Students in a "No Child Left Behind" educational atmosphere tend to do more memorization and spend more time learning about reading and math than on other subjects, finding that experience and instruction in critical and creative thinking is lacking. The subjects of science and social studies help students experiment and "think out of the box." (Cook, p. 1).
Critical thinking is "critical" in the lives of adults, as they reflect on problems and decide what to do or believe. Critical thinking allows one to make reasoned judgments and discipline the thoughts that run through the mind so that logical conclusions may be reached. If one is not exposed to methods of analyzing information, one might become an adult who believes everything which is placed before them. News stories, statements, arguments, research and stories which friends or authorities tell are full of untruths; learning how to discriminate between fact and fiction contained in information is crucial to making wise or foolish decisions in life.
The use of technology necessitates the ability to weed through complex information which students encounter in today's information explosion. Critical writing is one of the fundamental ways in which students learn to make wise judgments. Through the process of finding words and researching facts, a student learns to choose and discard information. By and large, young pupils tend to believe everything everyone says, and the ability to discriminate may be facilitated by a good teacher, as the child is led to question, analyze and discuss things which are read, rather than to remain passive receivers of information, as the ISTEP program tends to foster, in preparing for tests through memorization (Wade, p. 28).
Questioning and stretching one's mind around big questions is important for young minds. The future of the nation depends upon educating young minds to think critically. Democracy is a method of government in which each citizen must pick and choose the best candidate to represent him or her and to make judgments about civic and state affairs. It is important that good, discriminatory minds lead our country in the future, so education of the young needs to include developing the important skills of critical thinking.
References
Cook, J. (2008). LinC program provides student-driven learning experience. McClatchy-Tribune Business News (Dothan Eagle, Alabama). March 11, 2008 Issue.
Wade, C. (1995). Using writing to develop and assess critical thinking. Teaching of Psychology. Vol. 22(1), pp. 24-28.
