If we tweak questions early on in the critical inquiry process, we will more effectively foster significant curricular understanding! Think of this when planning a unit using the backwards design model – decide on the culminating activity, or curriculum challenge as Garfield Gini-Newman suggests, then factor in the subsequent learning activities, or critical challenges, based on the specific expectations.

The transcendent question, on the other hand, should be a general topic that can be returned to throughout the course of the year using a diverse range of curriculum challenges.

Here’s a great tip – turn any list type question into a critical thinking question by adding “rank order from… or “pick the most…”! Remember to utilize the appropriate vocabulary, and more importantly, teach students unfamiliar critical thinking terms beforehand to ensure that the criteria are understood.

For example, you might tweak the following question accordingly:

…but how do you define “significance” in criteria?  -Think “Richter scale” in terms of impact!

1. Breadth – Did it have widespread impact?
2. Duration – Was it long lasting? Is in enduring?
3. Profound – Has it had an important impact? Or is it trivial?

Once you have established the criteria, you and/or the students can assess! It is KEY, however, that the criteria is developed before the curriculum challenge is presented, else students will simply “back fill” rather than think critically about the criteria.

Six Ways to Critique Critical Challenges

2. Judge the better or best - students judge from among two or more options

3. Rework the piece - students transform a product or performance in light of additional information or an assigned focus, perspective, genre, or change in audience

4. Decode the puzzle - students suggest and justify a proposed solution, explanation or interpretation to a confusing situation

5. Design to specs - students develop a product that meets a given set of criteria

6. Perform to specs - students perform or undertake a course of action that meets a given set of criteria

For subject-specific examples, check out these prompts and tasks to get you critically thinking about your own teaching practice!

To learn more, be sure to check out the following workshops presented by Garfield Gini-Newman:

• Helping Students Hit Targets That Matter
• Thinking about Thinking: Infusing Critical Thinking In Our Teaching
• Developing Curriculum to Nurture Critically Thoughtful Learners

I excitedly jumped out of bed this morning as I planned to attend my first of three days at the OTF workshop focused on Critical Thinking. Led by Garfield Gini-Newman, Senior National Consultant for TC², the course is intended to support teachers in thinking about the opportunities and value of using critical thinking as a vehicle to promote transformative teaching.

What is critical thinking?

1. A complex activity not a generic set of skills
2. Concerned with judging or assessing what is reasonable or sensible in a situation
3. Focuses on quality of reasoning -- transference is KEY for conceptual understanding
4. Depends on the possession of relevant knowledge
5. Can be done in endless contexts and is required whenever the situation is problematic
6. Is effortful, but not necessarily negative

Critical thinking is criterial thinking – thinking in the face of criteria. It invites students to assess or judge the merits of possible options in light of relevant factors. Thinking through a problematic situation about what to believe or how to act where the thinker makes a reasoned judgment that reflects competent use of the intellectual tools for quality thinking.

Teachers need to “tweak” questions early on in the critical inquiry process in order to foster significant curricular understanding. We need to create questions that invite divergent thinking in our classrooms!

What criteria can you use to assess the quality of your critical thinking questions?

1. Does it require reasoned judgment?
2. Is it likely to be perceived as meaningful to the students?
3. Does it foster significant curricular understanding?
4. What limits are required of the students’ background knowledge?

Here are a few key thoughts that stood out for me:

• Classrooms need to become incubators of deep thought and engagement through critical inquiry. Rather than critical thinking being the culmination of learning, it needs to be the driver for meaningful learning.
• Classrooms become true communities of thinkers when teaching and learning occurs through the pursuit of answers to authentic questions.
• Teachers need to become knowledge brokers rather than content deliverers – model for and guide students to identify relevant and credible information in an information rich world
• We need to problematize the curriculum – that is, take the “big ideas” and use the TC² model to present transcendent questions at the BEGINNING of the unit rather than the end.

• If we value critical thinking in the classroom, we cannot simply reduce learning to “right or wrong” answers. We need to create opportunities for students to find PLAUSIBLE answers based on visual and factual evidence in combination with their inferences and judgments.

I’m looking forward to continuing my learning journey tomorrow as we discuss critical challenges and learn how to more clearly identify and create criteria for critical thinking learning activities -- stay tuned!

Check this out: Critical Thinking Resource Package

Want to learn more? Check out these GREAT reads!

Introduction to the TC2 Conception of Critical Thinking by Roland Case and LeRoi Daniels

Critical Challenge in Mathematics by Garfield Gini-Newman

Critical Thinking in Early Primary by Garfield Gini-Newman

Critical Thinking Vocabulary by Garfield Gini-Newman

Developing Curriculum to Nurture Critically Thoughtful Learners by Garfield Gini-Newman

Recognizing Biased and Fair-Minded Perspectives by Garfield Gini-Newman

The Many Faces of Inquiry by Garfield Gini-Newman

19 Habits of Mind by Garfield Gini-Newman