Critical thinking refers to the ability to make good decisions and support those decisions. Critical thinking can be developed in children from a tender age. To effectively do this both teacher and parents can contribute. For critical thinking to be effective students have to be able to analyze, evaluate, infer, interpret, explain and self regulate. These skills are very vital in helping students to make decisions and in helping them to function as good citizens.
Teachers play a critical role in helping students to develop critical thinking skills. It is the teacher’s role to help students develop these skills by acting as facilitator to students and by providing them with the relevant questions that will take them to their higher level of thinking which includes evaluating, synthesizing and analyzing. Teachers can provide opportunities for students by designing various activities for students and using the relevant tools that will support critical thinking. Teachers can also support critical thinking in students by modeling and by asking questions that will get them to think about the process of their decision making.