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Being a critical thinker is one of the simplest recipes to success in school and life. Learning to think critically is one of the most important parts of a child’s development as it helps them to make sense of the world that they live in. It gives them the ability to ask the right questions and make good judgments when trying to figure things out that might not make complete sense to them. Here is some advice from an independent primary school in Cambridge on helping your child develop their critical thinking skills.
Show them how to agree and disagree
A sign that your child is thinking critically is that they are able to verbally share when they agree or disagree with something that has happened. However, it is important to remember that your child simply saying ‘I agree’ does not mean that they are thinking critically. They need to also be providing examples and reasons as to why they think the way they do. One way that you can do this is by asking them whether they think something is right or wrong and allowing them to elaborate on it.
Ask them why
Many times, children will make judgements based on what they see adults say and do. However, it is important your child is making decisions that stem from how they feel as a person, whilst understanding why this verdict was made. One way that this can be done is by encouraging your child to explain further. An example of this is when your child is playing and get into a quarrel with someone. Your child may respond by saying ‘I think they should say sorry to me’. Whilst taking care of your child’s feelings, encourage them to explain further by saying ‘why do you think they should say sorry?’.
This is one of the simplest ways to help your child develop their critical thinking skills.