Why critical thinking is essential for children’s future
By encouraging enquiry-based learning, we can help pupils develop the skills they need to cope with a rapidly changing world, says Gavin McLean…
- by Gavin McLean
Growing up in an age of misinformation, rapid technological evolution and rising societal pressures, it is becoming increasingly important to provide young people with a well-rounded education that empowers them to become critical and independent thinkers.
Critical thinking plays a vital role in today’s education settings and, in primary education, should be embraced as an effective way of providing pupils with the foundations and skills set to avoid groupthink and thrive in this new knowledge economy.
Critical thinking is an educational methodology that has truly withstood the test of time. Casting our minds back to Ancient Greece, Socrates created the Socratic method to establish the foundations of critical thinking.
Stemming from a determination to provide a mechanism through which pupils were presented with questions (not answers), this method asks pupils to draw upon inquiry, curiosity, reasoning and self-reflection to define the most suitable answer or way forward.
Today though, in our modern and technologically driven age, and an era of automation where machine-learning does most of the work, a concerted effort needs to be made to ensure this vital skill set continues to be taught in schools.
So what are the skills and traits that critical thinking develops among learners that makes it so valuable?
First, it encourages a deeper curiosity about the subjects and topics presented to children in class. It promotes important questions about even the simplest of topics, questioning the status quo and discovering a richer level of understanding.
Asking ‘curiosity questions’ like ‘what’s happening?’, ‘why is it important?’ and ‘what’s hidden?’ develops lifelong learners who go on to have a greater appreciation for others’ perspectives and explore issues with a critical eye.
Secondly, and somewhat surprisingly, critical thinking enhances pupils’ creativity. This follows critical analysis of issues and problem solving that often calls for creative solutions and thinking ‘outside the box’, transcending more conventional boundaries.
With critical thinking comes a freedom from obstacles that may hinder those who haven’t developed critical thinking skills, allowing for more constructive outcomes.
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of critical thinking is the well-honed problem-solving skills that follow. Developing critical thinking allows us to make better-informed decisions and use reason to achieve the most effective results.
Assessing problems from all manner of angles and perspectives allows pupils to strategically work through the challenge, consider the pros and cons of different solutions and rationally select the path most likely to succeed. All told though, each of these benefits of critical thinking work in tandem to develop independent learners who are empowered to make decisions for themselves – an objective that is central to our job as educators.
Understanding the importance of introducing critical thinking to primary pupils is one thing, but effective implementation is another. To help you and your pupils succeed, here are five quick and easy ways to place critical thinking at the centre of your classroom:
- Plan for critical thinking time – as with all aspects of teaching, planning is key so keep this in mind when preparing future lessons by allowing extra time for pupils to test their analytical and critical thinking skills.
Gavin McLean has worked in academic and educational publishing, edtech strategy and consultancy around the world and is now the international business development director of Edmentum International.