If students don't have a reasonable knowledge base they are unable to make comparisons and draw their own conclusions. They are, effectively, unable to do any real critical thinking. If we are unable to think critically, we are not operating at the highest levels -- whether in Bloom's taxonomy or in life. Because, as Berliner and Biddle say, "content matters," (bottom of pg. 30) we should be making a higher priority of providing real-life experiences (read: field trips), especially for our most underprivileged students. We mistakenly assume that we can only increase their knowledge base by filling their heads with knowledge (while their bodies are firmly squeezed into our classroom chairs). As Yeats said, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
Content can help guide critical thinking. It can serve as the foundation for what students need to know and build on their knowledge base from there. Critical thinking is important to help children develop higher levels of understanding and to become independent thinkers.
I find our mandated reading curriculum to be directly at odds with this statement. Reading fiction stories about kids ordering pizza on a summer day, presumably for an entire week, has no meaningful content on which to base any insightful writing or critical thinking. How much discussion can occur around a poorly written basal text? Critical thinking requires real events, complex situations, problems, and background knowledge in which to assist in evaluating the material to create a response.
Karin, you are so right! Perhaps our staff should talk about this before we get too far along in scheduling our PLCs for next year. I'd love to see us sitting down and talking about how Schmoker's book aligns with what we are (expected to be) doing. It's tough to receive mixed messages.
If students don't have a reasonable knowledge base they are unable to make comparisons and draw their own conclusions. They are, effectively, unable to do any real critical thinking. If we are unable to think critically, we are not operating at the highest levels -- whether in Bloom's taxonomy or in life. Because, as Berliner and Biddle say, "content matters," (bottom of pg. 30) we should be making a higher priority of providing real-life experiences (read: field trips), especially for our most underprivileged students. We mistakenly assume that we can only increase their knowledge base by filling their heads with knowledge (while their bodies are firmly squeezed into our classroom chairs). As Yeats said, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
ReplyDeleteContent can help guide critical thinking. It can serve as the foundation for what students need to know and build on their knowledge base from there. Critical thinking is important to help children develop higher levels of understanding and to become independent thinkers.
ReplyDeleteI find our mandated reading curriculum to be directly at odds with this statement. Reading fiction stories about kids ordering pizza on a summer day, presumably for an entire week, has no meaningful content on which to base any insightful writing or critical thinking. How much discussion can occur around a poorly written basal text? Critical thinking requires real events, complex situations, problems, and background knowledge in which to assist in evaluating the material to create a response.
ReplyDeleteKarin, you are so right! Perhaps our staff should talk about this before we get too far along in scheduling our PLCs for next year. I'd love to see us sitting down and talking about how Schmoker's book aligns with what we are (expected to be) doing. It's tough to receive mixed messages.
ReplyDelete