The sad state of education in critical thinking

[LWolf]

4. If you want us to do a better job teaching critical thinking,

then join us in fighting the neo-liberal efforts to dumb down curriculum through high stakes standardized tests and scripted, "scientific" teaching "methodology" that narrows learning and thinking.

Also, start building in professional safeguards for teachers. In the current climate, the teacher is the scapegoat. Critical thinking doesn't suddenly blossom when one gets to college; it has to be nurtured from the beginning. There's nothing more likely to bring outraged parents to the floor, calling for the dismissal of a teacher, than encouraging children to think, to question. Why? A large number of parents don't want their kids questioning the faith, the politics, and the world view of the family. They are trained to obedience and passive followers. If they start questioning, where will it end?

I have had administrators pull books from a board-approved curriculum because it encourages questioning of the status quo, and they were afraid of parental backlash. I have had parents question my methodology when I did not simply hand out answers and procedures and ask students to memorize them, but insisted on analysis. I have had a student stand in my room, when talking about media bias, which is a state standard for that grade level, and yell, "You're not trying to say that Glen Beck lies, are you? Because EVERYTHING he says is the TRUTH." I never referred to a specific media personality when discussing bias. That student's parent then spent several weeks observing my classroom, trying to find something unprofessional to bring to admins. It was a fruitless search, but still...it's hard to foster a classroom environment of respect and intellectual risk-taking like that.

You want thinking? Back us up.