We want to make young people become pattern makers instead of passive followers and we want to use critical thinking to create this. So what does critical thinking mean in many classrooms in the western world? It’s part of the subject philosophy or social science, It often include reading and analyzing of different texts. How to weigh arguments and opinions, have debates and come to conclusions. Use drawing and imagination to play with philosophical dilemmas. These are a couple of definitions on how to teach critical thinking.

​

 

We hear that kids need to learn critical thinking in order to become active citizens, to shape their own thoughts. We hear that there is some sort of problem in school, but not really what that might be. Looking at earlier statement, we are trying to teach kids critical thinking in school.

​

 

So what is the problem? That we teach it in the wrong way? That kids are not critical thinking enough? And if so, is that a surprise? Do you as a teacher really want to teach your students resistance and make them question you?

 

So what is the assumption that kids need to be develop critical thinking based on? Why is it important? Where is the actual problem? – Maybe we should ask the kids and see what they say? Could our target group be the grown ups, the people that believe fake news, vote for certain political parties based on fear and believe everything they see on social media?

 

Creating challenges based on assumptions makes it very hard to measure failure/success and how to address the assumed problem correctly.  

 

Something is wrong here, it might be the work strategy and how to approach it, the goal or just the definition of the problem. We need to find out.