promoting critical thinking by myrtis mixon 35now
TRANSCRIPT
Promoting Critical Thinking
By Myrtis Mixon
www.riomediagroup.com/blanche35now/
What do you know about C.T.?
Pair off …. What do you know? What do you want to know?
I will use….
I will remember….
I didn’t know that….
A Critical Thinking Activity
Naming Tradition
Why were you named …. ?
I will model what the ‘naming tradition’ is in my family.
Reading “My Name”
Choral reading Echo reading Shadow/Lip reading
Chunk reading
Think about Esperanza & names
Non-stop writing…
Write for 4 minutes without stopping. Pen to the page…. don’t think.
What is Critical Thinking?
Critical Thinking is an ABSOLUTE NECESSITY for the 21st century
It makes one able to make decisions, evaluate, analyze, synthesize
Thus… to choose, to be a life-long learner!
What is Critical Thinking?
A distinct field of study
Actively thinking about, engaging, and analyzing the topics you are learning about..
(handout)
Critical Thinking
As teachers, we always help students develop thinking skills, but in this new field, we ask students to focus on thinking itself, on the process of developing metacognitive skills
Critical Thinking
Adding Critical Thinking to your lessons will help motivate your students
Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking is being aware of thinking
CT concentrates on developing higher orders of thinking and promoting that in our lessons.
What are the higher orders?
The Higher Orders
Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation
Carolyn Graham
Creating Good Questions
Good questions are a central skill of Critical Thinking
(First use comprehension questions to be sure)
Then, apply the “Higher Orders”Application; Analysis; Synthesis; Evaluation
New?
Are they new?
Strategies for improving the effectiveness of people’s reasoning abilities and critical attitudes
Thinking can be developed
It is improved by becoming aware of the process
A good way to do this: start with a short piece of writing– There’s Always a Bright Side
• (Omani folktale?)
Exploring the Story
Exploring with CT
Students summarize a story in one sentence
Students ask a question that would evoke that sentence
These questions will indicate their comprehension of the material
Tell them to avoid simple/factual questions
summary of “Bright Side”
The king forgives the friend when he learns that there is always a bright side when the cannibals release him.
(left out the friend’s last sentence. The king learns the friend is right when
his lost finger proves to be a blessing for both him and the friend.
Exploring with CT ExercisesChoosing Revising
Arranging Composing
Organizing Creating
Planning Chronology
Scanning Mind-mapping
Prediction Making inferences
Making decisions
Issues to explore
Point of View
Create questions about point of view How would this be different if it was
written:
Through the eyes of the friend?
Issues to explore
Assumptions:
What are the assumptions in this story?
What beliefs are taken for granted here?
Issues to explore
Inferences Making conclusions and inferences from
writing & listening is an important thinking skill, learning to go beyond the literal
What inferences do you make:
about the king? the friend?
about the future friendship?
Issues to explore
Implications/Consequences– Decisions cause implications and
consequences.
What will come out of this story?
Four Important areas:
Four important areas for Critical Thinking
Working toward goals Problem solving Decision making Analyzing issues
Summary Writing
Summary exercises on reading
Summary- paragraph by paragraph Individual In Pairs Group Summary Three Sentence Summary
Tips for summary writing
1. Read the entire piece before summarizing
2. List the main ideas (without looking back)
3. Review for potentially missed things of importance
4. Write a summary of the main ideas, using your own words.
Tips for summarizing, cont.
A. Write a clear statement of the main ideas as your first sentence
B. Stick to the important information: names, dates, places
C. Avoid examples, description or adjectives - Leave out details
D. Conclude with a sentence that ties all the point together
Tips for summary writing
Your summary should be no more than 1/3 as long as the original
Do not make critical comments. Don’t judge when you summarize
I will remember….
I will use…..
I didn’t know….
Promoting Critical Thinking
End of session
www.riomediagroup.com/blanche35now/
www.riomediagroup.com/blanche35now/