Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking

Belinda @ Kids Matter

Ok, I have to ask… did you just read that quote, look at the picture, and think “WHAT!”? Or, did you possibly just accept it for what it said? Now, if you apply critical thinking here, the first thought that pops into your head is that there was no internet during Abraham Lincoln’s lifetime. Correct? Secondly, is that a picture of Abraham Lincoln? No, it’s out first president, George Washington. Learning about critical thinking could save you a little embarrassment down the line.

What is critical thinking?

According to The National Council for Excellence, critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skilfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. Simply put, it is the opposite of seeing, hearing, and accepting information without questioning it.

What does it take to be a critical thinker? (As provided by CriticalThinking.net)

1.     Be open-minded and mindful of alternatives.

2.     Desires to be, and is, well-informed.

3.     Judges the credibility of sources.

4.     Identifies reasons, assumptions, and conclusions.

5.     Asks appropriate clarifying questions.

6.     Judges the quality of an argument, including its reasons, assumptions, evidence, and the degree of support for the conclusion.

7.     Can develop and defend a reasonable position regarding a belief or an action, doing justice to challenges.

8.     Formulates plausible hypotheses.

9.     Plans and conducts experiments well.

10.   Defines terms in a way appropriate for the context.

11.   Draws conclusions when warranted – but with caution.

12.   Integrates all of the above aspects of critical thinking.

What can you do to implement critical thinking in your daily life?

1.     STOP! Think about what you read, saw, or heard.

2.     Ask questions for clarification.

3.     Ask yourself, does it make sense? Why or why not? What knowledge do you personally have on the subject?

4.     Be open-minded and open to seeing from another point of view.

5.     Do research.

6.     Don’t take the word of just one person or website. A general rule is getting three opinions and comparing the three.

7.     Ensure you are using reliable resources in your research.

8.     Never rush to a conclusion. Give yourself time to think it through.

“A critical thinker is able to deduce consequences from what he knows, and he knows how to make use of information to solve problems, and to seek relevant sources of information to inform himself. Critical thinking should not be confused with being argumentative or being critical of other people. Although critical thinking skills can be used in exposing fallacies and bad reasoning, critical thinking can also play an important role in cooperative reasoning and constructive tasks. Critical thinking can help us acquire knowledge, improve our theories, and strengthen arguments. We can use critical thinking to enhance work processes and improve social institutions,” says Hong Kong University’s open courseware on critical thinking.

Do you consider yourself a good critical thinker? Try this quiz to check your skills. You might be surprised at the results. Yes, some of the questions sound silly but the purpose here is to get you thinking outside the box. If you miss a question go back and try to figure out why you missed it. Honing your critical thinking skills is great practice.

Teach On

In my final semester of college I did student teaching in Montgomery and Fayette Counties. I loved time spent with my Kindergarten students in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky.  The children were wonderful, the teachers were helpful, and my time there was memorable. It seemed way too soon when the time came to leave those children, but I was assigned to head to Lexington, Kentucky, to a second grade classroom.  I arrived bright and early on my first day at the new elementary school.  I went to the office and checked in.  I was then directed to my classroom to meet my supervising teacher.  I was a nervous wreck. My heart was pounding and my pulse was racing. 

This school was a lot bigger than the little four room school house I had just come from.  I made my way down the long hallways with the other teachers who were arriving for work and finally located the room where I would spend 6-8 weeks.  The door was closed; I knocked tentatively.   “Come in, come in!” I heard a friendly voice say.  I opened the door to a classroom of thirty little empty desks, long windows looking into a courtyard and a teacher with the biggest smile ever.  She was very dressed up.  She wore a nice suit, high heeled shoes, a beautiful pin, and earrings.  I wondered if she was that dressed up for me, but I later realized that she looked that nice every single day.  What a great role model!

We began to chat and she asked me all kinds of questions about myself as she busily wrote the work for the day on the blackboard. Soon the bell rang and children began noisily filtering into the room.  One by one they came, until all the desks were filled. Wow! Thirty little faces staring at me.  I was a stranger to them. I took a seat in the back of the room, eager to watch the class and the teacher perform their daily classroom routines.  I could hardly wait to see how she handled each lesson and the transition times.  Would she be a strict disciplinarian? Would she be laid back?  Would there be a standard daily class schedule? Would she just “play it by ear”?   So many questions, so many things to learn, so many things to observe.  I decided to sit quietly and listen.

The morning announcements were read over the loud speaker.  Everyone listened to what the principal had to say, then rose to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.  When they finished, they settled back into their seats.  The teacher started by passing out paper and pencils.  She had a writing assignment and some busy work on the blackboard that had to do with October and fall.

So far: so good.  I settled in and relaxed just a little bit. My heart stopped racing and my pulse was back to normal.  I thought that everything would to be all right. No need to be nervous.  The teacher would probably let me help her today and give me something more specific to do tomorrow.  It was getting easier.

After introducing me to the class, the bomb dropped.  She told the children that I would be taking over the class.  And she meant THAT MINUTE…NOW!!  Really??  Seriously??

I had nothing planned…Why hadn’t anyone warned me about something like this happening? What was she thinking? How could she do this to someone she did not even know?   It was only 8:30 in the morning!  Was it a prank on the new, unsuspecting, student teacher?  Nope… She went over and sat down at her desk and wrote in her planner.   I managed to walk to the middle of the classroom.  I asked the class, “So, it is fall and this month is October.  What kinds of things happen in October?”  As children began to answer we built a conversation on those responses. Everything clicked!

I ended by asking them to look at the blackboard and, in their best handwriting, copy the paragraph that the teacher had so nicely printed that morning.  I walked around and complimented each one on their fine writing skills and helped the ones who were having a little trouble.

The rest of the day went smoothly, and at the end of the day the teacher handed me her plan book. This was the most remarkable book that I had ever seen because it was so well planned.  It was written in pencil, with every detail in place!

The teacher told me that she would take the little reading group that was having some difficulty and work with them daily, but basically, the class was mine. Go for it!  I was astounded by the trust that she showed me that day and I wanted to excel because of it. Our relationship grew so strong.  She was one of the best role models that I have ever had.  She helped me when I asked, was never judgmental, and we developed a mutual respect for one another.

One day in the school cafeteria, one of the other teachers took me aside and told me that my teacher had said that I was the best student teacher she had ever seen. That comment made me feel wonderful because I wanted to do well for her and the children. My teacher, however, was not the type to tell me that personally.

I was glad that the other teacher had told me about that comment… but, for a completely different reason.  My teacher had been absent from school a few times during those eight weeks.  She never said why, but she had a nagging cough that she couldn’t shake. I hated when she was out. The substitutes took over, but I felt like it was MY classroom, not theirs! Of course, they were only doing their jobs. 

When my time was over in that classroom, I was very sad. It was mid December and I wanted to stay until the Christmas break, which just wasn’t allowed. But, I was invited back to the class holiday party two weeks later.  When I arrived the children jumped up and ran to meet me.  I was greeted with hugs all around …and my teacher’s smiling face. 

We exchanged presents.  I gave her a beautiful, vintage pin and matching earrings.  She gave me my first planner book.  It was such a sweet day that I cried on the way home. I would really miss them, but I also looked forward to what would happen next.  Where would I get a job?  In January??  As happens in life, I got busy job searching and we did not stay in touch.

I was hired as a substitute teacher. Before long, it was late summer and I had landed a job as a first grade teacher.  By chance that fall, I learned that my teacher had passed away from cancer, earlier that year. She had not said a word to me about her illness. I was stunned and saddened.

When I got my own classroom, I used many of the techniques that I had learned from my teacher. I just wished that I could tell her.  Maybe she knew; maybe she was right there still guiding me because one thing I had learned from her was always with me. There was nothing more important than a detailed monthly planner (written in pencil) to keep your classroom operating on schedule. Even when it had to be adjusted…it was essential. 

My first planner was always open on my desk. It was detailed, precise, and completed 6-8 weeks in advance.  It was my guiding light, just like my teacher had been! 

BA @ Kids Matter

The Benefits of Early Childhood Education

“Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.” – John F. Kennedy

We all know the earlier our children begin learning the better. Whether it’s listening to music in the womb, reading to your child before you tuck them in at night, or enrolling your child in preschool, the benefits of early childhood education are endless. But what are these benefits? Can you name them? When you hear of funding being cut, teachers losing jobs, school buildings being outdated, and resources being scarce, does it ever really hit home? Do you ever stop to think about the long term consequences of living in a society that does not place the highest importance on educating its population?

Evidence shows that early childhood education may reduce delinquency rates, dependence on welfare, and even arrest rates. Sure, it can be a costly investment initially, but the return on that investment can yield countless benefits. Evidence also shows that early childhood education improves a child’s social skills early on. These same kids also go on to do better in school and are more likely to pursue higher education. The United States Department of Labor reported that, in 2012, a person with a bachelor’s degree, on average, earned $1,066 per week. However, a worker with only a high school degree earned $652 per week. Furthermore, the unemployment rate for a person with a bachelor’s degree, in 2012, was 4.5% compared to 8.3% for a high school graduate (link). These statistics highlight the link between education and higher wages, but the benefits of early childhood education reach far beyond one’s own bank account. With drops in delinquency and arrest rates, we see prisons, often funded with tax payer money, become less crowded. And with a drop in welfare dependence, we may finally see a break in the cycle of poverty for families who have struggled for generations.

The consequences of an uneducated workforce can not only weaken our economy, but it can also diminish our role on the global stage as other countries produce educated workers qualified to do the jobs of the future. It all begins with access to early childhood education, so the next time you hear of decreased funding, call or write your state representatives and make your voice heard. It is only when people like you and I make education a priority that our government and society will do the same. 

Lynnsey @ Kids Matter