We were at the ski slopes for easter week and as we were going up the lift, my daughter got upset about what she read on the advertisement card on the chair lift.

The Ad for the Ski School said: “Friends don’t let friends teach friends”

​

Here’s the thing, how did my daughter know that what she was reading was not true?

We live in a world where opinions have become headlines, where the news is delivered by anyone, anywhere. A world where our opinions can be truths.

It's not just about being book smart or getting good grades in school. Critical thinking helps us make sense of the world around us and make informed decisions.

In a world full of fake news, social media, and endless information, it's more important than ever to be able to think critically and separate fact from fiction. It's like having a superpower that helps us navigate through life and make the right choices for ourselves and our families. Critical thinking does not need specialized education; it has been used by many generations before us. All it needs is for us to be intentional and think beyond what is directly in front of us.

Critical Thinking is a crucial skill that helps us to make better decisions, solve problems, and navigate the complex world around us. Critical thinking is interwoven into other important skills we need to succeed. We use it in:

• Communication: Critical thinking helps us to communicate effectively by identifying our own assumptions, considering different perspectives, and presenting a well-reasoned argument.
• Interpersonal relationships: Critical thinking helps us to understand and appreciate other people's perspectives, communicate effectively, and resolve conflicts.
• Problem-solving: Critical thinking helps us identify problems, analyze the situation, and come up with effective solutions.
• Decision-making: Critical thinking helps us evaluate options, consider the consequences of our decisions, and make informed choices.
• Work and career: Critical thinking is essential in many professions, including law, medicine, education, science, and engineering.

Critical thinking helps us navigate the world around us, evaluate information, and make decisions about everything from what products to buy to which political candidates to support.

Luckily, I still had 2 more minutes up the lift to continue our conversation. Read on to see how I guided her in reflecting on her skill and why it is important.

Having these conversations with our kids empowers them to use their learning next time.

But thinking critically needs to be worked on over time. It’s a muscle we need to strengthen and develop with all information we read, hear, and think about.

I have used the following strategies with my kids to take them from conforming to information to thinking critically.

1. Encourage questioning: I encourage asking questions about the things they see and hear. I teach them to question assumptions, seek evidence, and evaluate information.
2. Teach them to analyze arguments: I help my kids to break down arguments and identify their components.
3. Encourage diverse perspectives: I encourage my kids to consider multiple perspectives on an issue. A few weeks ago I shared the standing in a corner strategy for this. Teach them to evaluate arguments from different points of view and consider the strengths and weaknesses of each.
4. Promote problem-solving: I encourage my kids to think creatively and come up with their own solutions to problems. Open up the space to practice problem-solving in their daily situations. These situations grow in complexity with age, so give them the basic practice early on.
5. Teach them to evaluate sources: I teach my kids to evaluate the credibility of sources of information. Helping them to distinguish between reliable sources and those that may be biased or unreliable is crucial for critical thinking.

By teaching your kids these critical thinking skills, you'll help them to become independent and thoughtful decision-makers, and prepare them for success in school and in life.
​

Let's encourage our kids to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and think for themselves. Who knows, maybe they'll even come up with some out-of-the-box solutions to the world's problems!

If you are wondering how the skiing went, I have one word to describe it: Wonderful! Check out my IG stories to see a snipet of our snow storm skiing adventure!

Until next time.
​

As always, thank you for reading.

Alexandra

from Mindswitch Education

​

Follow me on my social media adventures as education evolves!