Fostering Critical Thinking
Fostering critical thinking within a classroom can be a challenge, especially when students are not use to implementing deeper levels of thinking on a daily basis. However, there are several approaches educators can use to strengthen their students’ ability to develop a deeper thought process, focusing on their purpose, rather than going through the motions. Educators must guide students to be more aware of why they are learning what they are being presented in the classroom. Authors Linda Elder and Richard Paul explore the studies of a British scholar, Susan Stebbing, who strongly suggests that “to think logically is to think relevantly to the purpose that initiated the thinking: all effective thinking is directed …show more content…
According to Elder and Paul (2001), these questions include: Is your purpose clear and significant? Is your purpose realistic and reachable? Is it consistent with your goals, as well as just and fair? Are you sticking to your purpose, refocusing when necessary? These are great questions to have students ask themselves to initiate critical thinking. When students ask themselves these questions when attempting assignments, they can focus more on the purpose at hand, rather than going through the motions, furthering their understanding. “…to infuse the concept of ‘purpose’ into their daily classroom experiences and into their assignments for class” signifies the importance of purpose in their way of thinking (Elder & Paul, 2001).
Following through with these questions will allow for students to really think about what it is they are trying to accomplish (Elder & Paul, 2001). In addition, having students write out what the purpose of learning certain concepts is and to also reflect upon the materials at hand are great classroom activates that foster critical thinking ( Elder & Paul, 2001). Educators could benefit from enforcing these strategies within their …show more content…
Looking back on previous statements, when students apply critical thinking questions, it further supports their mindfulness of their processes. Moreover, when students possess traits such as mindfulness, they continue to be actively aware of their lives and situations they finds themselves in (Santrock, 2011). Here, educators can see that not only does critical thinking help students discover the purpose of their education, but it also contributes to their overall alertness of their daily lives. Educators can implement these questions and offer topics where students must devise their own opinions and solutions, provoking critical thinking. Likewise, opening lectures with questions can start their thought process about what they are trying to learn and why it is meaningful and can be followed by summarizing what they have learned once
Fostering critical thinking within a classroom can be a challenge, especially when students are not use to implementing deeper levels of thinking on a daily basis. However, there are several approaches educators can use to strengthen their students’ ability to develop a deeper thought process, focusing on their purpose, rather than going through the motions. Educators must guide students to be more aware of why they are learning what they are being presented in the classroom. Authors Linda Elder and Richard Paul explore the studies of a British scholar, Susan Stebbing, who strongly suggests that “to think logically is to think relevantly to the purpose that initiated the thinking: all effective thinking is directed …show more content…
According to Elder and Paul (2001), these questions include: Is your purpose clear and significant? Is your purpose realistic and reachable? Is it consistent with your goals, as well as just and fair? Are you sticking to your purpose, refocusing when necessary? These are great questions to have students ask themselves to initiate critical thinking. When students ask themselves these questions when attempting assignments, they can focus more on the purpose at hand, rather than going through the motions, furthering their understanding. “…to infuse the concept of ‘purpose’ into their daily classroom experiences and into their assignments for class” signifies the importance of purpose in their way of thinking (Elder & Paul, 2001).
Following through with these questions will allow for students to really think about what it is they are trying to accomplish (Elder & Paul, 2001). In addition, having students write out what the purpose of learning certain concepts is and to also reflect upon the materials at hand are great classroom activates that foster critical thinking ( Elder & Paul, 2001). Educators could benefit from enforcing these strategies within their …show more content…
Looking back on previous statements, when students apply critical thinking questions, it further supports their mindfulness of their processes. Moreover, when students possess traits such as mindfulness, they continue to be actively aware of their lives and situations they finds themselves in (Santrock, 2011). Here, educators can see that not only does critical thinking help students discover the purpose of their education, but it also contributes to their overall alertness of their daily lives. Educators can implement these questions and offer topics where students must devise their own opinions and solutions, provoking critical thinking. Likewise, opening lectures with questions can start their thought process about what they are trying to learn and why it is meaningful and can be followed by summarizing what they have learned once