Adding Critical Thinking to the Curriculum in our

Elementary SchoolsLaura Lassek

HUM/111

Should Teachers be Creating Curiosity or Giving Facts?

Let’s all work Togetherand Brainstorm

Resistance to Change

DETECTING BIAS

Lets Apply Curiosity

Let’s Avoid Assumptions

Recognizing why adding critical thinking to curricular in elementary schools would be

rejected

Why would educators and the school board (beingthe main audience) reject critical thinking in elementary classrooms?

Critical thinking would be disruptive of existing procedures

It does challenge accepted beliefs

It can be expensive with the exception of classes for educators

Time consuming

Confusion amongst faculty

Presenting the Idea of adding critical thinking to the curricular

for Elementary School

Proposed Solutions to Resistance

Create a Positive Context for Change and Build a Helping Alliance

Communicate Expertness and Credibility

Create a sense of trust

Create High HopesSource (Haas & Keeley, 1998)

Experiencing confusion concerning critical thinking with students. Having trouble with students grasping the fact that if they could only analyze a bit more they could solve their issue more effectively.

Teaching elementary school children the basic ways of learning how to critically think, could advance them in other subjects as well.

Building on the foundations of critical thinking skills at this early age would seem critical. If individuals are responsible for their own actions, if society and family expect schools to promote that develops responsibility, then schools have an obligation to teach critical thinking about important matters– the subject of substantive literature (Smith, 1989).

Our society deserves to have responsible citizens whether they can afford college or not. Starting at this young age could only emphasize the potential of our future.

What it boils down to:

Sources

Smith, C. (1998). Prompting critical thinking. The Reading Teacher, 42(6), 424. Elder, L., & Paul, R. (2008). Critical thinking: Strategies for improving student learning. Journal of Developmental Education, 32(1), 32-33. Haas, P., & Keeley, S. (1998). Coping with faculty resistance to teaching critical thinking. College Teaching, 46(2), 63, 5p. Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2008). The thinker’s guide for conscientious citizens on how to detect media bias & propaganda in national and world news. Dillon Beach: CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking Press.Ruggiero, V. R. (2012).The art of thinking: A guide to critical and creative thought (10th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson LongmanHOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVELY. (2005). Community Care, (1571), 49. Beagrie, S. (2007). How to... speak in public. Occupational Health, 59(4), 26-27.