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THINKING SKILLS
Teaching critical thinking skills is a necessity with our students because they’re crucial for living
life. As such, every teacher is looking for exciting ways to integrate it into classrooms. However,
what exactly are these skills, and what are some of the best strategies teachers can use for
teaching them?
Thinking critically is more than just thinking clearly or rationally; it’s about thinking
independently. It means formulating your own opinions and drawing your conclusions regardless
of outside influence. It’s about the discipline of analysis and seeing the connections between
ideas, and being wide open to other viewpoints and opinions.
You can use these techniques for teaching critical thinking skills in every lesson and subject. Get
creative and find different ways to incorporate them into your teaching practices.
When you pose your question to students, encourage brainstorming. Write down possible
answers on a chalkboard or oversized pad as a student reference. Having open discussions with
students is a big part of defining the problem in Solution Fluency.
2. CREATE A FOUNDATION
Students cannot think critically if they do not have the information they need. Begin any
exercise with a review of related data which ensures they can recall facts pertinent to the topic.
These may stem from things like:
Skeptic North
Shakespeare and Critical Thinking
The Critical Thinking Community
4. CREATING A COUNTRY
This could be a tremendous project-based learning scenario about learning what makes a country.
In the process, students learn history, geography, politics, and more. Here are some resources to
help you:
The object is for students to keep adding the next step of their understanding. This teaches
them to home in on a specific moment in time. Additionally, they learn to apply their knowledge
and logic to explaining themselves as clearly as possible.
8. PROBLEM-SOLVING
Assigning a specific problem is one of the best avenues for teaching critical thinking skills. Leave
the goal or “answer” open-ended for the broadest possible approach. This is the essence of
asking essential questions requiring the discovery and synthesis of knowledge through
critical thinking. Ultimately, with the correct process to guide you, it's best to teach critical
thinking and problem-solving skills simultaneously.
9. RETURN TO ROLE PLAYING
Role-playing has always been an excellent method for exercising critical thinking. It’s why
actors do tireless research for their roles as it involves inhabiting another persona and its
characteristics. Becoming someone else calls upon stretching both your analytical and creative
mind.
Pair students up and have them research a conflict involving an interaction between two famous
historical figures. Then lead them to decide which character they each choose to play. They’ll
each have different points of view in this conflict. Have them discuss it until they can mutually
explain the other’s point of view. Their final challenge will be to each suggest a compromise.
11. PRIORITIZE IT
Every subject offers opportunities for critical thinking, so put teaching critical thinking skills at the
forefront of your lessons. Check to understand and provide room for discussion, even if such
periods are brief. You’ll begin to see critical thinking as a culture rather than just an activity.