Teaching how to think critically

INTRODUCTION

In this lesson, we will analyze if critical thinkers have innate abilities that make them think better critically.

You can teach how to think critically by teaching the tools, creating opportunities to practice, coach students in their learning process, and creating the spaces to apply these methods systematically.

OBJECTIVES

• Identify traits for the critical thinkers
• Encourage applying critical thinking to problems regularly
• Define the process of critical thinking

CHARACTERISTICS OF CRITICAL THINKERS

Are there particular characteristics of critical thinkers? In this lesson, we will analyze if critical thinkers have innate abilities that make them think better critically.

We can speak about 4 characteristics for the people who think better critically:

• Active Learning

Best communicators are always good active listeners. Active listeners are entirely engaged in what de communicator is saying and judging the information is being said. They are not cutting the conversation or formulating responses to the speaker and totally focused without thinking about something unrelated to the conversation.

• Curiosity

Curiosity is an important skill in critical thinking. The main goal of a teacher in the classroom is to spark curiosity and enhance engagement in their students. You can raise the curiosity with many methods, but there is essentially a raising question that ignites the thoughts in all of them.

• Self-discipline

The reasoning is often associate with self-discipline. For the same reason, critical thinking is also an action self-disciplined and self-guided. For thinking critically one person should use their own reasoning skills and should have the ability to evaluate and reflect. Most critical thinkers are also more empathetic and aware than other people. They are commonly committed to self-development and seek to change the environment to become a better place.

• Humility

Being humble is the quality of being modest about your own opinion or your own importance. To be humble, one needs to have an open mind and be receptive to others' information or opinions. Then, an excellent critical thinker will be modest in their opinion.

CRITICAL THINKING IN A TEAM

You can teach how to think critically in a team or classroom by some simple practices.

Teach them the tools presented in Topic one: The “five whys” tool, the “seven so what’s” a tool, etc. Help the students or colleagues understand to properly understand and scope the problem. If you effectively transmit all these tools, they are going to use them more often.

Secondly, create opportunities to practice along with the classes of your subject. Set problems to be resolved and let them know that they need to apply these methods and use them to solve a solution.

Third, it is important that you coach them in the use of the tools. It not only essential to getting the solution, but it is also essential to be aware of the method they are using to get the answers. Ask why they have chosen a particular method and why haven’t they use another.

Finally, empower and make them accountable them to use those tools. Don’t let anyone come with an answer without being aware of the method of analysis used and without having thought about the consequences of the recommendation they have come up.

In the beginning, it is important to follow the process and ask every time of the method of analysis used. They need to know about the reason why they are making this recommendation, how the recommendation is tied with the problem, id this will answer the question and satisfy the stakeholders, etc. it is not only generating the answer it is also thinking better. Soon, they will be using the tools and critical thinking methods rapidly on their own.

Take any opportunity to create spaces to apply these methods. Focus not only in getting the answer, focus on getting them to use their critical thinking skills and holding them accountable to apply those methods. If they become to use this process periodically, they will enhance their capabilities and will obtain a better and faster answer.

APPLY CRITICAL THINKING TO PROBLEMS

Propose problems to the students where they can apply critical thinking skills in their daily work. Some suggestions for this could be:

First of all, identify a specific problem related to the content of the class. Then ask the students to break it into smaller pieces, more solvable ones. Use all these parts to write a clear and compelling problem statement.

Then, ask to search for solutions and indicate to focus on the meaningful.

After that, the students should go and do an analysis and ask to think critically about the results. Make them clear that every time they have a problem statement, they should stop at that. Moment and really think of the implications. If they begin to think that this is the manner that they have always done, or that they couldn’t resolve it, that implies that they need to step back and challenge their thinking.

PROBLEM-SOLVING

Critical thinking gives you the ability to solve problems. Doesn’t matter the position or job you have, you will have to take decisions and solve problems every day.

Some psychologists have defined a problem a gap or barrier that separates the space between where a person is and where he/she wants to be. Or, what is the same, the space between A and B. Then, we can essentially see problems as an initial state and a goal state. The space between these states is the board game for all possible solutions to the goal.

We can divide the problem-solving process into three stages:

1. Preparation or familiarization with the problem (problem statement)
2. Production (come out with a recommendation)
3. Judgment and evaluation (Analyse consequences)

CONCLUSIONS

Critical thinking gives you the ability to make decisions and solve problems

We can divide the problem-solving process into three stages:

1. Preparation or familiarization with the problem (problem statement)
2. Production (come out with a recommendation)
3. Judgment and evaluation (Analyse consequences)

You can teach how to think critically by teaching the tools, creating opportunities to practice, coach students in their learning process, and creating the spaces to apply systematically these methods.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bowell, T.; Kemp, G. (2002) Critical Thinking, A Concise Guide. Routlege

Browne, M.N.; Keeley, S.M (2007) Asking the right questions. A guide to critical thinking. Pearson. Prentice hall

Courseware (2019) Critical Thinking. Courseware.com

Lovell, S. (2018) Critical Thinking. How to improve your critical thinking skills, problem-solving ability and avoid the 25 cognitive biases in decision-making.

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