I think critically, therefore I am: Teaching Critical Thinking to your Child

We use critical thinking skills every day to help us solve problems, understand consequences, and make decisions. A child’s natural curiosity lays the foundation for critical thinking, which is why it is important to start teaching them to think critically early on.

However, this important skill is rather overlooked by schools, and it is not taught in traditional classroom settings, preparing children instead for standardized exams that do not test their growth but their ability to memorize and repeat back what teachers and textbooks say.

Critical thinking requires more than memorization. It requires active engagement at every level, from taking in information to analyzing it and making judgments about it. Here are some tips to help your child learn and practice critical thinking:

The future belongs to the curious

Encourage your child’s pursuits of curiosity. Help them understand how the world around them works by asking questions, forming and testing their own theories, experimenting, and coming to their own conclusions.

A love of learning

Young children’s favorite question is “why?”. Knowing why is the crucial first step in thinking critically. So it is important that you help them come to the answers they seek. Avoid saying “Because that’s how it’s supposed to be,” and instead cultivate this need for knowledge to help them learn how to ask different types of questions.

Stay open-minded

To think critically is to be willing to have your views challenged by new information and different perspectives. Teach kids to be open-minded by suggesting alternative points of view or explanations, and encourage them to solve problems in new ways.

Teach them Problem-Solving

When dealing with problems, it is necessary to encourage your child to use critical thinking skills to understand the problem and come up with possible solutions: teach them to identify a problem, explore the possible ideas, reason critically, experiment, and evaluate the results.

Royal Teaching governess services in Dubai offer your child the right environment and encouragement they need to develop their critical thinking skills and nurture their curiosity, self-reliance, and a love for learning and discovery.