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Secondary

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…

Gavin McLean
by Gavin McLean
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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.

  • Make connections to the real world – we all know that real-world examples help give pupils greater purpose to their learning, so integrate practical applications and activities that will allow them to see how they can apply their knowledge and skills in real life.
  • Encourage reflection to think about concepts – critical thinking isn’t restricted to critiquing the knowledge and views of others; it is also about discovering our personal bias. For this, I recommend creating an online space where questions, thoughts and ideas can be shared. This also creates a safe sharing space for pupils who are reluctant to speak up in front of their peers.
  • Pose questions – develop your own set of curiosity questions and challenge pupils at the end of each class. This leaves them with something to think about overnight and creates a valuable way of connecting the dots during future lessons. Equally, you can ask the same question at the beginning of the class, and pupils can use the duration of the lesson to come up with solutions and suggestions as individuals or collectively.
  • Get active – read a statement to your class that has two opposing views. You can then ask pupils to stand on either side of the room to represent their opinion and to move around as their views evolve with each subsequent curiosity question.

  • 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.

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