Let us imagine.
What kind of society would we have without teaching our kids to think critically?
Would George Orwell’s and Ray Bradbury’s dystopias
come to life?
Would mind-controlling supervillains be dictating the rules?
Hard to say.
But as long as we foster critical thinking, things aren’t that bad.
What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking is one of those concepts that we keep hearing about, but can’t explain what it means precisely.
It is defined as the ability to evaluate information and make a well-thought-out and independent decision.
Critical thinkers are prone to:
- find logical connections between ideas
- make use of decision-making and problem-solving skills
- construct and estimate arguments
- uncover inconsistencies and errors in thinking
- spot relevant and important ideas
Accumulating knowledge is not enough to develop good critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skills start to develop when you are studying and working on improving your skills, trying to study better, coping with different controversial situations. You should know that a team of professional essay writers will be always helpful in such difficult situations like writing essays, assignments. Those walking encyclopedias that have read tons of books, and can memorize almost anything are not necessarily excellent critical thinkers. The important thing is the ability to discern useful information from the rest and apply it for a specific situation or a problem that requires a solution.
This skill can be developed, but it takes time. If you are on your way to mastering your mental abilities, but you have a school or a college assignment that demands a critical approach, you should not lose your hope to successfully submit it. A cheap assignment writing service will cope with any task you may need to get a good grade.
Why does teaching critical thinking matter for students?
Modern students are bombarded with enormous information flows by social media, YouTube, books, TV, radio, billboards, friends, teachers, and many other sources.
Because of that, it is clear that the need to evaluate information, detect flawed ideas, and go beyond the superficial has become more vital than ever.
This necessity is especially critical for young minds that absorb everything within their sight.
More often than not, students don’t fully realize what skills they need for life. Parents and school teachers help them move in the right direction and cultivate the required skillset.
As children start going to school, studying becomes their main activity. Kids spend most of their days in a classroom. That is why it is vital to develop critical thinking in schools and exercise this skill during the education process.
Students with these skills can see data in different dimensions. They can conceptualize, classify, organize, and synthesize information.
Critical thinking goes far beyond this. It helps students deal with any problem they face during or outside school hours. It encourages them to make deliberate, goal-oriented decisions when dealing with educational and personal issues. Critical thinking contributes to a student’s success beyond school.
What are the advantages of critical thinking development in schools?
Better learning experience. Critical thinking can help students learn quicker. They will be able to break down any theory or topic into segments, build connections between what they have already learned and the current material. All of this helps students understand the subject better and be more perceptive in life.
Valuable life experience. The goal of education is to prepare students for challenges and troubles they might face throughout the whole life. One of the best things a school can do for a child is to introduce him or her to critical thinking. This skill will help to make the right decisions, no matter the circumstances.
Benefits for the future career. To think clearly and rationally is important in any field. It doesn’t matter if you work as a teacher, a lawyer, a manager, or a freelancer, you will gain a lot from having a critical mindset. Employers appreciate this skill in their workers. If your thought process is rational, and you can solve any problem by analyzing facts and possible outcomes, you will put this skill to use plenty of times in your career.
Creative approach to problem-solving. When a critical thinker is faced with a problem, they do more than just generate ideas. What’s important is that those ideas are plentiful and relevant to the task at hand. Critical thinking helps to come up with out-of-the-box ideas and solutions that sometimes do not correlate with the traditional way of problem-solving.
Life-long curiosity. Students who have successfully adopted and developed their thought process at school are curious about everything they encounter even after graduating. They become life-long students and never stop asking questions.
Strong individuality. People who use their own wits do not rely on someone else’s point of view and can form their own conclusions and principles.
Better public speaking and writing skills. Critical thinkers are good at analyzing and organizing the information they receive from different sources. Texts that they write follow a logical structure and always provide facts and evidence when needed as well as their point of view on the subject. People like this have no trouble expressing their ideas.
Broadening students’ horizons. Critical thinking encompasses a wide range of disciplines and cultivates several cognitive abilities. To sort out their thought process, students should not only accumulate knowledge, but also develop analytical thinking, ability to question and observe, decision-making skills, and open-mindedness.
Final Thoughts
Who are critical thinkers?
They are game-changers—visionaries who can create a brand new world.
They are future-oriented people capable of making the planet a better place with their exceptional analytical thinking and unconventional approach.
They are the Steve Jobs’, Bill Gates’, and Jeff Bezos’ of the world.
So, developing critical thinking at schools is an investment in the future of humanity.
Teachers who are passionate about sharing their wisdom should also foster these skills during their lessons and extra-curriculum activities.
Students should build an independent and rational mindset to carefully analyze information and solve any problem. With such abilities, educators can be assured that they’ve done their best to prepare their students for life.
