My purpose here is to introduce Critical Thinking to parents for their children.
Why?
Because, as a math teacher, I encountered far too many students who struggled to make the connections necessary to solve math problems.
For some, these struggles led to math anxiety and, even worse, the feeling that they were "stupid."
And this is NOT what we want for our children!
One solution lies in the development of critical thinking skills which can start as early as age 4 in a child.
"A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success in school and in life."
Dr. Joyce Brothers
Join me in helping your
child build a foundation
for critical thinking in the
early years...
For Starters…
Read below:
What Critical Thinking is.
The Why and Purpose of writing 3 children’s picture books.
How important asking open-ended questions is.
What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking is simply helping your child connect what they already know to a new situation so they can solve a problem or make a good decision.
Examples:
The 3-Step "Bridge" Strategy
When a 4-year-old asks a question (or you ask them one), do not give a direct answer. Lead them across this bridge:
The Clue (What do you see right now?):
Direct their eyes to the physical evidence.
The Knowledge (What do you already know?): Remind them of a rule or a past experience.
The Connection (The "Put it together" moment): Let them put the clue and the knowledge together to find the answer.
Examples:
Scenario A: The Weather Mystery
Child asks: "Do I need to wear my rain boots today?"
The Clue: Say, "Let’s look out the window. What is falling from the sky? What do the sidewalks look like?" (Child sees water and puddles).
The Knowledge: Ask, "What happens to our socks if we step in a puddle with regular shoes?" (Child remembers wet socks are yucky).
The Connection: "So, if there are wet puddles outside, and regular shoes get soaked... what do you think is the reasonable choice?"
The Result: The child proudly concludes they need boots.
Scenario B: The Missing Pet Location
You ask: "Where do you think the cat is hiding?"
The Clue: "Look at the floor. Do you hear anything? Do you see that little tail wiggling under the couch?"
The Knowledge: "Where does the cat go when the loud vacuum cleaner is turned on?"
The Connection: "If the vacuum is loud, and the cat dislikes loud noises, and you see a tail under the couch... where is he?"
The Result: The child connects fear + location to find the cat.
OR, you can take a more direct approach by asking open-ended questions, e.g….
Scenario: Your child has just built a somewhat high stack of blocks and instead of saying:
“Your stack of blocks is so high. That’s great.”
say:
“What’s keeping the high stack of blocks from falling over?
If your child cannot answer, prompt with questions like, “Are the blocks different sizes?” “How does the size of the block on top compare to the blocks below it?” Sometimes leading questions are necessary until your child gets used to answering open-ended questions.
Simple Tools to Build the Habit
Use "I wonder..." statements: Instead of saying "Put your coat on, it's freezing," say, "I wonder why that person on the sidewalk is wearing a big scarf and gloves?" Let them connect the clothing to the temperature.
Play "What if?" games: While reading a storybook, pause and ask, "The little bear lost his map. What do you think he should do next?"
Validate the thinking, not just the right answer: If they make a connection that is factually wrong but logically smart, praise them. For example: "You thought it was snowing because the sky is white? That is such a smart clue to look at! It's actually just very foggy today, but I love how you checked the sky."
So, you see that critical thinking can begin long before children enter a classroom.
Every time a child asks "Why?", explores a new idea, or tries to solve a problem, they have an opportunity to build thinking skills.
My goal is to help you nurture your child's curiosity, confidence, and ability to think independently — one question at a time.
A “trusting” environment:
Critical thinking begins with an atmosphere of trust...trust in those close to the child who respect them and don’t make fun of them. When children are asked questions, especially open-ended ones, that prompt them to answer, the key to this is allowing the child to observe, make comparisons, and form opinions.
The child’s answer is based on the child’s experience and observations. Since the young child is learning, they might be wrong, which is OK. Depending on the original question, if it was based on fact (e.g., comparing a straight or curved line) and the child answers incorrectly, proceed to correct the answer non-judgmentally by demonstrating why the adult answer is correct.
Critical thinking skills ultimately aid in the development of logic.
Critical thinking also results from encouraging children to problem-solve through activities such as the more obvious, working puzzles and mazes, but also the less obvious as follows:
Pretend play
Science and Cause-and-Effect Experiments
"What If?" Scenarios
The WHY behind Creating My Books and Website:
I taught and tutored math to high school and college students for 20 years and loved it. However, students often asked me: “Why do I have to take math? I’ll never use it!” It appears that no one ever explained to these individuals that math is an important foundation for logical thinking and that the disciplines of math transfer to the disciplines of life.
There is a lot of information available on the web relative to building a foundation for critical thinking in the early years of a child's life. Still, I wanted a medium that more quickly reached parents or guardians. So, because most parents like to read to their children, I decided to write children's books with an emphasis on helping a child develop critical thinking skills that closely relate to decision-making and problem-solving.
The Purpose for Creating My Books and Website:
To entertain children ages 4-7.
To share with parents and/or guardians through the medium of books how they can help their children lay the groundwork for critical thinking. Note: I offer this information in the last 3 pages of each book.
To do my part to act upon a definite problem that exists with many of our students...that is, many children who are not prepared to “think” beyond what they are already familiar with!!!
By the time of middle school, many children find math overwhelming. They have often convinced themselves that they aren’t “smart enough” for the subject.
Ages 4-7 is a great time to establish the following attributes in children:
- How to think: use one’s mind actively to form connected ideas.
- Gain confidence and positive self-esteem
Examples of open-ended questions or statements:
Below are examples of open-ended questions to ask your child that encourage your child to "think." However, I do want to make the following point regarding your child’s interest in their future math classes.
Please note: Just because you’re using these techniques to help your child lay a foundation for critical thinking doesn’t mean he/she will like math, but at least when your child is learning mathematical principles, he/she is more comfortable with the process associated with solving a problem.
