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Misaligned Minds: How Cultural Differences Complicate Classrooms
Not yet published
Expected 29 Oct 26208 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 29, 2026
About the author
Cornelius N. Grove
7 books34 followersHave you ever heard of anyone who’s an “ethnologist”? That’s what I am. Ethnology is a discipline whose practitioners compare the values and ways of life in two or more societies to come up with insights about effective living for the people of those societies, and for others as well. Literally, ethnology means “ethnic group study” (ethnos + ology).
I’m an ethnologist of education. I compare child-rearing and schooling within a variety of societies to gain insights into effective ways of bringing up children to become productive, responsible adults. My principal raw materials are the research findings of anthropologists of childhood and others who explore homes and schools around the world.
Does this all seem too scholarly for you? Please know that I’m determined to write books that are engaging and readily understandable. I actually have friends who read all my draft chapters and point out where I haven’t been 100% clear. And my books are quite short; the longest one (not including appendices, notes, etc.) is only 195 pages. My goal is to make anthropologists’ fascinating and insightful research findings accessible for regular folks.
● THE APTITUDE MYTH . For this book, I relied on the findings of historians. I wanted to know why many Americans came to believe that a child’s grades in school are very largely a reflection of their inborn intelligence (aptitude). 178 text pages. www.theaptitudemyth.info
● THE DRIVE TO LEARN . I was curious why East Asian children are better students than their American peers. I found two reasons. The first is discussed in this book: it’s about how East Asian parents raise their children at home. 116 text pages. www.thedrivetolearn.info.
● A MIRROR FOR AMERICANS . This book discusses the other reason why East Asian children are superior students: it’s about how they are taught in East Asian preschools and primary schools (up to grade 5). 126 text pages. www.amirrorforamericans.info.
● HOW OTHER CHILDREN LEARN . I explore five traditional (pre-modern) societies in which there are few schools or none at all, focusing on how parents enable their offspring to mature into productive, responsible adults. Described is child-raising among African hunter-gatherers, high Andes herders, Navajos of our Southwest, and villagers of the Middle East and of India. 195 text pages. www.howotherchildrenlearn.info.
I’m an ethnologist of education. I compare child-rearing and schooling within a variety of societies to gain insights into effective ways of bringing up children to become productive, responsible adults. My principal raw materials are the research findings of anthropologists of childhood and others who explore homes and schools around the world.
Does this all seem too scholarly for you? Please know that I’m determined to write books that are engaging and readily understandable. I actually have friends who read all my draft chapters and point out where I haven’t been 100% clear. And my books are quite short; the longest one (not including appendices, notes, etc.) is only 195 pages. My goal is to make anthropologists’ fascinating and insightful research findings accessible for regular folks.
● THE APTITUDE MYTH . For this book, I relied on the findings of historians. I wanted to know why many Americans came to believe that a child’s grades in school are very largely a reflection of their inborn intelligence (aptitude). 178 text pages. www.theaptitudemyth.info
● THE DRIVE TO LEARN . I was curious why East Asian children are better students than their American peers. I found two reasons. The first is discussed in this book: it’s about how East Asian parents raise their children at home. 116 text pages. www.thedrivetolearn.info.
● A MIRROR FOR AMERICANS . This book discusses the other reason why East Asian children are superior students: it’s about how they are taught in East Asian preschools and primary schools (up to grade 5). 126 text pages. www.amirrorforamericans.info.
● HOW OTHER CHILDREN LEARN . I explore five traditional (pre-modern) societies in which there are few schools or none at all, focusing on how parents enable their offspring to mature into productive, responsible adults. Described is child-raising among African hunter-gatherers, high Andes herders, Navajos of our Southwest, and villagers of the Middle East and of India. 195 text pages. www.howotherchildrenlearn.info.
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