Think for Yourself
By Peter Barnes

Since Socrates first posed questions to his toga-clad philosophers, teachers have encouraged students to think. We don't want them just to regurgitate answers from a study guide onto a test; kids need to rev up their brains and really think for themselves. We hear the buzzwords all the time: critical thinking skills, higher-level questioning, open-ended assignments – but how do we make thinking a consistent reality in our classrooms?

The instruction
Getting kids thinking doesn't mean coaxing them to come up with your answer. Sure, I've got a fantastic idea for acting out the Battle of Gettysburg, but I don't necessarily want my kids to come up with the same idea. It helps to build "thinking time" into your activity — anywhere from five to 20 minutes when students are just planning and organizing their thoughts before working.

Unearned praise can also kill good thinking. Of course we want to encourage our students, but if we are equally gratified by any and all efforts, how will we push them to stretch their brains? We must be encouraging and skeptical at the same time. Questions like, "Are you sure this part makes sense?" and "Have you really completed all the directions?" keep kids honest and tell them we demand the best.

The work
Kids often look for the easiest way to complete an assignment. For example, I once asked my class to construct bridges out of straws and tape to be tested for maximum strength. I had envisioned complex and creative bridge designs, each different from the next. What I got were flat bundles of straws wrapped with tape like caterpillars in cocoons. I should have set stricter parameters: straws may only touch at ends and only six inches of tape may be used for every connection. I should also have given the students more background information about bridge types. This would have encouraged more creative thinking and produced better results.

I've found kids need to know why they are required to think from the very beginning of an assignment. When we held a Congressional debate on gun control, we discussed persuasion and the importance of convincing arguments with details and clear thinking. Some of my students managed to sway the opinions of several of their classmates. They enjoyed discussing a real political issue and welcomed the fact that I wasn't giving them the answers.

Not all of our assignments involve higher-level thinking, nor should they. My goal is to ensure my students have regular opportunities to think for themselves. After all, I won't always be standing at the chalkboard ready to give them life's answers.

Peter Barnes teaches fifth grade in New Albany, OH.