Teaching Children to Think Critically

And likely having less rebellious teenagers as a BIG bonus!

Following a recent Substack commentary, I was asked this good question: “At what age can children be productively taught Critical Thinking?”

I responded briefly, but the question is so important that it deserves a more detailed answer. So here goes…

My answer is: children come already predisposed to be Critical Thinkers!

Here’s a wonderful, straightforward discussion about how to handle the incessant questions of a young child, done in an easy-to-understand manner. (Note that even though this video is directed at parents, the same applies to K-12 teachers.) Please watch this 7 minute video carefully:

In other words, a child’s natural curiosity is up to parents and teachers to appreciate, encourage, and direct. That is a MAJOR step toward producing a Critically Thinking high school graduate.

The following 1 minute video makes clear that instead of enabling students to be Critical Thinkers, US K-12 schools are a primary source of squelching this!

So how do communicative and curious children often turn into disengaged, know-it-all teenagers?

My hypothesis is that some of this is due to the fact that between parents and schools their natural inquisitiveness was largely shut down. Once they attain an age where they are starting to feel their oats (teenage), then they start fighting back (being rebellious) against this constraint.

Put another way, during the teenage years there is a strong urge to become their own person, i.e., independent. On the one hand, they love and admire their parents (and often want to be like them) — but on the other hand much of what they experienced from their parents is criticism and negativity (don’t do this, don’t do that). That reinforces their desire for independence.

An important way to minimize that common teenage curse, is to properly respond to younger children’s questions — which amounts to subconsciously communicating to them that you are actively encouraging their growth as an independent, productive human… If that message is solidly ingrained in them for 12+ years, there will likely be less friction during the teenage period.

Note: Parents need to be smart enough (and be paying sufficient attention) to appreciate that all questions are not equal! If the child’s question is about why a parent told them to do something — i.e., a question that is subtly questioning parental authority and competence — a very different response is called for. The answer is simple: “Because I said so!”

The Bottom Line —

So at what age is it appropriate to start teaching children how to be critical thinkers? As soon as they start asking questions!

The next commentary (#2) will elaborate on additional characteristics of a Critical Thinker —i.e., other key traits that should be taught to children.

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PS — Congratulations to 23 year old American Yealimi Noh who won her first LPGA golf tournament yesterday, in resounding fashion over current and prior World Number 1 players! I’ve been following her progress for a few years now — you go girl!

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