The elementary stage of a child is the period during which their brains are most attentive to the surroundings and it is in this stage they learn the basics of some very important skills that they will utilize throughout their lives. Teachers, much like parents are responsible for nourishing their students with the best level of education that can effectively improve their analytical and critical thinking skills. These competencies standout among many others because of the extent to which an individual needs such skills in overcoming day-to-day problems and education, career and life.
In this article, we’ll be focusing on three effective ways in which teachers can improve analytic and critical skills in young children and get them in shape to face the world.
Begin with a question
This is not about posing straight forward questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Rather, the teacher must present the students with essential questions that requires them to really analyze the background of the issue and use their communication skills to deliver a comprehensive answer that covers the entire area of concern. For instance, when the children are engaged in Sphero activities, ask regarding what they think about the internal components of the robot that is visible through the transparent exterior. This way they will make speculations through careful examination and try to make sense of a system that is completely new to them. Encourage them to brainstorm their ideas as much as possible so that they can work as teams to make a collaborative effort to answering problems.
Books and toys
Teachers must ensure that the classroom provides the students with all the supplementary equipment they need to effectively engage themselves in the learning process. Books have always been, are and will be one of the most efficient sources of information and children must be taught the valuable habit of active reading from a young age. Classic literature helps build character while mini case studies related to real life issues of the current society enables them to really use their analytic skills to read, understand and apply what they learnt.
Toys are just as importance because they help refresh a child’s brain after a weary period of learning. But you can go the extra mile and equip the classroom with smart toys which both enjoyable and educative. If you chose to buy educational toys online Australia offers a range of great online stores where you will be able to purchase from a collection of smart toys.
Group activities
Children develop their teamwork skills at a very young age and it is often difficult to teach them these after a certain age (teen years). Therefore, it is imperative that they receive a healthy level of exposure to their peers, not just to interact but also to work together to find solutions to problems together. Loads of critical thinking goes into successfully weighing out and selecting one good answer from a pool of potential answers and through handling such situations, students will also learn to respect the views of others and not hurt their feelings.