Critical Thinking in the Elementary Classroom

Engaging Young Minds with Meaningful Content

By: Erin Shadowens

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eText | 31 October 2023

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Even young students can develop vital critical thinking skills when they have access to rich content, meaningful opportunities to practice, and guided instruction.

Critical thinking—evaluating and analyzing data to make informed judgments—is essential in both the classroom and everyday life. Teaching critical thinking skills in the elementary grades is often an afterthought—if it's a thought at all.

Veteran primary teacher and instructional leader Erin Shadowens proposes that students of all ages benefit when teachers expand the definition of what is possible by engaging young learners with real challenges and supportive, accessible learning environments.

In Critical Thinking in the Elementary Classroom, Shadowens
* Explores the concept of critical thinking, clarifies misunderstandings, and delves into relevant research.
* Introduces the Critical Thinking Framework to help nurture deep thinking in the context of content-focused lessons.
* Presents case studies of the framework in action.
* Shows how to apply the framework at the unit and lesson levels, addressing common instructional pitfalls along the way.
* Describes how a "virtuous cycle" of assessment and feedback promotes academic achievement and critical thinking.
* Illustrates how to foster an intellectual community with young learners.

Ultimately, this book guides elementary teachers in supporting students to think deeply about rich content, make insightful connections, and address issues in broader, more meaningful ways, both in and outside of school.