Critical Thinking in Young Children
|Author: ||Davis-Seaver, Jane|
This research contributes to the field of study of critical and creative thinking, showing that children are thinking critically at a younger age than previously supposed. It clarifies Piaget’s contribution to the cognitive development of young children, and has significant implications for the classroom teacher and teacher education programs with regard to methodology. In addition to an introduction and review of the literature (including the theories of Richard Paul and Henry Giroux), the work includes an analysis of transcripts of conversations with young children about their thinking.
“Her findings make a strong case for creating classrooms that encourage independence, decision-making, problem-solving, and individual responsibility for learning. Her writing is clear and concise, without becoming too technical or ‘preachy’. I would recommend this manuscript to early childhood educators and parents who want to create schools where critical thinking is encouraged and perceived as capable of being done by young children.” – Gwendolyn Duhon
Table of Contents
Table of Contents: Preface; Critical Thinking as Education; Talking to the Children; Perspectives on Critical Thinking; Can Young Children Think Critically?; Conclusions; Bibliography; Index