Huddled Yearning Masses: Critical Thinking

Our education system is broken. This is evident enough. There are problems with budgets, class size, standardized testing, and student achievement. I have thought about these problems. What is wrong with education? Why do we not value our schools? What is our focus and goal in educating our youth?

I became interested in education a long time ago now. My interest was borne out of a dissatisfaction with my own education in High School and beyond. I suppose its the classic reaction and reform model, but I have circled around the same set of nagging questions and suspicions about education. My early excitement in education came from a teacher at Saddleback College who challenged us to think about the material and not simply regurgitate it. Since he taught History I figured this is what my main interest was. Recently though, I have completed my Master's in Education and again found myself focused on the failing model of education in its present form. In fact my thesis was titled The Failing Factory Model of Education. It became clearer to me, though not clear, that my interest lied not only with History, but how it was taught.

With the ailing education system and some analysis of my own I have come to consolidate my beliefs about education and my place in it. My calling to History, education, and my ideas about how it should be taught. Critical thinking is a skill we employ far too infrequently. In my own experience I knew that it was missing. Throughout my education and experiences as an educator I have sought to discover what my focus should be. In this spirit it has become equally clear to me that we are, in most cases, blind educators leading blind students. I am no different. My own inability to employ critical thinking skills has hampered my own effectiveness as an educator and as a productive part of society. I could blame other, but really the blame falls squarely on this thinking, sentient person.

Going forward I hope to instill this essential idea: Critical thinking is necessary for our students to succeed in life.

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