As we continue the shift from an industrial society to a technological one, more emphasis is being placed on “raising the bar” in education for all children in the United States, as seen by the well-intentioned yet thoroughly flawed No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

While there is no immediate end in sight to the law’s misguided measures, the one positive result is the increased discussion of the importance of learning for every child, something that was reserved previously for the elite.

For the last century, the attainment of a high school diploma for much of the working and middle classes was the maximum amount of schooling required in order to enter the work force and be economically independent. A job on the line at Ford Motor Company garnered a living wage for work that required a body more than a mind. As a result, the emphasis in the home placed on the value of receiving an education was secondary – and sometimes nonexistent -- to the importance of instilling the values of conformity and hard work.

As a result, one of the problems that we are experiencing in this transition from an industrial to a technological age is changing those expectations that are so deeply imbedded in much of our culture.

Our public school system, for the most part, has reflected this ethos. We have been training ground for workers, not thinkers. In the public school where I teach, there are some disengaged students who travel from class to class with no materials or desire to learn, merely using the environment as a social venue than a place of learning. Desks in many of the classrooms sit in neat rows. Teachers have seating charts. Students are penalized more for tardiness and truancy than for failing grades.

The emphasis on these values once served a political purpose – to instill values important to being a member of the working class culture. They are now politically obsolete. Factories have closed and now we find much of our workforce highly under trained. Jobs are being outsourced overseas because we lack a highly educated and skilled work force. The tech service jobs today are the factory jobs of yesterday – albeit at a much lower wage.

One of the problems facing the United States today is that Americans have become accustomed to mindless work, a mentality that was not only reinforced in the factory but also in the television society that emerged with the baby-boom generation and continues today. We didn’t think because we didn’t have to think. This is seen in the dated methods of instruction in the public school system. We are now being forced to change, to adapt in light of the new paradigm shift. Students who were once required to perform tasks of rote memorization are now being required to think critically – something that can be daunting for the person who has always been told what to do.

Michael Scriven and Richard Paul define critical thinking as an intellectual process that requires the ability to conceptualize, apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information based on our observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.

This shift in focus is not occurring without growing pains. When given a problem-solving assignment recently that required thought and discussion, one student said to me, “Why can’t you just tell us what to do? It would be so much easier.” Students who are accustomed to being told what to do are now expected to do the telling, and, like any change, it is uncomfortable, especially if there is no foundation for critical thought at home.

Interestingly, some of my students find it strange that my 10-year old daughter likes to perform scientific experiments for fun. They also find it odd that she would much rather sketch or make jewelry than watch television. When my friend shared with me the story of her daughter, a happy third grader, carefully mapping the backyard and documenting the types of birds that frequent the area, creating a plan to attract more and diverse birds in the future by presenting a variety of foods based on her research, she commented that we are lucky to have children who pursue creative activities.

This led me to actually start thinking about how we, as parents and teachers (because every parent is a teacher) promote critical thinking skills in our children. By creating a positive environment, setting an example, promoting choice, and providing ample experiences, parents can foster these skills that will benefit their children for life.

First, it is important to establish a home environment that is both comfortable and safe. Establishing guidelines and setting limits gives children a sense of security, creating a solid foundation for the beginnings of exploration.

Probably one of the most important ways that parents can promote critical thinking in their children is by setting an enthusiastic example within that safe environment. Ralph Waldo Emerson said that nothing good was ever achieved without enthusiasm. Likewise, nothing breeds apathy more than apathy. Children need to see their parents reading, discussing current events, and engaging in critical thinking themselves. Parents need to engage their children in age-appropriate discussion, so that their children learn that their voice matters. Ask them open-ended questions. Encourage them to problem-solve, understanding that there is not one correct way to do something.

In addition, parents should expose children to a variety of interesting and educational sources. Visit museums, libraries, and just have fun. By providing ample experiences, children can get an idea of the vastness of the world and its endless possibilities. Let your child’s interests be the guide. At the same time, be sure that you encourage them to finish what they start. My daughter was interested in learning Tai Kwon Do, so we went to the library and I helped her research it before we made a decision together to try it. Interestingly, it ended up not being as appealing as she thought, but the one-month trial that we had was enough to give her the experience without being committed for the long term.

Because of my occupation, a high school teacher, I’ve had ample opportunity to bring my daughter to work with me on occasion since she was three. One Halloween, the chemistry teacher invited her in to watch the advanced students demonstrate how to use chemistry to make cool things like lava lamps and super balls. Amanda was so excited about it that she wanted to try some chemistry experiments, so we went to the library and checked out some books with age-appropriate chemistry experiments that we worked on together at home.

While not every parent has the resources to provide an opportunity to bring her child to work on a whim, every parent is able to communicate with her children. By opening the channels of communication – sitting down and talking together, discussing the day’s events and issues during mealtime – children feel included. When parents serve as facilitators and foster their children’s natural inclination to explore, they are opening the door to the excitement of discovery learning and the promotion of critical thinking.

References

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. (1841). [Quote]. The Columbia World of Quotations. Retrieved May 4, 2006, from http://www.bartleby.com/66/8/19908.html

Scriven, M. & Paul, R. (2004). Defining Critical Thinking. The Critical Thinking Community. Retrieved May 4, 2006, from http://www.criticalthinking.org/aboutCT/definingCT.shtml/

Spellings, Margaret. (2005, October). No Child Left Behind: What Parents Need to Know. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved May 4, 2006, from http://www.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/parents/know.pdf