ABSTRACT
In1973EdwarddeBonoannouncedthat'between250and 300primaryschools,villageschools,secondarymodern, comprehensive,publicandgrammarschools,andFurther EducationColleges(representingabout200,000pupils) willbetreating"thinking"asasubjectinitsownright.'2At presentthelargeattendanceathisnumerousworkshops andthewidespreaduseofhisclassroommaterialsindicate thathispopularityinschoolcirclescontinuestoincrease. ThisisperhapsmoretrueinBritainthaninNorth America.NonethelessdeBono'spopularityissignificant onbothsidesoftheAtlantic.Theverytitlesofhisbooks (suchasThinkingCourseforjuniors,TheFive-DayCoursein Thinking,ChildrenSolveProblems,CoRTThinkingLessonsand TeachingThinking) 3seemtooffertheperfectsolutionto everyteacher'sproblems.Thispromise,togetherwithhis easy-to-use'workbooks'forteachers,nodoubtaccountfor thewidegrass-rootsadoptionofthesematerials.Itis surprising,therefore,thatdeBono'sworkhasnotreceived thescrutinythatonewouldexpectfromprofessional philosophersofeducationandothersconcernedwiththe developmentofcriticalthinking.
