Every parent’s average day is filled with a series of decisions that require critical thinking. Take, for example, something as mundane as a trip to the supermarket. As shoppers we’re making lists, comparing prices, analyzing nutrition information, creating menus, and estimating our total cost. Children are often with us for these types of chores.
What if parents shared and involved their children in the critical skills, habits, and mindsets parents exercise daily?
I was in the supermarket one summer with my nephew who was about to start the 6th grade. We were going to make brownies. As we were standing at the front of the store I said, “If we’re going to make brownies, we should also get some milk. Where is the milk going to be?”
He answered, “probably in the back of the supermarket.”
I said, “That’s weird that it’s all the way in the back of the store because almost everyone needs milk at the supermarket. Why would they put it all the way in the back instead of having it right here up front?”
His response was to shrug and say, “I don’t know.”
“I know you don’t KNOW, but why you to THINK it’s in the back.”
Parents are without a doubt the most powerful resource to ensure all students can excel academically. But in today’s world where children typically spend much more time looking at screens and Googling answers than they do playing outside, giving parents concrete strategies such as allowing children to discover, experience productive struggle, and embrace conflict can have tremendous impact on our collective goal to groom the next generation of 21st century critical thinkers. The question I posed to my nephew didn’t require me to do more work. It didn’t require me to prep any materials. I recognized an opportunity for deeper thinking and asked the question.
What if we could teach the parents of our students to do the same?
thinkLaw is proud to now offer an interactive, 2-part workshop that will allow every parent to leave with practical tools to be partners in critical thinking with our schools. School and district leaders will receive training and materials from thinkLaw to use with the parents in their communities. The practical strategies class is available for guardians of both elementary and secondary-aged students. Parents want to support their children’s intellectual development but don’t always know how. Let’s show them how they can foster critical thinking in everyday situations.
Let us help you equip your parents with practical, easy-to-use tips that any parent can use starting today to develop their child’s critical thinking skills.
For more information about partnering with thinkLaw to bring practical strategies to your parents, contact us here.
To order a critical thinking assessment for your students or to learn how your school or organization can adopt thinkLaw’s standards-aligned program that helps educators teach critical thinking to all students, please click here to schedule a time to speak with someone on the thinkLaw team or call us now at (702) 318-7512. Join us on our next webinar: Thinking Like a Lawyer: Powerful Strategies to Teach Critical Thinking to All Students
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