An insightful day with group of teens at a local hospital. Cool observation’s on approach to critical thinking. Are kid’s equipped with skills to clearly understand, evaluate arguments, objectively identify assertions? Particularly in a world where we’re constantly online, subject to all sorts of information.
Think, if we truly want kids to ‘think’, critical thinking can sometimes erect barriers, build defensiveness. Does it really open up their minds in unfathomable ways?
Learning is a process of fragile, formative change. Critical thinking can subdue unique dance of the mind, suffocate creation. Thinking can fail if the mind isn’t granted freedom, when fluidity is impeded. After allowing a free flow of ideas we can sort, organise, assess, analyse, structure, present thoughts.
Are we conditioning kids to ‘think’ only in terms of grades, results? Well, today I allowed them to celebrate surprises in facts, incompleteness of knowledge, playful flights of creativity. Feel, kid’s are better off as confident thinkers. Encouraged to desire curiosity, inspiring imaginations, delight in dreams, spontaneous freshness of perspectives. Thinking freely, naturally without the certainty of ‘instantly’ being accurate for grades. So much untapped, unexploited potential in these beautiful, brilliant kids.