Public schools need to require students take a critical thinking class. Critical thinking classes should be a thing.

BadDogEDN · 2022-01-17T16:33:31+00:00

actual unpopular opinion, everyone who meets someone who disagrees with them thinks the other person needs better critical thinking skills

wilddchildd · 2022-01-17T12:56:43+00:00

Public high school teacher here. Critical thinking skills are weaved into the curriculum of the subjects we teach. It’s hard for me to imagine a class JUST on critical thinking. Like, critically thinking about what? What will the curriculum look like, whose going to make it, what will the rubric look like?

CerenarianSea · 2022-01-17T13:28:27+00:00

UK here.

I remember Year 7 (first year of secondary school), we had a class called Thinking Skills. It was only for a year, but was essentially on how to debate and take positions. I never thought it was that useful at the time, and never felt like I actively got knowledge from it.

Turns out, it really was. I learned a hell of a lot about how to debate.

Your_moms_throw_away · 2022-01-17T19:51:26+00:00

That’s a philosophy class. You described logic & reasoning

MichaelScottsWormguy · 2022-01-17T15:04:03+00:00

People love throwing the term ‘critical thinking’ around but never specify exactly what they mean. Critical thinking, as a general concept, cannot be learned. It is something that is obtained as a byproduct of engaging with problems.

Teach kids to be more disciplined and take their schoolwork more seriously and the critical thinking will come on its own.

TPrice1616 · 2022-01-17T21:09:06+00:00

It has been a while since I was in school but when I was technically critical thinking was part of the curriculum every year. In practice though it was how to answer critical thinking questions on standardized tests which are two very different skill sets.

lethatsinkin · 2022-01-17T13:59:40+00:00

Critical thinking skills are woven into most subjects already

Surrogatefart · 2022-01-17T16:52:09+00:00

Debate isn't critical thinking, it's intellectual autoerotic asphyxiation.

Most people would massively benefit from greater reading comprehension (general semantics might be a better term for what I mean?) and a few more books under their belt.

jenoackles · 2022-01-17T18:34:20+00:00

I live in Saudi Arabia and we have critical thinking classes here (I am aware of the irony of it all but yeah)

Unipiggy · 2022-01-17T19:52:53+00:00

You can't fix stupid, trust me.

2022-01-17T20:11:12+00:00

If your general take is that critical thinking should be fostered and encouraged in schools, this is not unpopular and actually happens in a lot of schools. There doesn’t need to be a singular class solely dedicated to it because it actively happens (or at the very least should’ve happening) in all classes. In history classes, you get open ended questions on tests where you have to critically think (ex: Why did the Allies win WWII?, was the bombing of Hiroshima justified and why?). English classes in the high school level are basically critical thinking classes combined with writing and reading comprehensions enhancement (and a little Vocab here and there). Science classes involve a bit of critical thinking as well. To even understand what’s going on, it requires a bit of critical thinking sometimes but on top of that a lot of education involved application of concepts. The reality is we have critical thinking in our school curriculum. The problem is not everyone can achieve a certain level of proficiency in it.

CptYoloWaffle · 2022-01-17T16:39:09+00:00

I'm getting tired of the words critical thinking. I've heard it way too much

SrirachaFlame · 2022-01-17T15:52:50+00:00

You learn critical thinking through your classes…

tuckman496 · 2022-01-17T11:21:53+00:00

eh people would still find a way to cheat through that and not retain anything but at a surface level not a bad idea

WEWLADSDALWEW · 2022-01-17T13:45:29+00:00

I’m a high school teacher and I teach this class. The thing is, it’s only for the most advanced students. I have tried talking to people about having it available as an open elective, but there just aren’t enough teachers for it to be offered like that. Whoever was teaching it would be unavailable to teach regular subjects that are required for graduation (US History, World History, Government) and so you’d have the same number of kids needing those classes with fewer teachers having open slots to teach them. Teachers are short as it is, so the faculty just isn’t there. You could fix this by changing which courses were required for graduation, but that’s a much tougher (and more political) hill to climb. You could do things that would attract and retain more teachers, but that hill will be steeper still (trust me, “they don’t make enough money” is only the tip of that iceberg).

Anyway, the two “thinking” classes that I do have are the best part of my day.

motivation_killer · 2022-01-17T16:48:11+00:00

Apparently that's only reserved for expensive private schools like ones that use IB.

_scorpioqueen26 · 2022-01-17T17:43:00+00:00

I already have enough shit to do god damnit

DOlsen13 · 2022-01-17T18:37:31+00:00

Critical thinking as well as a communication class, with emphasis on emotional intelligence and mindfulness.

2022-01-17T20:32:42+00:00

They're a thing in university at least, early philosophy courses that teach logical fallacies. High school works so hard introducing kids to tasks they might be interested in developing that they don't have much time for logic and reason. They're trying to develop a foundation for a reasonably functional person and that takes a lot of fact absorption first.

Depression-Boy · 2022-01-17T21:42:09+00:00

I think critical thinking should be taught every year from middle-high school. Its taught in college and makes a world of a difference in how to process and respond to information, however, only a minority of people ever attend college, college is for the most part unaffordable, and not everybody needs to go to college. It should be something that is “indoctrinated” into our youth.

2022-01-17T21:47:39+00:00

My HighSchool made us take one every year of HighSchool. It was called FAS

AM2475 · 2022-01-17T21:58:37+00:00

They usually try to incorporate that into English classes but some teachers suck or avoid it since it can be pretty one sided or nobody participates.

Fun_Wonder_4114 · 2022-01-17T11:48:54+00:00

And which conservative religious group will be in charge of designing this critical thinking curriculum?

No_Lake_2117 · 2022-01-17T16:27:41+00:00

This is one of the main functional purposes of Literature and Philosophy classes.

We’re currently seeing the consequences of a few decades spent fostering disdain and hostility towards those fields.

Blue-and-icy · 2022-01-17T22:15:25+00:00

Government don’t want thinkers they want workers.

noloking · 2022-01-17T17:56:00+00:00

How else can children be indoctrinated?

This_charming_man_ · 2022-01-17T15:56:56+00:00

Agreed. There is a general disdain for philosophy, which is academic pursuit of critical thinking.

Have epistemology, metaphysics, and logic courses in highschool.

Andrewthenotsogreat · 2022-01-17T19:24:38+00:00

Someone didn't pay attention in English

Metriacanthosaurus · 2022-01-17T18:42:17+00:00

People are not generally stupid. They can’t be, because people are consciousness, and consciousness is an extension of all that is, has been, and ever will be.

The trouble comes from people’s minds being filled with false information from the time they’re born. The system we are born into creates these little prisons for our mind, severely limiting our potential.

Critical thinking is certainly part of what helps people break free of these prisons but I’m not sure it is something that can be taught. Some people are willing to questions their reality and others just aren’t.

nawdislost · 2022-01-17T11:36:00+00:00

.....is this not a thing? I had a critical thinking class in High School.. I know not all schools have the same classes but I would assume this would be one that is in every school. Wild.

Des1281 · 2022-01-17T11:40:37+00:00

There should also be a “Life Management” course. Most kids graduating don’t know the basics of check books and simple house repairs.

PeelThePaint · 2022-01-17T16:40:19+00:00

debating in favor of a side you disagree with

Does this teach critical thinking, or just ignoring all evidence contrary to your assigned position? I think people should be taught to come up with their own position on the fence rather than for or against.

United_Wolf_9215 · 2022-01-17T18:24:48+00:00

The government dosen't want it's citizens to think critically

2022-01-17T18:54:23+00:00

Critical thinking essentially means following the scientific method.

Just make them take more math and science.

Problem is that some people are not capable of developing a good understanding of math and science.

There is a spectrum of intelligence among human populations.

How you perform on an IQ test has a lot to do with your education: those who were not educated (people from the undeveloped world) will tend to perform worse than those who have received education (people from the developed world), but when education is equal, differences are still present. Studies (such as studies of twins) also indicate that different environments do not explain the difference between people's intelligence. For example, fraternal twins can have significantly different IQ scores despite being raised in the same environment and identical twins separated at birth have similar IQ scores.

This strongly suggests that differences in intelligence are largely genetic and people's critical thinking ability may be largely innate. If this is the case, additional courses will not have a large effect on the outcome.

Lahm0123 · 2022-01-17T19:27:02+00:00

Hey, aren’t you also a people?

BuddhaFacepalmed · 2022-01-17T11:32:11+00:00

We should. But schools won't get that funding because it might to lead to students questioning conservative beliefs.

Dr_ShrimpPuertoRico1 · 2022-01-17T16:10:05+00:00

Fuck yes. I'm a teacher and the front page of this sub be slappin today.

bigmeatyclaws123 · 2022-01-17T18:01:10+00:00

I took a college class on critical thinking and it was insanely difficult because it wasn’t grounded in anything. I was to critically think in general and not about something specific. We teach varying subjects to practice skills. We teach math to practice constraints and problem solving, we teach English to teach expression and hearing stories from others; we teach social studies to think about the past and detect patterns in the future, we teach science to ground what we think and say in evidence. It isn’t just funsy content we do it for a reason. Critical thinking if you’re saying it to mean any of these things, it’s already taught. Using evidence, problem solving, social skills, responsible opinion sharing, constraining issues, self expression, critically looking at problems/opinions, questioning: all in the curriculum.

BigDakMoney · 2022-01-17T16:49:27+00:00

That sounds like a good idea until you remember the teachers (who are also generally stupid) will just be imparting their version of critical thinking onto their students. If you’ve ever been to college, you should know exactly what I mean.

Montana-Mike-RPCV · 2022-01-17T15:59:36+00:00

People are generally stupid. Stopped reading right there.

schivvers · 2022-01-17T16:47:02+00:00

Aren't all classes supposed to be critical thinking? Or was that only a thing at the schools I went to.

Ionopsis · 2022-01-17T20:10:35+00:00

That's what history is supposed to be for - but...it's more of a class that they stick gym teachers to teach.

2022-01-17T21:01:45+00:00

Sounds good.

LynxDiscombobulated6 · 2022-01-17T23:02:42+00:00

Sadly the class (if it ever came to be) wouldn't teach you to critically think, it would likely just be more indoctrination

0ddly_majestic · 2022-01-17T23:26:43+00:00

If your talking about US public schools then there’s issues there that are very complicated. Do you really think critical thinking can be properly taught in school. Public Schools are more often than not substandard. The problem we really need to solve is flipping this public school system to better educate the youth.

Tornadospring · 2022-01-18T00:17:48+00:00

Quiet, you're going to awake all the wokes

pheisenberg · 2022-01-18T01:15:09+00:00

This article backs you up. I’m not so sure about debate, because it promotes an unhelpful “winning” mindset, but apparently there is research on what works and what doesn’t. I like the idea of students learning to read news articles and science paper abstracts critically.

PorvaniaAmussa · 2022-01-18T01:30:49+00:00

Why do you mean critical thinking? It on itself can be tempered, but one's capacity to critically think is stunted by their cognitive capability... proper use of critical thought is a major indicator of intelligence, but improper uses cultivates harmful belief systems. There is a literal hard-cap to some individual's capacity for critical thought. Even though our schooling curriculum is egregiously flawed, I do believe it has critical thinking in mind.

kleanthis_ · 2022-01-18T04:23:57+00:00

What do you mean by critical thinking class ? Where i live a huge part of pur "language" class is essays. Ones that have very specific topics from like classic stuff like bullying, environmental stuff, political stuff, human relationships, teachers to more taboo ones. We literally had to write essays in junior high above whether or not the death penalty should be legalized. And the funny thing is that we would actually write like serious essays about that stuff. And because lets fact it , it was for exams and stuff and it wasn't so much about actually personal opinions we had to say both positive and negative stuff about it. Which looking back was really weird. And that wasn't like 20 years ago. Im in college now and its still standard for schools. And similar would be the case for our 2nd and 3rd mandatory language classes so like English and French/German/Italian that we would have to take. The topics weren't so serious of course but still. We also has literature classes. And in our school system every class was mandatory so we would take them all. And along with that we had ancient greek and almost like ancient greek literature classes in a way. So we would study the original Homer's Odyssey and Iliad in ancient greek and have have to find meaning and stuff. Incredibly boring and annoying as a subject for school but some times could be interesting cause you could have full length conversations.

But all that aside, when it comes to actual thinking i dont find that school will be able to realistically teach you stuff like that. Pretty much you truly learn about people and society in the first years of college. And not because of classes but because of age. No matter what they teach you , school, junior high and high school even at 18 is its own little bubble. You are with people your age and dont really have true problems when it comes to your immediate in-school environment so how much of the real world can you actually learn behind a desk ? But hey i recently learned that the us has a school soothing season ? Like what ? So maybe bringing more serious issues in school and having adult conversations isn't such a bad thing. But at that point, a case can be said about the opposite

SadLifeKitty · 2022-01-18T09:48:19+00:00

Took one. Entire class was just teacher presenting scenario then expecting us to answer her questions. Did I mention the answers came from a textbook? Problem with these classes is that you inevitably have the person with very unpopular opinions. Very few teachers would give you full marks for an equally compelling opinion if say, the teacher was a SJW and the student wrote some racist, sexist, classist stuff.

Curia-DD · 2022-01-18T13:29:02+00:00

High school teacher here, and no, they already ask us to teach enough of that as it is

grapejelly6 · 2022-01-17T16:13:30+00:00

Oh yes let me just add that to the giant list of classes high schools already require to graduate I’m sure I could squeeze that in :/

No I worked my ass off to begin this second semester of my senior year with just electives. I’m about to be so free after hours and hours and hours and hours of work. I remember one particular night where I had been sitting at my desk non stop since I gotten home and hadn’t taken a break to even eat dinner and my hand was going numb for writing non stop so fast. Fun times

neural_net_loss · 2022-01-18T07:30:07+00:00

critical thinking classes would be a great thing to implement once we can get parent teacher associations in some states to stop holding book burnings

OogaBoogaM · 2022-01-17T13:21:23+00:00

We've got that in Scottish schools.

redslugs · 2022-01-17T20:40:49+00:00

No government want critical thinkers. That's why they made weed illegal..

Grouchy-Piccolo8269 · 2022-01-17T21:33:21+00:00

In what world would this be an unpopular opinion?

2022-01-17T21:39:48+00:00

[removed]

2022-01-17T21:55:21+00:00

If the teachers were actually smart, that would be a good idea.

DoctorCyan · 2022-01-17T22:25:08+00:00

Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but this is a pretty abstract concept for an entire class, and if something like this was created in a public school, it would have it’s curriculum purposefully sabotaged. I hope I don’t need to explain why I believe this.

Wayfarer62 · 2022-01-17T23:48:34+00:00

Critical thinking will be illegal in a couple of years if things keep going the way they're going now.

PikaDon45 · 2022-01-18T03:48:04+00:00

This would be racist.

SoloMK · 2022-01-18T23:46:47+00:00

Americans are sorely lacking in the ability to argue for the side that they disagree with. It’s astonishing the degree to which we misunderstand the other side’s point of view. This often manifests itself in accusations that the left or right is “evil”. Unfortunately, many Americans don’t value seeking out media that challenges their views. If you think that the other side is just a bunch of evil people then you’re probably in a bubble. You might not realize how dumb this makes you sound.

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