They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems and make reasoned, ethical decisions.Critical thinking implies being curious, asking questions, connecting with others, taking a objective approach and looking for alternative perspectives. It also implies the ability to reflect on what you are learning, not just to accept what you read or hear but to question the validity of what you discover taking into account the attitudes of those who have created the information. Eventually our hope is that students grow in confidence and that they are able to form opinions based on their experiences.
While the PYP (and MYP) are frameworks, as opposed to a prescribed curriculum, and while the content is developed by the teachers in each school working in collaborative teams who discuss what is important for the students to know in their own cultural context, the important thing is that the subject matter has to be relevant, provocative, challenging and significant. The central ideas of our units of inquiry are timeless and universal concepts which should engage the students and challenge them to use their critical thinking skills as fully as possible.
Photo Credit: Port-51 by Victor Bezrukov
Great post on what it means to be a critical thinker and how the PYP makes that happen, if every school were so lucky to be guided by frameworks instead of scripted curriculum that allows for very little room for critical thinking!
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