Critical thinking is a term that gets thrown around quite a lot, but what exactly does it mean? Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly, objectively and rationally about what to do or what to believe, in order to solve a problem or form a judgement. It involves using things like logic, reasoning, and creativity to draw conclusions and generally understand things better. It is a conscious process which we can apply to many varied aspects of our lives, and it may just be the most important skill that the children of today will need for the future.
Being fluent in 3 languages and learning to write code is all well and good, but in today’s rapidly changing world these skills are not enough. In life, we all face situations and questions which are much more complicated than a multiple-choice test, and which often don’t have just one correct answer, and we need to give children the opportunity to tackle questions like these as early as possible. Children need to be armed with the skills necessary to make sense of the ever-changing world around them and deal with real-life situations; to make connections, make decisions, and to evaluate different perspectives. It is a necessary and highly sought-after skill in today’s modern world.
Can we teach children to be critical thinkers? Please find below some tips you can apply to help children build a foundation for critical thinking: