Teaching Senior Highers How To Think Critically

by Chris Folmsbee

I want senior high students to be better thinkers. I want them to use their minds to form and connect ideas, discover opinions and beliefs, and arrive at conclusions before making important decisions. To do that, we need a framework for understanding and developing critical thinking skills in young people.

Critical thinking is reflective and reasonable thinking focused on what to believe or do (Robert Ennis, Critical Thinking, Prentice Hall, 1995). It’s the process of determining the authenticity, accuracy, and worth of information or knowledge claims (Barry Beyer, Improving Student Thinking, Allyn & Bacon, 1997).

Older students don’t become critical thinkers just by chance. We can help them reflect and reason so they can develop the ability to arrive at well thought-out convictions and conclusions…

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