Since I am fairly  new to the teaching profession, I am finding that I have lots of questions related to student involvement.  How do I get my students involved?  How can I convey to my students that it is very important that they do employ critical thinking skills and "take ownership" for what and how they learn?  When I first started teaching four years ago, I was so excited (and still am) about education but I was in for a rude awakening when I entered the classroom and learned that my students did not share my compassion and enthusiasm for learning.  I struggle with how to get my students to think critically and see beyond the obvious and to take a more active role in their education.  I look forward to what others have to say about this.

Thanks,

Natasha Molet Worthington
Administrative Support Specialist
Office of Research and Scholarship
ECU College of Nursing
Phone: 252-744-6453
Fax: 252-744-6392
Email: worthingtonn at ecu.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Cynthia Peters
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 12:08 PM
To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2187] Re: What do we meanby studentinvolvement and critical thinking?

Hi Jackie —

I've been replying to other people's posts, but let me make some
general comments here....


> Both student involvement and critical thinking in adult literacy can

> mean many things to many people. What do we mean when we say we're

> teaching critical thinking? How do you teach critical thinking? 


To me, critical thinking is about using your mind fully. I think to
have a true democracy, we can do with nothing less than everyone's fully
functioning minds. That means we have to work to make sure that minds
are not shut down by fear, by the feeling that maybe they're not good
enough, by the worry that they don't have a right to their own voice,
etc. Lots of msgs, in society (and in schools) instruct students to not
trust themselves and to not believe in themselves and to buy the idea
that *others* are experts. Teaching for critical thinking attempts to
counter those msgs. and reverse those tendencies.

> 

> What is student involvement? Where does critical thinking come in?

> 

To me, true student involvement has to go beyond superficial gestures.
For example, students should be empowered to figure out *how* they want
to be involved. 

Let me leave it (briefly) at that for now. I'd like to hear what others
think...

Cynthia
-- 

Cynthia Peters
Change Agent Editor
World Education
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Boston, MA  02210
 
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