What Does Critical Thinking Look Like In The Classroom

The Critical Thinking Skills Toolbox was developed and written by Linda S. Behar-Horenstein, Ph.D., Distinguished Teaching Scholar and Professor at the University of Florida. The author can be reached at lsbhoren@ufl.edu. Checklist for Teaching Basic Critical Thinking Skills

• Critical thinking is the analysis of available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments to form a judgement. The subject is complex; several different definitions exist, which generally include the rational, skeptical, and unbiased analysis or evaluation of factual evidence. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem-solving abilities as well as a commitment to overcome native egocentrism and sociocentrism.

• Here are four dimensions of critical pedagogy (Lewison,Flint, and Sluys, 2002) that can be applied in the classroom. Disrupting the commonplace Interrogating multiple viewpoints Focusing on social political issues Taking action and promoting social justice A Great Example of incorporating Critical Pedagogy

• In Analysis, students can arrange, connect, diagram, illustrate, divide. In Synthesis, students can create, combine, collaborate, rewrite, design. In Evaluation, students can compare, explain, persuade, justify, measure. All of these words above have physical actions that can go with them that you can “see” students thinking critically.