Critical Thinking

I believe you can teach critical thinking at all age levels as soon as there is understanding, which is very young. I believe it is always important to teach your children why you make choices, discuss consequences, and possible alternative choices. I believe it is important to talk to your children and discuss the whys of making this discision or that decision. I believe it is important to teach critical thinking in schools.

However, it is threatening to teach critical thinking for those individuals who only want to control the thought process and desired outcome. If you are willing to teach critical thinking, you must also allow the individual to make a mistake or choose a different path than you would. This is why it is best to start teach critical thinking within the safety net of a family where you can guide the process and where the child is loved. Teaching critical thinking at home is essential for a child to learn how to grow up as an independent, contributing adult.

To teach critical thinking requires respect for the individuals with whom you teach. For people who are very controlling and threatened by change or a difference of opinion, this can be very difficult. However, if the goal is to have the student or your child soar, find their own path, and discover their genius, it is important and essential to teach critical thinking within every subject in school from kindergarten through college and within the home in the family.