Can Teachers Truly Teach Students to Think Critically?

This essay addresses the question of whether students can be taught to think critically, arguing against the notion that they cannot. It highlights the importance of critical thinking in academics and personal beliefs, noting that many college students lack these skills due to spoon-feeding educational practices in schools. The essay suggests that teachers can foster critical thinking by using open-ended questions, allowing students time to think, and helping them connect lessons to real-world applications. It concludes that teachers play a crucial role in developing critical thinking skills in students, especially during their school years, which can significantly improve their academic careers.

Running head: CRITICAL THINKING
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Critical Thinking
Critical thinking has always been considered to be an important element for all the
academic disciplines and qualified fields. This essay is going to elaborate on refuting the
notion that students cannot be taught to think critically by the teachers. It shall explore and
analyse the reason why a student cannot think critically in their college life. With the same, it
would also shed light on hoe one can be taught to be a critical thinker.
Critical thinking has always been considered as an important tool, particularly in
academics and personal beliefs. It is a strong defence against the opinions and ideas which
are potentially harmful (Garcia and Li Wei). It has identified many studies that most of the
college going students do not know how to think critically and they do not possess the skills
of complex reasoning and written communication as well. Most of the students graduate
without even knowing how to shift the facts from mere opinions and make a clear and
concisely written arguments on a particular situation. The primary reason behind this is their
schooling procedure. In most of the schools, the teachers spoon-feeds the students
(Thorsteinsson, Gisli and Tom Page). They provide them with all the necessary materials and
resources and hence, making the students depending on teachers and other mates. It must be
the primary goal of each and every schools to enable their students to think critically but there
are some schools and some teachers who opt for making students depending as for their own
benefits.

1Name of the Student
Although, it is quite hard to make students learn how to think critically, still, there are
ways where it could be done. Teaching the student to think critically is a necessity as this
skill is crucial for living life. Hence, most of the teachers always search for interesting ways
for integrating it into their classrooms. It is to note that teaching critical thinking to the
students does not need long hours of lesson planning. All it needs is a curious mind and some
simple yet effective strategies. They must start their class discussion by asking some open-
ended questions to the students (Blessinger and Carfora). It would allow the students to think
of the answers in critical and creative manner without the fear of getting anything incorrect.
The teachers must give the students enough time to think about the things. It is to note that
narrow thinking is the outcome of rushing to give the answers to the asked questions. With
the same, a teacher must also help the students to make connections with the real world and
to look for patterns. It would help them in tying individual lessons to the bigger concepts and
trends and also to help them in applying those concepts with their daily life.
Hence, it is to conclude that it not true that students cannot be taught to think
critically. In fact, it is the teachers alone who can assist them in developing this skills within
themselves. School life is the best place to make the learners learn to think critically. If they
are not been spoon-fed by their teachers, the students are likely to acquire this skill within
themselves and this will help them in making their academic career much better.

2Name of the Student
Works cited:
Blessinger, Patrick, and John M. Carfora. "Innovative approaches in teaching and learning:
An introduction to inquiry-based learning for multidisciplinary programs." Inquiry-
Based Learning for Multidisciplinary Programs: A Conceptual and Practical
Resource for Educators. Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2015. 3-22.
García, Ofelia, and Li Wei. "Translanguaging and education." Translanguaging: Language,
bilingualism and education. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2014. 63-77.
Thorsteinsson, Gisli, and Tom Page. "How do practising teachers understand
creativity?." International Journal of Teaching and Case Studies 6.1 (2015): 61-77.