Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith:
Strong critical thinking skills help kids to succeed in every subject. Kathy, how can homeschooling parents use the study of current events to strengthen their children's skills in the area of critical thinking?

Kathy Privrat:
Well, Mike, if we think about a definition of critical thinking, we can define it as the ability to acquire information, analyze and evaluate it, and reach a conclusion or answer by using logic and reasoning skills. This is exactly what we do when we study current events. Students read a news article, answer comprehension questions about "the who, what, where, and when" of a news story, and they're also asked to explain why the event happened, or how it happened. Equipped with this information, they're then asked to analyze it to determine which side they agree with, and to explain why. Over time, students will build on what they've learned and be able to come to an understanding about the major issues that face us today, and think critically about them.

I think the key is not to overload students with news articles or to spend too much time on any one event. There will always be more news tomorrow! Allow your kids time to read the article, answer the questions, and then spend some time discussing the answers. Challenging students to defend their opinion with facts will help to strengthen their critical thinking skills.

Mike:
Thank you, Kathy. And until next time, I'm Mike Smith.