Excellent article. Critical thinking begins in the home. If the child is not fortunate enough to have critically thinking parents, all is not lost if education would do its job. But this has not been a focus for decades. I homeschooled my children back in the 90s for this very important reason (as well as others). Being a skeptic was encouraged. Do your research! They are extremely well-functioning adults.
I think you have identified the problem and offered sound solutions. I fail to see how they can be adopted in the current system. Parents need to look outside public education for the answers, such as home schooling or pod schools. Corrupt institutions take years to change, if ever. How many more generations do we destroy looking for change?
It's better to prioritise skeptical thinking over critical thinking. A skeptic (of The Enlightenment tradition), prioritises evidence, above all else. Ideally quantitive evidence. I find that critical thinking allows one too many degrees of freedom. Critical thinkers seem to think they should be listened to just because they're "critical". Skeptical thinkers know they must be listened to just because they're on the side of the evidence. It's a shame critics can't be more like skeptics.
Great list! I would add these qualities and abilities: a willingness (often taught or encouraged) to just question, like everything, especially the voices of authoritative ‘experts’. I guess this may be covered somewhat by the skepticism part with an open mind, but this can look like standing back and not actively investigating and asking direct questions. Also specifically the ability to discern and question the biases of (the people/or AI) any information they are accessing. This often needs a bit of digging but convincing reasoning laced with faulty information and political spin is rife these days. Lastly, an appreciation of complexity, going beyond polarities, understanding systemic thinking.
Finally, somebody doing something other than quoting "A Nation at Risk" from forty+ years ago. I forwarded the message to everybody on my mailing list.
The primary difference between the worldly-wise critical thinker, and the regular Joe or young person, is the amount of information and experience possessed. As Mark Twain observed "Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."
John, thank you for crtically thinking about the state of public education today. I am a retired NYS elementary teacher. Critical Thinking skills absolutely can be taught to early learners - it depends on how instruction is presented, materials selected and use of engaging activities leading to knowledge first.
Today's teacher has little incentive to design instruction particular to students' interests and brain development level. I believe this happened when standards and outcomes were mandated by both state and federal education departments with funding tied to compliance.
I was part of a team of skilled elementary teachers who had the freedom to design thematic units to motivate learning.. Because of high interest activities, subject content would be learned but thinking skills needed to be taught and practiced. Reflection on new knowledge ideally leads to new ideas. That meant instruction time had to be set aside for thinking and listening.
Today the teacher is evaluated by performance tests based on content knowlege rather than literacy skills. Test taking skills are practiced. Literacy skills, the ability to use information leading to new understanding, begins when the teacher asks questions. That is a true evaluation of student learning.
I used Bloom's Taxonomy as my framework for higher order thinking skill goals. My task was to challenge my students to think at higher levels beyond knowledge, comprehension and application. Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation are missing in today's grade K-12 curriculum. Bloom's is like exercise for the brain.
If the goal is to "fix" education, the teacher must be free to choose the best way to accomplish literacy goals appropriate to the development level of each child. Content learning alone, does not produce critical thinkers.
To change the system we must create a classroom environment that includes in depth learning appropriate to the developing mind. It means taking time for reflection and discussion related to content learning.
If the system is broken, the education bureacracy is at fault. Are the directives producing the outcomes intended? Perhaps, it is people in these agencies who should think critically about what it means to educate students. I suggest using Bloom's as a starting point leading to better outcomes for public education. Start with facts.
Your framework for teaching is stellar, therefore will not be adopted by the current public education system. In my opinion, the goal is to produce obedient drones. The plan of John Dewey, the so called father of public education, has reached its pinnacle: "I believe the true center of correlation on the school subjects is not science, nor literature, nor history, not geography, but the child's social activities... I believe that the school is primarily a social institution."
Great post and a characteristic that seems to be rare in modern society. The great thinkers of the world used logic and reason rather than being passive receivers of information... like being brain washed by television...
John...another great post. I particularly like your observation that communications should start AFTER the thinking. Today, a lot of communications by media, politicians, institutions, governments, etc. starts BEFORE the thinking. Keep thinking.
John,
Don’t find anything I disagree with. Health is an issue for me at this time but seeing some pretty good doctors and seem to be improving.
Vivat Jesus,
Daniel Smith
Excellent article. Critical thinking begins in the home. If the child is not fortunate enough to have critically thinking parents, all is not lost if education would do its job. But this has not been a focus for decades. I homeschooled my children back in the 90s for this very important reason (as well as others). Being a skeptic was encouraged. Do your research! They are extremely well-functioning adults.
I think you have identified the problem and offered sound solutions. I fail to see how they can be adopted in the current system. Parents need to look outside public education for the answers, such as home schooling or pod schools. Corrupt institutions take years to change, if ever. How many more generations do we destroy looking for change?
What distinguishes the real from the not-quite-there?
<- Evidence, evidence, evidence. Learn to be a skeptic before you're a critic. That'll make you a far better critic.
It's better to prioritise skeptical thinking over critical thinking. A skeptic (of The Enlightenment tradition), prioritises evidence, above all else. Ideally quantitive evidence. I find that critical thinking allows one too many degrees of freedom. Critical thinkers seem to think they should be listened to just because they're "critical". Skeptical thinkers know they must be listened to just because they're on the side of the evidence. It's a shame critics can't be more like skeptics.
Great list! I would add these qualities and abilities: a willingness (often taught or encouraged) to just question, like everything, especially the voices of authoritative ‘experts’. I guess this may be covered somewhat by the skepticism part with an open mind, but this can look like standing back and not actively investigating and asking direct questions. Also specifically the ability to discern and question the biases of (the people/or AI) any information they are accessing. This often needs a bit of digging but convincing reasoning laced with faulty information and political spin is rife these days. Lastly, an appreciation of complexity, going beyond polarities, understanding systemic thinking.
Good stuff...great links..👍
Finally, somebody doing something other than quoting "A Nation at Risk" from forty+ years ago. I forwarded the message to everybody on my mailing list.
The primary difference between the worldly-wise critical thinker, and the regular Joe or young person, is the amount of information and experience possessed. As Mark Twain observed "Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."
John, thank you for crtically thinking about the state of public education today. I am a retired NYS elementary teacher. Critical Thinking skills absolutely can be taught to early learners - it depends on how instruction is presented, materials selected and use of engaging activities leading to knowledge first.
Today's teacher has little incentive to design instruction particular to students' interests and brain development level. I believe this happened when standards and outcomes were mandated by both state and federal education departments with funding tied to compliance.
I was part of a team of skilled elementary teachers who had the freedom to design thematic units to motivate learning.. Because of high interest activities, subject content would be learned but thinking skills needed to be taught and practiced. Reflection on new knowledge ideally leads to new ideas. That meant instruction time had to be set aside for thinking and listening.
Today the teacher is evaluated by performance tests based on content knowlege rather than literacy skills. Test taking skills are practiced. Literacy skills, the ability to use information leading to new understanding, begins when the teacher asks questions. That is a true evaluation of student learning.
I used Bloom's Taxonomy as my framework for higher order thinking skill goals. My task was to challenge my students to think at higher levels beyond knowledge, comprehension and application. Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation are missing in today's grade K-12 curriculum. Bloom's is like exercise for the brain.
If the goal is to "fix" education, the teacher must be free to choose the best way to accomplish literacy goals appropriate to the development level of each child. Content learning alone, does not produce critical thinkers.
To change the system we must create a classroom environment that includes in depth learning appropriate to the developing mind. It means taking time for reflection and discussion related to content learning.
If the system is broken, the education bureacracy is at fault. Are the directives producing the outcomes intended? Perhaps, it is people in these agencies who should think critically about what it means to educate students. I suggest using Bloom's as a starting point leading to better outcomes for public education. Start with facts.
Your framework for teaching is stellar, therefore will not be adopted by the current public education system. In my opinion, the goal is to produce obedient drones. The plan of John Dewey, the so called father of public education, has reached its pinnacle: "I believe the true center of correlation on the school subjects is not science, nor literature, nor history, not geography, but the child's social activities... I believe that the school is primarily a social institution."
Great post and a characteristic that seems to be rare in modern society. The great thinkers of the world used logic and reason rather than being passive receivers of information... like being brain washed by television...
John...another great post. I particularly like your observation that communications should start AFTER the thinking. Today, a lot of communications by media, politicians, institutions, governments, etc. starts BEFORE the thinking. Keep thinking.