How schools can help to cultivate intellectual humility in America’s students

We are all wrong sometimes. This is a reality of being human, and how we respond to that reality can define how we engage with ideas and other people. Emerging research on intellectual humility shows that fostering a desire to seek out information and viewpoints that challenge one’s views is important for children’s development. Yet, developing intellectual humility is hard, especially in one’s teenage years. Schools can help with this development, but they need guidance and tools to support this work. 

On August 31, the Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings hosted a webinar to discuss the opportunities and challenges in developing intellectual humility in middle and high school students. Panelists highlighted what intellectual humility means for America’s well-being, along with research that examines how schools can help students to develop this virtue.