Creating a Critical Thinking environment.

1.    Students share in the responsibility for classroom environment

§  cooperative learning techniques

§  group or class discussion leaders

§  project-based learning

2.    Teachers model thinking and support students as they share their thinking strategies

§  Demonstrate by …

-    Approaching ideas tentatively

-    Using questioning techniques

-    Promoting respect for different points of view

§  Question conclusions and encourage student to do likewise

-    Not only … What? Where? When?

-    But also … Why? What if? Why not?

3.    The classroom has an atmosphere of inquiry and openness

§  Students make predictions, gather info, organize it, and question conclusions

§  Teachers provide corrective advice rather than criticism and evaluation

4.    Students are supported, but also challenged to think independently

§  Pay attention to HOW students are thinking

§  Encourage students to investigate and communicate as they go

5.    The classroom arrangement allows students to work together

§  Focus should be on the students, not the teacher

§  Arrange desks in horseshoe or grouped clusters