In my last post, I discussed the importance of adults setting aside ideologies and modeling “agree to disagree” behavior for children. While we can choose to debate or set aside ideas and opinions, the same cannot be said for facts. In the age of fake news, where perspectives are often presented as reality and outright lies are packaged as compelling truths, it is more important than ever to impart strong analytical skills on young people. Here are my tips for helping kids develop sharp and skeptical minds:
Focus on good judgement rather than common sense. We all know that common sense can’t be taught, because it’s something we develop through life experience. Children, and even teens, can become confused and get into predicaments that are easily solved with sensible thinking. As parents and educators, it can be difficult to watch young people struggle in these situations – but they are also teachable moments. The road to common sense can be paved with uncertainty and poor decisions, but only if we discuss where things went wrong and work on implementing better strategies.
Use play time to encourage exploration. While common sense is not innate, curiosity is. Though letting a child’s natural curiosity run wild can be a recipe for disaster, we all should be cultivating productive inquisitiveness in young people. There are countless toys and games on the market that target development in specific areas like listening to instructions, processing visual information, and working as a team. These are great resources, but not necessary for structured play. Pinterest is a great way to find games and activities, like these tutorials on how to make slime, that use items you already have at home. Guided craft and science projects can help kids develop and think throughhypotheses. Ask open ended questions at each step, for example: "If we do this, what do you think will happen next?"
Talk about the difference between opinions, inferences, and facts. A great way to help young people distinguish these concepts is through critical reading. For younger children, keep it simple. Use story books for examples of opinions, and stick to age appropriate non-fiction for examples of facts. Beginning in middle school, kids should be introduced to concepts like unreliable narrators, incorrect inferences, and deliberate ambiguity. These literary devices are great tools to help kids understand how – and why – information can be misleading. Discussing a character’s actions and motives encourages young readers to consider multiple points of view and think through assumptions to make logical conclusions.
Practice media literacy, and be aware of where young people are getting information. Let’s start with a basic fact – you should be monitoring your child’s internet usage and media consumption. It’s our job as adults to guide children, and this means being aware of what they’re seeing and reading. Young people are impressionable, so the predominant influence in your child’s life should be you – and other trusted adults. Don’t wait for your child to come to you with questions. If you see that they are consuming questionable content, start a conversation – and don’t start with an accusation.
It’s worth noting here that social media sites are working towards eliminating fake news. Snapchat, the most popular platform for young people ages 13-24, is particularly good at highlighting content created by authentic news sources. While limiting screen time is an essential part of raising a well-rounded child, the internet is also great tool for broadening perspectives and knowledge.
Encourage your kids to seek out information and ask questions. One of the key skills in critical thinking is knowing how to ask questions and where to look for information. Young children should be encouraged to direct questions to a parent or teacher. While older children should also feel comfortable asking questions, they also must learn how to seek out information on their own.
Wikipedia is a popular resource and a great example of why we have to think critically about everything we read. Though it’s fairly reliable (editors are required to use citation) and it’s ranked high in all Google searches, it is also an open source platform and susceptible to both intentional and accidental falsehoods. It should never be cited as a source in academic research, but it is a great starting point. Allow your children or students to use Wikipedia to identify reliable source material, and encourage them to write down questions they think of while reading the article.