How to develop Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is very important because it is a thinking approach that involves skills like analysis, synthesis, and logical reasoning. It is also about being very investigative of different situations, seeking out different kinds of information to evaluate and eventually conclude.
Thinking critically is basically manifested thru the following:
- You determine clearly what the issue is about.
-You gather enough evidence or information regarding the facts of the issue.
-You examine the data that you gathered whether it is bias or not.
-You examine the logic behind the evidence.
-You consider different types of information such as first-hand accounts, statistics, factual reporting, etc.
-You look at all angles and analyze if all perspectives have been considered.
Adults usually have the better critical thinking tools than kids because of the information that has been acquired through time. It is best that kids are taught to think critically at an early age in order to instill in them a more investigative mind and a keen sense of reasoning out things.
When it comes to teaching kids at an early age, here are some ideas you can try out to nurture their critical thinking:
1. Be open-minded. When in a conversation, observe then ask questions later. Keep the conversation open so that you can get the child to think more. Ask open-minded questions then make observations. Through this, you can see how a child improves in thinking more analytically.
2. Discuss Two Sides of Reason. When your kid matures, he/she will eventually argue with you because of different information that he/she may have gathered from magazines, TV, etc. So when your child begins to cite reasons because of “that’s the system”, instill in him/her that this is not a great way to reason out things. Discuss the side of why it is not good.
3. Information is Not Always Equal To The Truth. Your child may gain different information over time but always remind him/her that not all the information that he/she can get is the truth. Your kid needs to know that information can be gathered anywhere and this is where critical thinking applies. Your child must be able to know which is the genuine information and which are just false statements. Encourage your child to research and seek out different forms of sources. Encourage your child to reason out based on evidence and not based on pure intuition alone.
4. Make Your Child Explain. Ask your kid how did they come up with that position or answer. This will help him/her think in a more analyzed way and become more aware of his/her ability to reason out things. By asking questions to your child, he/she will be encouraged to seek answers that will clarify and satisfy his/her position.
5. Respect His/Her Opinion. When you disagree with the point of your child, never bring him/her down. Respect his/her reason and try to explain yours in a subtle way. If you let him/her acquire information from you thru an encouraging manner, you have the best chance that he/she will agree with your disposition.
Critical thinking is something that you definitely need to equip each and every day of your life. The more you think critically of things, the better chance that you get to learn new stuff and acquire the correct information that is needed. Also, if you think critically, you have the lesser chance of being misled by other people. A sharp mind is always a tool for success.