Logic and the ability to analyze questions are some of the fundamental skills students should have. So, here’s how to teach kids to think critically.
Critical thinking is one of the most important skills a student should develop.
With it, they’ll be able to logically assess if facts or information learned are true or not (or if they make sense).
Without it, they’ll just blindly believe anything that they hear or read.
And that’s not good, now is it?
Thus, you should encourage your kids to think critically.
If you don’t know what critical thinking is, Cambridge defines it as:
“The process of thinking carefully about a subject or idea, without allowing feelings or opinions to affect you.”
And one of the best times to do this is when you’re helping them with their homework (or during conversations is fine too).
How to Teach Kids to Think Critically
A few ways I teach my students to think critically when I’m tutoring are I’ll ask them analytical or trick questions and I’ll also give them the wrong answer from time to time to see if they catch it.
For instance, I’ll add an extra letter to a word if they ask me to help them with spelling.
Or I’ll use a wrong verb tense to see if the student is able to recognize my error and fix it.
Another thing I like to do is mark one or two correct answers as incorrect to see if the student catches it and if they can explain why their answer is right.
I truly believe learners (especially young ones) will benefit from these tactics.
They’ll test to see if the student is paying attention, that they’re double-checking their work, and that they’re understanding what’s being taught.
Additionally, as you teach your kids how to think critically, you should also work on the skill yourself.
I talked about its importance (as well as share some methods) in this article, so if you’re interested you can check it out.
The Difference Between the Levels of Understanding a Concept
I also want to point out that there is a difference between understanding something and actually understanding something.
The former means that the student can only apply the fact (or formula or concept) to specific questions like it.
The latter (actually understanding) means that the student can take the fact or concept and apply it to various questions and/or situations.
They’ll also be able to use it in real-world scenarios. But this requires critical thinking and analysis.
And hence, that is why critical thinking is so important and needs to be taught –it gives the student the opportunity to actually apply what they are learning at school outside of the classroom and in their life.
Additionally, they’ll also be able to think more logically.
Isn’t this what education is supposed to be for?
RECAP
So, here’s a recap of how you can teach your kid to think critically:
When helping them with their homework:
- Ask them analytical questions/trick questions to further deepen their understanding of facts
- Mark a correct answer as incorrect to see if they catch it and are able to explain why it is correct (works best with multiple-choice questions)
- Ask them to explain their thinking for selecting/writing an answer
- There’s a difference between understanding and actually getting it
Conclusion
Critical thinking is an essential skill for both school and life.
Use these methods to teach it your kid and to encourage them to be logical.