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Learning to Think – Thinking to Learn

             Students often talk about how well they do in various subjects – Math, Science, English, Social Studies or Foreign Language-but they rarely talk about the kind of basic skills that are common to all areas of study.  The most important basic skill is thinking.

 Everyone can think, right?  Thoughts flow through our minds all the time.  Well, the answer is yes and no.  Yes, we do think all the time, but no, we do not necessarily engage in critical, reflective, or creative thinking.  These thinking skills include the ability to analyze problems, form opinions, see relationships between events and ideas, create solutions to problems, and to approach ideas from new perspectives.

 While thinking skills are not taught as a separate subject, they are encouraged in all classes.  Learning facts, while important, is not enough to prepare your child for life.  Students must be able to analyze ideas and test them in new ways.  This is where innovation is born.

For too long, school has been viewed as a place where students had to get the answers right to do well.  For most situations your child will face in life, there is no right or wrong answer; success will depend more on the capacity to gather and analyze information, make decisions, imagine, question and hypothesize. 

 When students perform mock trials in social studies, solve word problems in math, perform lab experiments in science and write essays in English, they are building critical thinking skills, whether they realize it or not.

You can also encourage the same process at home.  For example:

o        When your child expresses opinions or feelings, ask them why they feel that way.  It will get them thinking more deeply and help them better focus and organize their thoughts.

o        At dinner, spark conversations about the issues of the day.  Try to respond non-judgmentally to their opinions.  Let them experiment with ideas without being criticized.

o        Television shows and movies can foster family conversations and discussions.  Good questions are “How might you have ended the movie differently” or “What do you think will happen next?”

o        If you can ask questions that are open ended questions that don’t require a yes or no answer will get the creative juices flowing.

o        Teenagers experiment with their creativity in many ways.  Respond to them with enthusiasm and encouragement.

o        When your child has problems, don’t rush in to solve them.  Try acting as a guide by asking your child to think about what information is needed to figure out a solution.  Then, engage them in a brainstorming session in finding that solution.

If you can, establish an environment at home where your child’s questions and  creativity is encouraged and rewarded, then they are more likely to develop sound decision-making and problem solving skills.

 Sincerely,

John W. Sparlin

John W. Sparlin, Principal

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