Introduction
Critical thinking is crucial in all aspects of life. It also has significant applications within the scholarly fields. The outcome of critical thinking is clear. Personalities involved in critical thinking acquire deeper meanings of their experiences.1 There is a notable relevance of critical thinking in education and coaching. In a school system, students and instructors must engage in critical thinking. This paper discusses the significance of critical thinking to instructors. The paper also examines the meaning or responsive teaching. Apart from these, it analyzes the practical applications that can be made to Christian education. It is important to understand these provisions with respect to the discussed matters.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking entails the process of self directed and disciplined thinking. Basically, it strives to reason at a higher level and in a rational manner. Critical thinkers constantly try to live their lives wisely, realistically, and emphatically. Engaging in critical thinking helps people in different ways. For instance, it enhances the awareness of scholars and instructors to the flawed nature of thinking. Indeed, human beings can sometimes become inherent thinkers. People who think critically are able to conquer their egocentric interests. Furthermore, such people have the capability to moderate their sociocentric behaviors. This is because they are intellectually liberated. There are diverse intellectual tools that critical thinking provides. The concepts enable critical thinkers to analyze, evaluate, and expand their thinking abilities. Indeed, critical thinking enables people to conscientiously develop their rational virtues. Rational virtues include intellectual integrity, rational humility, intellectual civility, and empathy. Intellectual logic of impartiality and self confidence in reason are also attributes of rational virtues.
Critical thinking does not necessarily enable people to avoid irrational decisions. Individuals may sometimes commit massive mistakes in their reasoning and decision making processes. Critical thinkers are always aware of the opportunities that exist for them to expand their rational abilities. Critical thinking has enabled some people to remarkably contribute to their communities. Critical thinkers have the skills to avoid thinking in simple ways about intricate issues.2 Furthermore, they endeavor to appropriately reflect on the rights, needs, and entitlements of other people. It is notable that critical thinkers are aware of the challenges involved in expanding their thinking quality. Such people obligate themselves to constantly doing the simple things that escalate their self improvement. Critical thinkers are guided by the Socratic statement that “The unexamined life is not worth living.” This is because without critical thinking, individuals hardly examine their lives.
Usefulness of Critical Thinking to the Teacher
“The skillful teacher” must have the attributes of a critical thinker. Critical thinking enables the skillful teacher to assists in the development of individuality within the students. Students have the capacity to absorb critical knowledge. The significance of participating in academics is to enable them expand their rationality. In this scenario, the skillful teacher provides them with knowledge. This helps to advance their rationality. In order to accomplish these roles, the skillful teacher must equip himself with the relevant intellectual tools. Intellectual tools are developed through a thinking process that focuses on critical aspects of experiences. The teacher benefits massively from critical thinking in everyday work experience.3 Their task is to facilitate learning among scholars. Learning as a process at some point requires an assessment activity to determine its effectiveness. The teacher applies critical thinking skills in assessing the knowledge of their learners.
Undertaking assessments in learning environments is frequently a difficult experience. Critical thinking helps the teacher in knowing whether or not their learners have gained new knowledge. This is because the teacher prepares examinations which seek to assess the level of expansion of critical thinking skills among the students. Due to critical thinking, the skillful teacher is able to appreciate the importance of coaching in developing the aspect of intellectualism. The teacher uses critical thinking in fostering learning in diverse courses. Critical thinking has certain components that contribute to strengthening learners’ education experience. Consequently, this helps in the enhancement of transferability of knowledge. The teacher easily recognizes the significance of critical thinking during their instruction of learners. The skillful teacher is able to provide the learners with the critical thinking tools. The teacher also adopts an appropriate strategy for facilitating their learners. This helps in the development of learning efficiency. It is also notable that the skillful teacher may utilize critical thinking skills in avoiding fallacies. In addition, they might also apply these skills in creating awareness on different fallacies.
Responsive Teaching
Teaching may be viewed as an art and a science. This is because it entails diverse aspects. Therefore, the teacher must reflect on the course of their instruction. Responsive teaching involves an individual reflection of the outcomes of any coaching process. It might also be viewed as an important aspect of learning evaluation. Responsive teaching is crucial in classrooms. This is because it connects the students and the content in significant, respectful, and efficient ways. Responsive instruction is guided by the teacher’s comprehension of and connection with every learner.4 Furthermore, it focuses on purposeful instruction efforts. These efforts are aimed at enabling utmost individual development toward greater learning objectives. In order to achieve this, the teacher must engage in ongoing assessments. The teacher must also do purposeful planning and intentional implementation. There is an eminent need for evidence based instructional activities. This shows the credibility of the concerned matter as argued earlier. it is crucial to understand these provisions with respect to the concerned matter.
Notably, the responsive teachers engage in deliberate efforts to enhance their learners’ development. Therefore, they propose and manage all aspects of learning. Indeed, the responsive teacher undertakes to develop and control a learning environment which is important. This is because it escalates desirable relationships aimed at achieving success. Responsive teachers devise and control learning aspects that foster risk taking. These aspects also foster autonomy, develop collective learning encounters and enable success. There are diverse mechanisms of responsive teaching in learning situations. Through responsive teaching, there is development of professionalism and adherence to principles by learners. Indicatively, connecting with students is crucial to teachers. This is because they are able to deliver the appropriate content to their learners. Teachers must identify diverse ways to connect with their learners within multiple environments. The learning environment is also an essential component of responsive teaching. Teachers must ensure that areas dedicated for studies are highly conducive. Notably, different learners have varying concentration abilities. Therefore, teachers must identify ways of balancing their instructional methods. This enables all the students to benefit from the coaching.
Practical Applications to Christian Education
Ideally, both critical thinking and responsive teaching are significant. They have wide applications within diverse aspects of life. Basically, all learning processes emerge from certain lessons in life. Christian education is an important example of critical thinking in practice. There is eminent applicability or relevance of critical thinking and responsive teaching to Christian education.5 As Christians, individuals must have the capacity to be answerable to their actions in life. There is an increasing diversity of ideas and beliefs within the Christian domain. Critical thinking remains applicable in the analysis of various options and perceptions about Christianity. The present day challenges and innovations also threaten Christianity. However, with application of critical thinking and responsive education, individuals are able to make their resolutions. Individuals involved in Christian education must be steadfast in their work.
Christian learners must also be provided with accurate information. Critical thinking tools must adequately be applied within Christian education. This is because Christian education or other and teachings must have an element of consistency. The consistency of these teachings to the lessons derived from the bible and the life of Jesus is vital. It is crucial to understand the mentioned provisions with respect to the concerned cases. The credibility of these elements are considerable. It is important to observe these elements. Prevention of unnecessary controversies can be attained through these processes. Christian followers must observe the importance and application of critical thinking skills.6 Individuals should transform their lifestyles upon acquiring Christian education. This supports the concept of responsive education. Generally, genuine Christian education utilizes the concepts of critical thinking and responsive teaching.
Conclusion
Utilization of critical thinking enhances the rational capacity of man. A skillful teacher may expansively benefit from critical thinking. The students also gain potential benefits from this application. It is important to combine critical thinking and responsive learning in Christian education. Christians become more answerable and responsible for their actions. Apart from this, they are also able to develop their rationality. Critical thinking helps in the development of important analytical and problem resolution skills. Therefore, all people must learn to adopt and exercise critical learning skills. It is crucial to understand these provisions as indicated earlier.
Bibliography
Brookfield, Stephen. The Skillful Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1990.
Footnotes
1 – Stephen, Brookfield. The Skillful Teacher (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1990), 11.
2 – Stephen, Brookfield. The Skillful Teacher (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1990),144.
3 – Stephen, Brookfield. The Skillful Teacher (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1990), 71.
4 – Stephen, Brookfield. The Skillful Teacher (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1990), 122.
5 – Stephen, Brookfield. The Skillful Teacher (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1990), 141.
6 – Stephen, Brookfield. The Skillful Teacher (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1990), 234.