Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and
rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas. Critical
thinking has been the subject of much debate and thought since the time of
early Greek philosophers such as Plato and Socrates and has continued to be a
subject of discussion into the modern age.
In order to help their students to develop critical-thinking skills and to take critical action, teachers need to:
•Have a sound knowledge base from which to support students as they delve more deeply into content
•Remain open to challenge by students, not representing themselves as the sole source of knowledge
•Encourage students to look at the big picture by engaging them in critical-thinking processes that have relevance beyond the classroom
•Be prepared to listen to voices that originate in the classroom and to use students' personal experiences as starting points for gathering information
•Encourage students to question and challenge existing beliefs, structures, and practices
•Avoid offering 'how to do it' approaches
•Encourage students to be sensitive to the feelings of others
•Provide opportunities for inquiry by giving students time for planning, processing, and debriefing
•Structure lessons so that students can work safely and co-operatively and develop creative forms of shared responsibility
•Encourage students to take critical action. When students learn to use democratic processes inside the classroom, they can transfer these to situations outside the classroom
(The list above is based on Smyth (2000), page 507.)
