Are you a Wolf or a Sheep???

How important is critical thinking to the process of education? Pueda asir lo! Is what most of us are told from the time we are born but are we taught how to really do it. So are we taught how to be sheep or wolfs to lead or to follow? Education starts at home and critical thinking should be taught at home. But I send my child to school for an education thats not really my job! Or is it. This is the attitude that most parents take with their child education A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Without learning how to critically think and analyze that is the true waste of an extraordinary mind. The brain is one of the most complex sophisticated machines on this planet yet normally this precious tool is greatly underutilized. To be a critical thinker you must also be a creative thinker as well. But how can creative or critical thought be defined, taught, and an assessment in a classroom setting to make a lasting impression on students. You would think that everyone would have common sense but common sense isnt so common among individuals. Learning is asking questions. In this day and age questions are discouraged and you are expected to follow the predetermined social norms. We are taught to follow society blindly without asking questions for ourselves on the faith that everything that we are taught is whats best for us. Yet how do you know what is best with questions. Questions and contrast are the basic framework of the experience of learning or reality depending on who you are speaking with. Exploring the concept of contrast lets take a plant for example to become and grow to its greatest potential it must have darkness as well as light in a certain balance to thrive. Unless there was sadness how could you ever know or experience happiness. Finding a balance among this broad spectrum of contrast can be a definite challenge. As well as a difficult concept to teach. Now lets look at

questions which I feel is an important key to engaging students in any learning environment. Now in the exploration of questions I found 3 different types of questions.

*Factual Questions Which have only one correct answer *Interpretive Questions Which have more than one answer, but they still must be supported with evidence *Evaluative Questions Ask for some kind of opinion, belief, or point of view so they have no wrong answers

The art of precise quality questioning abilities may be the worlds most unused talent. You can ask the right questions in the right questions in the right way and engage people or you can do it differently and put people off. Something that I have heard is that learning doesnt actually begin for an individual until a spark is ignited within them. Without this spark an individual will not be actively involved in the learning process or experience. Active involvement is achieved by understanding the subtle art of the question that is often times overlooked by far. Educators must learn how to structure questions that *Invite opinions, thoughts, and feelings *Encourage participation *Establish rapport *Stimulate discussion *Maintain a balance between teacher and student

Open ended questions are better for the exploration of ideas, yes or no usually are a dead end and are counter-productive to the integration of critical thinking skills into a productive learning model. Didnt

your mother ever tell you to be a leader and not to be a follower? There are many sheep that walk around in wolves clothing. Critical thinking is essential if we are to get to the root of problems and develop reasonable solutions. After all the quality of everything we do is determined by the quality of our thinking. Critical thinking and the learning of it is not just important on an educational basis, but also an excellent for social reform. To be an efficient and effective critical thinker requires a truly open mind and constructive self-reflection. In life there is only one thing that you can really count on is change and everything changes. Without an open mind and stubbornness toward change educators stifle the next generation from reaching the heights that only their imagination can stop them from realizing. In this age of information a herd mentality will not cut it. Innovators and critical thinkers are needed for the evolution of our society as a whole. Lets take a look at something that deeply imbedded within our society and that is religion. Religion in my opinion extinguishes critical thinking in many ways. Many religious people are taught not to question God or the world around them because things are the way they are and thats the way it is. A better way of saying that would be that is our fate. Even though religion has many far reaching positive benefits this is something I see as challenge that must be overcome. Critical thinking skills should be integrated into all course materials be it at home, in religious centers, or at schools. The impact of critical thinking is as far reaching as religion in my opinion. Developing critical thinking skills is of the utmost importance and age and gender dont play a role in ability to become an effective critical thinker.