A Professional Growth Workshop – Spring, 2007

Facilitating Critical Thinking in the Classroom

by Paula Adams

Welcome

I’m Paula, your facilitatorand

You are….. Introduce yourself.

Introduction

Why are we here?

To become re-acquainted with Critical Thinking. To redirect students’ mindset. To introduce Critical Thinking into our lesson plans. To earn professional growth credit.

What is Critical Thinking?

An act that allows: For asking pertinent questions Opportunity to find new solutions One to seek out proof instead of

assumptions You to look for supporting evidence opposed

to assumptions ???

Ferrett, S. Peak Performance (1977).

Critical = careful evaluation, to ponderThinking = to reason, to believe, to suppose Or,A course or idea that is to be evaluation or to reason about

Defining Critical Thinking

The Mind

Feelings

Thoughts Desires

Ideas

We need to create a Paradigm Shift

Unreflective thinker - Unaware of need. Challenged thinker – Aware of need Beginning thinker – Trying to improve

Practicing Thinker – recognize need for improvement

Advance thinker - Already there Master Thinker – Very skilled Ideal Thinker – Your are there!

What Type of Thinker are You?

How Can You Become A Better Thinker?

What have you done to become a better thinker for

your students?

Are you reaching your students?

1. Better use of wasted time2. Internalize Intellectual Standards3. Keep an Intellectual Journal4. Reshape your character5. Deal with your ego6. Redefine the way you see things7. Get in touch with your emotions8. Analyze group influences on your life

Strategies to Becoming a Better Thinker

1. Better use of wasted time2. Deal with your ego3. Redefine the way you see things4. Get in touch with your emotions5. Analyze group influences on your life

Strategies Most Critical for Instructors

• Recognize how your behavior is shaped• Understand how you think generates emotions• Take action

The Key to Improvement

Once you understand critical thinking for yourself,you can begin to influence your students to think critical.

Educators who think Critically…

Want their learning material to take root in the minds of their students

Want students to think pro-actively Want students to create a new mode of thinking

Develop distinguishing lines of questioning1. With one right answer2. With as many answers as there are questions3. With better or worse answers4. Rethink lecture material as a form of critical

thinking

New Mode of Thinking

Transform their thinking

Engage students to think the way

you want them to

Hold themResponsible for their

thinking

Model the thinking You want

Set the Stage

1. Summarize thoughts in their own words2. Elaborate on what they have said3. Provide examples4. Make connections between related concepts5. State the question at issue6. Describe how their point of view is different

from the teacher’s7. Discuss previous points in a study group

conducted by the instructor

Encourage Active Learning

How?

Discussion Board Group Study Redesign exams ???

New Beginnings

1. What would you change?2. What would you keep?3. Would your students agree or disagree with changes?

Conclusion

Six Steps to Effective Thinking and Problem Solving

1. Identify the problem- what is the question?2. Define the context – what are the facts of this

problem?3. Enumerate choices – what are plausible options?4. Analyze options – what is best course of action?5. List reasons, explicitly – clear and concise 6. Self-correct – what did I miss?

Final Thoughts

Be prepared for:

1. Dissension

2. Dislike

3. Tradition

4. Rebellion

Part II – “To Sir, With Love.

References

1. www.criticalthinking.org

2. www.insightassessment.com 3. www.accd.edu/sas/history/keller/ACCDitg/SSCT.htm4. American Heritage Dictionary