Social Problems curriculum as a method for teaching students about thinking/allowing them to sharpen their thinking skills; build up their level of engagement as citizens at the same time.
"An Empowering Methodology"
- Strategy 1: Create a Safe Environment -- safe for risk-taking, safe for emotions
- Strategy 2: Follow Students' Thinking -- four basic questions:
- What do you know about this?
- What do you think you know but are not sure about?
- Where did you get your information?
- What questions do you have?
- Strategy 3: Encourage Collaborative Thinking -- submit ideas for group consideration, build on each other's ideas, come to consensus, then process these conversations with students. Important just like teaching clear and independent thinking.
- Strategy 4: Teach the Questions rather than the Answers. Pay attention to student questions, model questioning ourselves.
- Strategy 5: Teach about Interconnectedness -- systems thinking
- Strategy 6: Present and have students enter multiple perspectives -- debate, see how advocates of each position view the problem
- Strategy 7: Build on Sensibilities. Pay attention to intuition, to feelings, to ethical considerations.
- Strategy 8: Help students set standards and work from a positive vision of the future. Think about future impacts, broader impacts
- Strategy 9: Provide students with opportunities for acting on their thinking. Present projects, teach other students, do service learning. Local action or at least something where impact can be seen.
Qualities of Mind: Critique and Synthesis. Critique is familiar, but synthesis is harder to teach and do. Critical thinking emphasizes logic, dissection, organization; synthesis emphasizes integrative, global, intuitive, and creative thinking. Crit: Skepticism. Synth: Openness to new/different ideas. Need to nurture both.
Putting into practive -- professional development with ESRNational.orG!!
Hidden curriculum -- are student contributions welcomed and valued? do students participate in the problems and decisions of the school community? does the curriculum of the school place the school in an ongoing relationship with the local community and the larger world? Is the faculty encouraged to think together and work together? Is the thinking of teachers valued and do teachers have an influence of school decisionmaking? --------- Kaylea's thoughts: I appreciate the focus on informed citizenship rather than 'meeting the demands of the economy' -- more apt. We are already making judgements about the kinds of activities that are worthwhile, so pointing to the economy is not enough. The economy has a rather large demand for things that make people miserable or at least don't move society forward, such as human trafficking, exploitation, violence, pornography, and drugs, and yet no one suggests that we ought to better educate children to effectively participate in this activity.
Take 2
Notes from "Thinking in Context: Teaching for Open-Mindedness and Critical Understanding"
DM Ch 3 pp 11 - 17
By Sheldon Berman
Theme -- teaching critical thinking in an integrated/inline way -- part of the curriculum. "Nurtured holistically in the context of meaningful problems". Kaylea's counter-thought -- yes, except a 'clinic' with time to focus on the topic, alongside the integrated curriculum, might be more effective?? Might some types of thinkers appreciate having reference to a framework, then applying it?
Whole-language approach to thinking -- "a love of thinking, an ability to reflect on one's thinking and be open to new ideas, an interest in contributing one's thinking to help others and to improve society, and the courage to think through the most difficult and complex problems."
Not only good for education but also citizenship -- fosters a sense of being empowered and accountable to address issues rather than overwhelmed and cynical.
Strategy 1: Create a Safe Environment
Not risk-free, still challenging, but able to make mistakes and express opinions.
Strategy 2: Follow Students' Thinking
Ask 4 simple questions:
- What do you know about this?
- What do you think you know but are not sure about?
- Where did you get your information?
- What questions do you have?
Encourage students to reflect, write down their thoughts, and connect what they're learning to their lives.
Strategy 3: Encourage Collaborative Thinking
Brainstorm, discuss, cooperate -- need to submit ideas to the group, build on ideas, and come to consensus on the ideas that seem most productive, coherent, attractive, etc.
Strategy 4: Teach the questions rather than the answers.
Strategy 5: Teach about Interconnectedness
Network or systems thinking, streams of cause/effect loops, holistic thinking -- appreciate the system you are a part of and the consequences of actions on others.
Strategy 6: Present and Have Students Enter Multiple Perspectives
If we agree with a speaker, we are likely listening for the cogent argument they present. If we disagree, we listen for logical flaws, misinformation, things left unsaid.
To counter this, ask students to try to understand a contrary point of view and see some truth in it, if possible.
Strategy 7: Build on Sensibilities
Include feeling and intuition -- they are not separate from thinking.
Strategy 8: Help Students Set Standards and Work from a Positive Vision of the Future
What are the criteria for a good outcome? How will people by affected 100 years from now? What will the impact be on you/your school years later? **evaluate your own thinking, but also create a positive vision of the future**
Strategy 9: Provide students with opportunities for Acting on their Thinking
Teach other students, act on the problem directly
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