Teaching Critical Thinking

[YankeyMCC]

Interesting piece in today's Boston Globe about USAID fostering "critical thinking" in Egyptian primary schools.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2005/04/03/students_for_a_democratic_society/

"Training the next generation how to think critically, some US officials believe, is crucial to the spread of democracy in the region."

Now if only officials in this administration would stand so strongly in support of "critical thinking" in the schools here in the US. And stand against those who would rather have schools like the failing ones described in Egypt.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

1. I thought it was rote memorization that we were after

Bush (the quintessential intellectual) questioned "What's wrong with teaching to the test?" - No diverse or critical thinking encouraged in his education plan. So much for scientists, engineers, inventors, diplomats, problem solvers coming out of our schools.

[Delphinus]

9. You're right!

Years ago, I believe it was in a sociology class, the professor said, Education is about teaching you how to think, while schooling is about indocrination.

[Avalux]

2. The rest of the world is passing us by

and all of our children are being left behind. Thanks asshat for crippling our public school system and gagging our teachers. Critical thinking is soon to be extinct in this country.

[Tace]

3. Why Am I Sceptical?

The idea of the government teaching children to question authority seems like a bad joke.

[K-W]

5. Why?

A teacher is, by definition an authority. There is no way in the world to teach someone to question authority without using an authority.

[EFerrari]

6. Well, I'd disagree

A "school master" is an authority. A "teacher" or a "professor" isn't necessarily. The former is defined by power (mastery) the later by their roles as facilitators (teaching, professing) :hi:

[AnotherMother4Peace]

7. Good definition

[Tace]

8. I Went To A Quaker High School Where We Were, Indeed, Taught

critical thinking, including to question authority. However, they don't teach that stuff in public schools. I know because I attended public high school for two years also.

That's why I don't believe the government is going to teach anyone critical thinking. No way. My take is that this is just propaganda, or an effort to teach children in a foreign country to question their anti-US government.

[checks-n-balances]

4. Maybe USAID supports this program; ironically, lack of critical thinking

(that, and election theft) are what put the current GOP in almost complete control of the U.S. Therefore, critical thinking would get no official support HERE, since it would be considered an enemy of this administration. Otherwise, why would there be such an organized assault on public education and academic freedom in higher learning?

Just one of many ironies in our tragic political situation here...

Critical thinking is key to helping people get out of black-and-white, all-or-nothing thinking - the kind of "thinking" that leads to religious fundamentalism and rightwing politics.

Democracy is only possible with an informed, educated electorate.

And critical thinking (i.e., the ability to ask questions and protest) is a value implicit in the first amendment, isn't it?

(Edited for typos)