The Philosophy of Thinking Critically

Klaudie Slosarkova

Since the creation of formal classrooms, the topics and subject matter of what educators teach has been the subject of debate. Today, one of the most hotly debated topics surrounds social justice and its incorporation into the classroom. Parents and guardians have vocalised their concerns surrounding what their children learn during these discussions. But what many fail to miss about these topics, both educators and parents, is not the topics, but rather the skills that students gain from these subjects. Critical thinking is a vitally important skill that according to many educators and employers, is a skill that many individuals lack. With the rise of misinformation and AI sources and articles, the need for critical thinking has never been more apparent. So how do we create students that can think critically about the world around them?

This topic has gained a rise in research, especially in recent years. Many researchers and thinkers have discussed what critical thinking truly is and how this concept can be implemented in the classroom. Developing strategies and curriculums that challenge students but also garner engagement is an incredibly challenging feat, and no classroom is perfect. Philosophers like John Dewey developed students led learning, and recent research in Turkey, found that while overall critical thinking wasn’t raised with any statistical significance, they did find that problem-solving was improved with this curriculum style. Technology also has affected learning. AI has created a lot of concern surrounding academic integrity and deep thinking and questioning. While AI can be used as a tool for analytics, it lacks deep thinking and creativity that is often needed for many questions and ethical dilemmas that we face as people. An over reliance on such technologies limits us from developing these skills for ourselves. 

There are many strategies that we can implement in our classrooms to garner critical thinking, and these are reflected in our curriculum and in the First Peoples Principles of Learning. One of which is to engage students into discussions and debates that can challenge student beliefs. By having students looking through different perspectives, perhaps those that directly challenge their own, they learn how to engage in conflict in meaningful and respectful ways that will further their learning and prepare them for the world, both online and in person. Engaging students in open ended questions is also valuable. This not only fosters discussion, but prepares students for times when there is no one correct answer, but rather allows them to enquire further and deeper into topics and inquiry. 

Our education system is changing and so is the world that we live in. No longer are specific subjects the primary goal of our schools. Rather than providing our students with singular perspectives, we should encourage our students to question and inquiry about the worlds and systems around us and allow them to formulate their own perspectives and opinions about the world. We as educators should not be influencing them with our opinions but rather introduce them to a variety of perspectives, even those that challenge our own.