Critical thinking for kids is one of the most essential life skills they can learn and use. It is necessary in almost everything we do. Unfortunately, going to school teaches our children the exact opposite of learning to think critically. In school, children learn to repeat back what the teacher or textbook says. They are to follow directions in an exact order to get to the exact same answer. They are taught to do things one way, and told that it is the only and correct way. Classrooms are filled with memorization and busy work rather than teaching students how to think. They are expected to obey and ask no questions. The teacher is right and they are to do things the exact way that they are being taught. Going against the grain constitutes a problem, and the child is usually left feeling like they have done something wrong. I work in the classroom as an assistant. I see this every day, bright lights behind beautiful eyes being dimmed by the second. Creativity is not allowed to flourish and critical thinking almost frowned upon.
What is critical thinking exactly you may ask? Critical thinking is a set of skills that include the ability to define a problem, identify assumptions, analyze ideas, and reason critically. Then look at different possible causes and solutions using logical reasoning. It also includes the ability to make creative connections between different ideas and philosophies. Critical thinking for kids is about helping them develop reasoning skills. A critical thinker will ask questions rather than just saying what the right answer is. They will analyze and look for reasons why the answer is correct and what other possibilities could be considered. They look at the how and why, instead of just memorizing and spitting out an answer that they really don’t understand why it is.
Critical thinking is one of the most essential cognitive skills because it teaches us how to solve problems. These skills are necessary in getting a child ready to understand how things work in the real world. It teaches them how to come up with creative solutions and ideas for problems that may occur. It allows their brain to think things through and learn to improvise. Without this skill it is very hard to adjust to things that happen once they are out of school. When they go off to college and are on their own for the first time. If you’ve never had to critically think and come up with solutions, there is a feeling of being lost. It can be almost debilitating to some when they don’t know how to solve problems creatively. Besides gaining problem-solving skills, being able to think independently will allow your child to resist peer pressure, form their own opinions and trust their own thinking when they are asked to do things they don’t want to do.
HOW CAN WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO THINK CRITICALLY?
There are things we as parents can do to help our children form critical thinking skills and develop the desire to look deeper to find the answers to solve problems in real life. Here are a few ways you can incorporate teaching this important skill every day.
EXPLAIN EVERYTHING: We have done this with our children since they were very little. When they ask, “Why?”, we tell them why. Don’t just blow them off or give them a silly answer. There are always age appropriate ways to explain why things are done a certain way, or how something works. If I don’t know, I always say, let’s find out together. Bring them into the research with you.
DO NOT EXPECT BLIND OBEDIENCE. I have found that my children are more likely to comply if they understand the reasoning behind my demand. When they ask me why I have chosen something or don’t want them to do something in particular, I explain what my reasoning is. I don’t take their questions as back talk, but rather use it as a learning experience. I want them to question things in their life and not just go blindly with what someone is telling them to do.
ENCOURAGE QUESTION ASKING. I get some on the most bizarre and deep questions asked to me at bedtime. Sometimes I want to say that we will discuss it in the morning, however, I usually take this as a time to foster curiosity. I don’t ever want them to have a question, and feel like it isn’t important enough to talk about. I want to keep that curiosity alive and well.
TEACH OPEN MINDEDNESS. Teaching children to keep an open mind and flexible thinking when approaching a new problem is essential in critical thinking. We can teach our children to have an open mind by suggesting different points of view, alternative explanations, or different solutions to problems. When the child feels boxed in with a solution, but can’t figure it out, they are often left with enormous frustration. If they are taught that having an open mind is okay, they are more likely to go with the flow and figure out the best solution on their own.
We as adults are the frontline in helping our children to learn this critical skill. Since it cannot be taught in school, it is up to us to model these skills for them. We can teach them through our actions and words, and encourage them to follow suit. A thinker can be exhausting to us parents at times, but it is so worth it in the end.