Critical Thinking Ability

The Importance of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking skills are skills we use every day, which help us to make good decisions, understand the consequences of our actions, and solve problems.  It’s the process of using focus and self-control to solve problems and set and follow through on goals.

Children’s natural curiosity helps lay the foundation for critical thinking – to take in information, analyze it and make judgements about it, and that type of active engagement requires imagination and inquisitiveness.

Promoting self-discipline, motivation, and reflection

Critical thinking is essentially self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking – a self-directed exercise. The issue at hand is internalized and understanding is objective. Critical thinking is at the forefront of learning, as it helps learners to reflect and understand their points of views, and to figure out how to make sense of the world, based on personal observation and understanding. It makes learners self-assertive and confident as they know that the outcome is the result of a thought process that yields results. Most importantly, learners also gain confidence and the ability to learn from mistakes both of which are crucial in their personal and academic lives.

Observe – The action or process of closely observing or monitoring the issue at hand

Analyse – Detailed examination of the elements of the issue at hand

Connect – Connect the components to form a whole

Infer – Reach a conclusion based on data, existing (personal) knowledge, and own experience

Correct mistakes – Learn from mistakes / information previously thought to be correct

Communication – Share information and conclusions, and receive information effectively

Problem-solving – gather and analyse new data and apply to solve problems

Make a judgement

IMAD

 Learning How to Make Good Decisions

Like most skills, critical thinking ability becomes better with practice. The earlier children begin honing this skill, the better they become at making astute decisions.

The goal is to give children a sense of competence.  To become critical thinkers, children need to know that they are worthy and capable of questioning the accuracy and value of information.”

– Helen Lee Bouygues