martes, 17 de noviembre de 2015

Pensar con sentido crítico

Artículo breve, en inglés, sobre enseñar a los niños a pensar con sentido crítico...
Cuenta esta historia:
«When our older son Mark was in 5th grade, he came home from school one afternoon and said, “We learned today that the Chinese discovered America.”
“No kidding,” I said with sincere interest. “When I was your age, we learned that Columbus discovered America. Later, schools taught that Leif Erikson and the Vikings discovered America. How did they decide that the Chinese discovered America?”
“That’s what the textbook says,” Mark replied.
“Okay, but how do the textbook’s authors know the Chinese discovered America?”
“Scientists discovered Chinese artifacts in Georgia,” Mark said.
“Hmmm . . . how do they know they were Chinese artifacts,” I asked, “and how do they know how old they were?”
“Gee, Dad,” Mark said, with obvious frustration, “I can’t answer all these questions!”
“I’m just trying to get you to think,” I said. “Don’t you ever ask your teachers questions like this?”
Mark replied: “If I asked my teachers questions like this, I’d drive them nuts! They just want you to learn stuff—they don’t want you to develop your mind!”»