Reading, writing, and critical thinking

As I think about the upcoming school year, I can't help but think about the many "moans and groans" teachers across the nation will hear from both students and parents as they, the teachers, implement activities that encourage students to think critically.

As an educator, one of the things I am passionate about is preparing students for what they will encounter upon graduation, both in college and in the "real world". One of the things that saddens me the most is seeing students who have no desire to excel. What bothers me even more is the fact that there are parents in our world who will allow their children to take the "easy way out" when it comes to courses, etc. This should not be so. As parents, it is vitally important that we encourage our children to continually do their best and in turn, to never give up when things get hard.

According to Mendelman (2007), "When your student starts high school, teachers have higher expectations for reading, writing, and the critical thinking skills. And teachers have a right to think students should improve. Recent studies indicate that the frontal lobe, the area of the brain responsible for the reasoning skills that enable critical thinking, undergoes development just prior to puberty. That means that ninth and tenth graders are moving from the black-and-white world of concrete thought into the shades of gray that define upper-level English studies. Instead of only identifying literary terms, such as similes and metaphors, students start to interpret what those techniques and devices mean. Essays replace book reports and arguments, also called thesis statements, take the place of plot summary."

Parents, as your children enter high school, be prepared for your student to encounter classes that require more reading, writing, and critical thinking. This is the norm. As students mature, it is vital that they are given opportunities to think critically so that once they graduate, they are ready for what the world will bring them.

Additionally, research is now stating that 1 in 3 high school graduates are unprepared for life after high school. According to Wood (2007), "close to one-third of all community college freshmen enroll in at least one remedial course upon arrival and 20 percent of freshman in four-year institutions do. They come to college without the basic skills required to succeed there. And high school students who go straight into the work force are just as unprepared." Wood (2007) also goes on to state that "more than 80 percent of employers said recent graduates were deficient in 'applied skills' like communication, work ethic, and critical thinking. And 72 percent said they were deficient in basic writing skills."

So, what does this mean for parents? Don't throw the towel in when things get hard during the 2008-2009 school year. Allow your child to be challenged. Allow your child to really think. Don't allow your child to convince you to take the easy way out. If you encourage your child to stick through it and in turn, work with your child's teacher, in the long run, you and your child will be happy that you did.

Until next time!
Jen

Mendelman, L. (2007). "From Hogwarts to Hawthorne". Retrieved July 1, 2008 from http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Hogwarts_Critical_Readers/

Wood, D. (2007). "1 in 3 Unprepared for life after high school". Retrieved July 1, 2008 from http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Ed_1_3_Unprepared_After/