Thwarting Expectations: Assignments from a Critical Thinking Class - 1 views
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Alicia Bates on 14 Oct 11Jerry Herman explains the class curriculum that he created for a critical thinking class. He describes the three essays that the students are to write with the third one being a group project. The three essays are interesting and creative. The first one being the oddest assignment I have come across--the students are to examine a piece of fruit for at least an hour and then write an essay about it. This essay, although a strange technique, is actually quite remarkable for getting students to think critically. The assignment is described in detail in this article. This article was so interesting to me that when I reached the end of it I couldn't believe I'd read all 10 pages! This essay has also turned out to the the catalyst for my inquiry assignment. I'm incredibly interested in figuring out how to get students to think more critically and not just "follow the leader." I've learned from the students in my 30 class that they think a research paper is just a regurgitation of what other people have written. They don't put themselves into the paper and argue using their sources for support of that argument. Not only do I want to teach students how to think more critically, I want to be able to do it in a creative manner. I love the last few lines of this article, "I remember one student who, for the first few weeks, slouched in his desk looking bored. One day he abruptly raised his hand. When I recognized him, he said somewhat indignantly, as though the light bulb had just flashed on, 'I get it. You're not trying to teach us things. You're trying to change the way we think.' Amen."