Teaching Kids to Think Critically: Effective Problem-Solving and Better Decisions

by Clifton Chadwick

Overview

This book is based on a simple series of psychological concepts. While ability to think has always been important, the knowledge economy significantly increases the demand for higher order thinking and problem-solving abilities. Parents should take a much more active role in teaching their children to think. Early preschool years are critical because long-term attitudes and early strategies are learned then. Approaches and perspectives on learning to think can be clearly communicated to parents in ways which will make it possible for them to use the correct strategies to stimulate their students to think more clearly and critically.

There are five elements involved in good, logical, critical, and creative thinking:
1. The skills involved in effective, efficient, and lasting learning, or commonly referred to as cognitive processing strategies
2. The mastery of logic and structure of what is being learned
3. Awareness of what one knows and does not know, and how one knows and how one thinks
4. The standards or guidelines for the validity and reliability of what one knows, called intellectual standards
5. The knowledge and skills involved in critical thinking and solving problems in different subjects or domains

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475810653
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	09/26/2014
Pages:	184
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

With forty years of experience helping ministries of education throughout the world (Central and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East), Dr. Clifton Chadwick is a decisive leader in the development of the concepts of cognitive strategies, metacognition, and affective variables in learning. He has extensive experience in curriculum, evaluation of learning, project evaluation, textbooks and educational materials, educational technology, teacher training and evaluation.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Learning and the Structure of Knowledge
Chapter 3: Developing Skills for Effective Learning
Chapter 4: Metacognition: Awareness for Thinking
Chapter 5: Disposition, Motivation, and Attitudes: Desire to Think
Chapter 6: Developing and Establishing Intellectual Standards for Teaching
Chapter 7: Problem-Solving Skills
Chapter 8: High Quality Critical Thinking: Wrapping Up!

Editorial Reviews

This timely book by Dr. Clifton Chadwick is a work of scholarly importance for all who care about the future success of our children. It contains the practical advice and theoretical foundation for helping all children master the critical thinking skills needed in learning and life. For the adults in the lives of these children, the information is clearly presented with interesting examples from multiple disciplines and content areas. This is a must-read for all those interested in helping children acquire the thinking skills needed for learning and life in our rapidly changing 21st century and beyond.

Barbara L. McCombs

In the age of knowledge work, higher-order thinking skills are more important to success and happiness than ever. However, schools are not very effective in teaching or testing such skills, so children have to rely largely on their parents to teach them. This book offers an innovative conception of five elements of good thinking: logic and structure, learning strategies, metacognition, intellectual standards, and problem solving. A chapter on each element uses plain language to help the reader understand the element, followed by highly useful, practical tips for the reader to stimulate improved thinking in a child. I highly recommend it for all parents and teachers.

Charles M. Reigeluth

Dr. Chadwick uses Rudyard Kipling’s poem about “Six serving men”, who “Taught me all I knew”- “What, Why, When, How, Where and Who”, to introduce the principles of effectively using questions in teaching and learning. He also applies these principles throughout the book to present a complex subject in a clear format that answers our questions about: what is critical thinking, and why it is important; why schools often fail to teach it; when, how, and where (including in the home) should it be taught, and who can teach it. The book’s answer to this last question focuses on “You, the parent”, but I believe the book may equally help many teachers.

Alexander Romiszowski

Clear, concise, and practical, this excellent book is the perfect way to school-proof your child from an educational system that no longer teachers children how to think.

Roger Kaufman

Clear, concise, and practical, this excellent book is the perfect way to school-proof your child from an educational system that no longer teachers children how to think.

Dr. Chadwick uses Rudyard Kipling's poem about "Six serving men", who "Taught me all I knew"- "What, Why, When, How, Where and Who", to introduce the principles of effectively using questions in teaching and learning. He also applies these principles throughout the book to present a complex subject in a clear format that answers our questions about: what is critical thinking, and why it is important; why schools often fail to teach it; when, how, and where (including in the home) should it be taught, and who can teach it. The book's answer to this last question focuses on "You, the parent", but I believe the book may equally help many teachers.

In the age of knowledge work, higher-order thinking skills are more important to success and happiness than ever. However, schools are not very effective in teaching or testing such skills, so children have to rely largely on their parents to teach them. This book offers an innovative conception of five elements of good thinking: logic and structure, learning strategies, metacognition, intellectual standards, and problem solving. A chapter on each element uses plain language to help the reader understand the element, followed by highly useful, practical tips for the reader to stimulate improved thinking in a child. I highly recommend it for all parents and teachers.

This timely book by Dr. Clifton Chadwick is a work of scholarly importance for all who care about the future success of our children. It contains the practical advice and theoretical foundation for helping all children master the critical thinking skills needed in learning and life. For the adults in the lives of these children, the information is clearly presented with interesting examples from multiple disciplines and content areas. This is a must-read for all those interested in helping children acquire the thinking skills needed for learning and life in our rapidly changing 21st century and beyond.

From the Publisher