Critical Thinking

Communication
 Why do we send
our kids to school?
Group Activity
 Traditional Classroom
• Content delivered by the
teacher in the classroom.
• Lecturing and reading
from textbooks are the main
sources of learning.
• Students are assessed
primarily on knowledge
learned.
21st Century Classroom
Teacher facilitates by
directing students to rich,
learning sources and asking
students to demonstrate
what they know and are
able to do.
For some kids, school offers a positive and engaging experience. For
others, it’s a boring, stressful, and frustrating waste of time. If your
child is in the second category, why keep tormenting them? Instead,
why not help them find an educational environment where they
feel genuinely motivated, excited, and empowered?

In this eye-opening book, Blake Boles makes the case for leaving
conventional school and taking one of the many alternative paths
through K-12 that exist today. He addresses parents’ major concerns
about unconventional education -- Can my kids still go to college?
Will they still be employable? How will they learn to work hard? --
while highlighting the hidden benefits of self-directed learning, such
as improved parent-child relationships, a more balanced decision-
making process regarding college, and a heightened sense of
autonomy and connection.
What change is
needed in
education? Group Activity
Why are 21st

century skills
important?
Group Activity
“All of these qualities—empathy, discipline, the capacity to
solve problems, the capacity to think critically—these skills
don’t just change how the world sees you. They change how
we see ourselves. They allow each of us to seek out new
horizons and new opportunities with confidence—with the
knowledge the we’re ready; that we can face obstacles and
challenges and unexpected setbacks. That’s the power
of…education.”
-Barack Obama, remarks to Booker T. Washington Graduates, Memphis, TN, May 16, 2011
Link to full speech:
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/05/16/remarks-president-booker-t-
washington-high-school-commencement
 Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is at the core of most intellectual
activity that involves students learning to
recognise or develop an argument, use evidence in
support of that argument, draw reasoned
conclusions, and use information to solve
problems.
Why teach students to be critical thinkers
Critical thinking skills empower students to think for themselves,
question what they hear, and discover truth for themselves. It may
start with a student asking a simple question -- "Why?"
As your students become critical thinkers, they'll set themselves up
for a lifetime of thinking and learning independently.
Example Critical Thinking Skills:
interpreting, analyzing, evaluating, explaining, sequencing,
reasoning, comparing, questioning, inferring, hypothesizing,
appraising, testing and generalizing.
 Video
Using Brain Teasers to Build Critical Thinking Skills
Teachers are to answer the questions in the video
Link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-9WmrqxZk1bj5uIGz3FUoHKhadOt3GyN/view?usp=sharing

Video Activity
 Critical Thinking & Creative Thinking
Creative thinking involves students learning to generate and
apply new ideas in specific contexts, seeing existing
situations in a new way, identifying alternative explanations,
and seeing or making new links that generate a positive
outcome. The products of creative thinking can involve
complex representations and images, investigations and
performances, digital and computer-generated output, or
occur as virtual reality.
 Bloom’s
Taxonomy
 Communication
Communication is exchanging information by speaking, writing, or
using some other medium.

Effective communication requires your students to convey ideas

quickly and concisely for others to understand.
This involves multiple facets of communication, including listening,
verbal, written, and even social media.
 Team Building Activity / Game

Groups of teachers are to go onto

the stage to play

Group Activity
One of the most important skills of a good teacher
is good communication skills. Communicating
effectively with students creates a positive learning
environment and fosters student success. Good
communication skills also enable teachers to build
strong relationships with students, parents, and
colleagues.
Five Ways to Establish Effective Communication in the
Classroom

1.Create a safe environment

2.Encourage teamwork
3.Don't stand at the front of the classroom
4.Use some active listening exercises
5.Be sure to give positive feedback.
Any Questions?
Assessment Link

Thank you,
Shady Masoud
Sources
https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/FAQ/what-are-learning-skills

https://www.aeseducation.com/blog/critical-thinking-lesson-plans

https://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21

https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-
capabilities/critical-and-creative-thinking/