Critical thinking is essential!!

“ Students need technical skills to open doors, but they need to be able to think critically and creatively to participate in meaningful and potentially liberating work inside those doors.” (Pg 19)

This quote is very accurate and makes perfect sense. I feel like due to all of the emphasis on standardized testing, critical thinking and creativity gets shoved aside especially in the eyes of the ‘system’. To encourage a child to strengthen their thinking and creativity is essential in life. If children are only to read straight out of textbooks and that is where the learning ends, everyone would be dull and boring. It is important to have the basic skills down but to be able to let your mind think outside of the box turns life into a whole new dimension. Exercising critical thinking skills can be a challenging task for some children. Sometimes it is just a lot easier reading a textbook and only soaking up the given information. I think that the author is implying on the importance of using and expressing critical thinking in the classroom along with the other ‘technical skills’ so a child is more prepared for the outside world. Not only would they be ready for the world but also by exploring their creativity will only aid them into leaning more about themselves. The author is also trying to emphasize the value that lies beneath creativity and critical thinking. It is important for teachers to provide opportunities for children to work on enhancing their creative skills, which will help them, grow. Creativity is also a tool to engage the students in the different curriculum. If a teacher takes an unpopular subject and creates a lesson that is inviting it will help the students absorb information.
There is a lot of helpful information within the first part of the book that will influence my teaching. First of all the importance of having a multicultural classroom and making it a place for others to learn about different cultures is key. Educating students about different cultures will lead them into accepting differences and will turn them into a well-rounded individual. Another great reminder is the importance that I have as the teacher to learn about the different cultures where my students come from.