Critical Thinking

Whether via classroom discussions, analysis of written text, higher-order questioning, or other strategies, learn and share ways to help students go deeper with their thinking.

Critical Thinking
Using Folktales to Teach Logical Reasoning
Having young students write a pourquoi—an origin folktale—is a great way to cultivate problem-solving and divergent thinking.
Classroom Technology
Lessons for 21st-Century Learners
Three ideas for fostering collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and creativity with easy-to-use apps and tools.
Game-Based Learning
Exploring Ancient History With Video Games
Using video games to examine the imperfect ways history is recorded and the ways historians work with incomplete records.
Communication Skills
Improving Student-Led Discussions
A look at some common problems teachers find when implementing student-led discussions—and potential solutions.
Critical Thinking
The Importance of Purpose in Education
Students can discover a sense of purpose in their learning through questions that lead them to think about their interests.
Critical Thinking
Frameworks for Reflection
Students get a metacognitive boost by pausing to think back on how and why they performed learning tasks.
Social and Emotional Learning
A Funny Side of Literacy
Analyzing puns builds critical thinking, literacy, and social and emotional skills.
Teaching Strategies
Bringing Wonder Into Mathematics
Creatively combining the Notice Wonder strategy with a numberless word problem helps students see themselves as mathematicians.
Differentiated Instruction
Extending the Silence
Giving students several seconds to think after asking a question—and up to two minutes for some questions—improves their learning.
Critical Thinking
The Art of Reflection
Portfolios allow students to regularly reflect on their learning process—deepening their connection to content.