People think critically only about things they know from "summary" of Why Don't Students Like School? by Daniel T. Willingham
In order to think critically about something, you must first know something about it. Critical thinking requires knowledge; without it, you have nothing to think critically about. Consider an analogy from everyday life: if someone comes up to you and asks, "What do you think about this new policy?" you can't just start thinking critically about it. You need to know something about the policy first. You might ask questions to get more information, or you might draw on what you already know about similar policies. Only then can you start to think critically about the policy and form an opinion. This concept has important implications for education. Students often struggle to think critically about a subject because they lack the necessary background knowledge. If they don't know anything about a topic, they can't engage with it in a meaningful way. For example, if a student doesn't know anything about the Civil War, they won't be able to think critically about its causes, effects, and significance. They might struggle to understand why the war happened or what its impact was on American society. Teachers can help students develop their critical thinking skills by first ensuring that they have a solid foundation of knowledge. This means providing students with the background information they need to engage with a topic meaningfully. Once students have this knowledge, they can start to think critically about the subject, asking questions, making connections, and forming opinions. By emphasizing the importance of background knowledge in critical thinking, educators can help students become more effective thinkers. When students have the necessary knowledge to engage with a topic, they are better equipped to think critically about it. This not only improves their understanding of the subject but also helps them develop important critical thinking skills that they can apply in other areas of their lives.
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