March 28, 2024

Learning necessary skills for critical thinking

Having the skills to check the source(s) and processing of numbers cited as evidence is a very necessary skill for higher-level critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making.

This is a major goal in getting education back on track with concepts — moving away from merely memorizing facts with no real understanding of them — so as to raise the skills of high school graduates, whether they go on to higher education (also raising standards) or into workforce training (where employers are short on applicants with higher-level skills needed). To date, Iowa educators have grouped with those who think like them, rather than diversifying their thought processes, improving their reasoning through logic, and questioning their assumptions (memorized in their own trips through school).

Iowa educators like to tout the high school graduation rate — No. 1 in the country — but fail to understand the low standards that create that number. Iowa educators tout rankings on NAEP assessments, failing to explain that the state has control over which schools and students are tested, another example of stacking the deck to look good rather than actually being good. Iowa educators like to tout Iowa’s average ACT or SAT scores, completely failing to acknowledge which students actually take these, skewing the results. Iowa educators completely fail to mention another indicator provided in the U.S. News annual education report: the fact Iowa students rank 41st in the country in college preparedness (and workforce preparedness). The inability to stack the deck brings out better information on which to base decisions, so why are Iowa educators failing to do this?

According to the website for the U.S. Department of Education: “Our mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.” This same web site says: all students in America are required to be taught to high academic standards; vital information should be provided to students and communities on how progress is being made toward those standards; accountability is expected; and more. Iowa educators fail at this by misleading the public and hoping most fail to have the skills to research the “facts” being used.

The Iowa Dept. of Education has just approved a source for teacher training. The National Institute for Effective Teaching maintains a basic belief that to improve student learning, students must be taught to obey older people. Iowa educators, unfortunately, still believe students are the problem.

Sue Atkinson

Baxter