Hi Uplands bloggers. Keeping with the theme we are currently working with at school, I found an article by Elizabeth Shaunessy on critical thinking.
Nurturing Critical Thinking at Home
Parents should also foster critical thinking at home. Ask questions that lack a single correct answer, and ask them casually, rather than quizzing your child. For example, if your child is a chess aficionado and likes to play it on a chessboard or a computer, you may want to make the following inquiries:
- Why do you think you are more successful in face-to-face chess matches than in electronic chess games? (Analysis)
- If you could develop a new format for chess that would appeal to those who haven’t yet discovered its allure, what would it look like? Why would you pick those design features? How would they intrigue novices? (Synthesis)
If your child is interested in social issues, then engage him or her in thoughtful discussions about them. The personality and interests of children are the keys in interacting with them and addressing critical thinking at home. If interacting aloud is not appealing, take a less direct route by observing your child at play, with others or alone, and determine the level of complexity he or she shows during these activities. Using Bloom’s guide, note if the child is comparing or evaluating the functions of toys (toddlers and young children), computer programs (young children to teens), or social events (through phone calls or discussions with siblings or friends). Listening to your child and gauging how he or she makes sense of the world will enable you to understand what critical-thinking skills your child uses and whether your intervention is needed at home to extend his or her level of thinking.
Parents can demonstrate critical thinking by pondering aloud the most efficient way to do household chores, considering the most economical purchase to make at the grocery store, monitoring your progress toward your personal goals, or approaching social issues in your community. Describing how you think and solve problems is the best way for you to instill similar thinking patterns in your children.
The process of thinking, as well as its uniqueness to each individual, should be emphasized through these interactions.
The ultimate goal is for youth to employ critical-thinking strategies in everyday life without prompting from parents and teachers. Reasoning at high levels is one of the most valuable skills parents can foster in their children, one that will prepare them for success.
—Elizabeth Shaunessy, PhD
Elizabeth Shaunessy is assistant professor in the Department of Special Education and coordinator of the Gifted Education Program at the University of South Florida. Prior to teaching in higher education, she taught Advanced Placement language and composition and other courses in secondary language arts at the high school level.