Enabling Critical Thinking
“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” Peter F. Drucker
This is a critical idea when thinking about how we communicate with teens. Here are some questions we can ask ourselves when talking with our teens.
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At the heart of Smart Choices project is a five step interactive process that uses real life scenarios and role playing to make healthy and informed choices. The five steps are 1) Be Aware; 2) Ask Questions; 3) Check Things Out; 4) Make Informed Decisions; 5) Take Action. Each step uses practical examples to introduce and teach useful tools like situational awareness, questioning, research, decision making and action planning. Together they create the Smart Choices method that enables individuals to avoid “crossing the street without looking both ways.”
The method is based on Jewish teachings and shows Jewish students how relevant and insightful those teachings are to coping with real life issues. As an ancillary benefit, those youth find that they no longer need to turn elsewhere for answers, reinforcing the pride they feel in – and their identification with – their heritage.
Critical Thinking is the ability to identify, analyze, and evaluate information to guide decision making related to behavior and beliefs.
In 2006, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Park University published a three-year study of 66 public and private colleges: while the overwhelming majority of them (89%) claimed that Critical Thinking was a primary objective of their instruction, only a small minority (19%) could give a clear explanation of what Critical Thinking is.
It should, therefore, come as no surprise that youth today typically lack Critical Thinking Skills: according to Dr. Donald Leu, lead researcher for a compelling 2011 US Department of Education study, students around the nation are not prepared to critically evaluate information, specifically information they find on the internet. Dr. Leu also highlights that idea that “Once they have made a decision, studies show they are less likely to reconsider or research other viewpoints.”