How do you Teach Critical Thinking?
Just as there are many reasons for teaching critical thinking there are varying methodologies to teach critical thinking skills ranging from teacher approaches, lesson planning, and school-wide initiatives.
- Classroom Approaches: The General, Infusion, and Immersion Approaches
- Bailin's Lessons Adapted for Critical Thought
- Kassem's CRTA School-wide Model
Classroom Approaches
Lessons
CRTA Model
Alongside individual efforts to teach critical thought there exist school-wide models. Kassem’s CRTA Model is one such approach where CRTA is an acronym that stands for “create the right climate, reflect about thinking skills and revise instructional objectives, teach thinking skills/dispositions explicitly, and assess critical thinking for real-life use (2000).” Kassem outlines and implements an inclusive approach to teaching critical thought that focuses on aspects within and outside individual classrooms while systematically altering how teachers and student view learning.
Create the Right Climate
Reflect and Revise
Teach
Assess
Lastly, it is important to adequately assess what skills are actually being learned. Teachers must communicate precisely what expectations they have for students and reiterate it often. By giving students a clear target, teachers keep learning on track with previously established educational objectives and ensure that those who are struggling can be provided with necessary assistance. To further instigate learning, teachers should adopt comprehensive assessment techniques and provide students with ample opportunities for feedback. This feedback should serve as a guide for future lessons and should provide the teacher with valuable information regarding student learning. This checking of learning ensures that the stated goals of learning are being met and that the team goal is being pursued.