First up, the preliminary question before we get to Dr. Cabrera:
- From your history and personal experiences, before you view the video below, how would you define thinking?
Thinking is a unique process to every person. It involves using the tools available to you to decipher and solve problems right in front of you, hopefully in a way that builds upon itself.
- What is your reaction to Dr. Cabera's ideas about thinking skills and teaching thinking skills?
I mostly agree with what Dr. Cabrera defined as thinking. He mostly put it in his own words without conflicting my core belief of what it means to think. I found it surprising, however, when he brought up the "global effect" of our education system that does not prepare kids for life. It's apparent that critical analysis is lacking in our education system, and hopefully using proper techniques to build upon the process of thinking will remedy this problem.
- How do your experiences with formal schooling compare with his description?
I relate deeply to this theory of what is happening in education today. I have felt sometimes that I am unprepared to think or study correctly in order to get good grades in college. And unfortunately, it's a problem of how I was allowed for so many years to get away with taking shortcuts in math or not being as problem-solving with word problems because I found patterns before I found the methods.
- What implications can you envision if we were to apply his ideas broadly to formal schooling?
Thinking skills need to be applied more broadly in our schools. The current system of teaching for tests or formal instruction with no discovery is not working long term, and it's hurting our overall understanding of math and science.
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