Thinking skills are necessary for the future. The future
economy will require higher levels of reasoning skills and creative thinking. As
the nature of society changes, requirements for jobs change as well. Critical
thinking skills, as well as knowledge of reading, math, science, and writing,
are becoming the most important qualifications for future employment.
Thinking skills are necessary for everyday living. Real-life
problems require critical thinking and decision making. Without the proper
skills, children often make decisions too quickly and without much thought.
Often this results in ineffective and inappropriate solutions to problems.
Use this Tips for Parents to help you better, help your
children with their thinking skills.
What is Critical Thinking?
- Reflective reasoning about ideas and actions
- Cognitive competencies: challenging assumptions, uncovering themes, questioning evidence, deriving conclusions
- Metacognitive competencies: effectively evaluating our own thinking and others’ thinking
What is NOT Critical Thinking?
- Memorization
- Scripted learning and performance
- Reiterating someone else’s opinions
- Taking received info for granted; failing to question
Tips:
1.
Create a nurturing environment.
Creating an
environment where it is all right to make mistakes and in which trial and error
is recognized as an essential part of learning and creativity. Parents should
make sure mistakes are not criticized, but accepted as entirely human. When
children are overpraised image maintenance becomes their primary concern—they
are more competitive and more interested in looking smart rather than doing
their best.
2. Create an environment that inspires and
values critical thinking.
Encourage your child
to ask questions and question your child as well. Don’t be afraid to
acknowledge that you may not have all the answers. Often, there are
several solutions to a single problem. Welcome the opportunity to explore
the various answers with your child.
3.
Serve as a
role model for your child.
The way a parent
analyzes a problem and discovers a solution is of primary importance. When parents
open doors to critical thinking and demonstrate thinking skills, they encourage
their children to do the same. Explain how you solved a particular problem and
ask your child to come up with a different solution.
4. Monitor your responses.
Recognize that how
you respond to your children’s questions, comments, or answers can advance or
hinder the thinking process. Praise is obviously important, but should be
selective and appropriate. When praise is offered freely, children become
dependent on parental approval when solving problems. A more effective
way to advocate the thinking process is to ask your child to explain a response
in more detail. This will encourage your children to think more deeply
and broadly about their decisions and solutions.
5.
Read with your child.
Ask questions about
events or characters in the story. Throughout the story, ask your child
to predict what they think will happen next. After completing the story,
ask your child to write or draw a picture of another possible ending to the
story. This is a simple and enjoyable way you can help promote creative
and inventive thinking in your child.
6.
Play games with your child.
Simple card games or
board games can actually enhance thinking skills through the process of
decision-making. Observe the choices your children make while playing a
game. Ask them why they made a particular decision and ask if they could
come up with an alternative solution.
7.
Create
hands-on activities that inspire critical thinking.
For example, have
your children help you prepare a meal. If a recipe says it serves four, what
would they do if eight people were coming to dinner? In other words, use
practical, everyday experiences to encourage higher levels of thinking.
8.
Use computer
technology.
If you have a
computer at home, look into purchasing software that stimulates critical
thinking. Such programs are typically simulations of events or adventures that
allow children to find solutions to problems.
9.
Take time to discover your child’s
interests.
Watch and
listen. What does the child talk about? What does he do? What books does she
select? All of these are clues to the child’s particular passions. Allowing
students to focus on something that interests them is only going to help their
learning progress further.
10. Make the arts a part of your child’s development.
Always make
arts and crafts supply available and accessible. Celebrate your child’s artwork
– hang their drawings on the wall or save it in a folder. That way, your child
feels that her creation is important Notice the arts all around you – take your
family to museums, concerts, or theater. Notice the art even in the parks,
subways, and open spaces. Start a conversation about what you see. Expand your
child’s horizon by getting them interested in other art forms including
literature, dance and music.
11. Model appropriate behavior.
If you want
your child to stay on task, model how to stick to it; if you want them to read,
read; if you want them to be excited about learning, show enthusiasm for your
own projects. For young children, silent modeling may not be enough. State what
you are doing out loud, so they notice and understand.
12. Don’t over schedule your child’s
life.
Many parents feel that all of the child’s spare
time must be filled up with extra lessons of all kinds. They are afraid that
the child may become bored for a short time. Allow your child to become bored
and let them find a way to use time unscheduled by adults. Boredom can lead to
creativity which is always beneficial for children
