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6-The Canadien Champion, Friday, January 9, 19W8, SOPINION Box 248, 191Main St.E. JMilton, Ont. L9T 4N9 (905),878-2341 Fax:878-2364 Classified: 875-3300 Ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver Asaîiaeie Publihrr Dvid Bos General Manager Rob Kelly Edfor Karen Huisman Cîrculauîrrn Manager Teri Casas Oýffïce Manager Tim Coles Production Manager The Canadian Champion, published every Tuesday and Saturday at 191 Main St, E., Miton, Ont., L9T 4N9 (Box 248), is ose ut The Metroland Printing, Pubfîsh-ing & Dstributing Ltd group of sijburtan corrpanifs ahrrci iriirdr's, A d r F'k,r iùNt ,s' Arvý,I'rr Is[îrr rura I Uulwrî ir Advirrr.u Brampton Guardian, Burlington Post,' City Parent,' Collingwood / Wasaga Connection, East York Mrror, Etobicoke Guardian, Georgetown Indepeodent/ Acton Free Press, Kingson This Week, Lindsay This Week, Markham Econnmist & Sun; Midland / Penletanguishene Mrror, Mssissauga News; Newmarket / Aurora Era Banner: Northumberland News: North York Mirrnr, Oakville Beaver, Orilia Tuday; Osbawa / Whitby I Clarington Port Perry This Week: Peterbor- ough This Week, Richmond Hllii/ Thornhill Vaughan Lîberal, Scarborough Mirror, Uobridge I Stouffoitie Tribune; Today's Seniors. Advertsing is accepted on the condition that, in the enent nf a typographical error, that portion of the adnertising space occiipied by the erroneous itemn, together wth a reaunnable alfowance for signature, wiii not be charged for, bot the bafance ut the adoertisement iii be paid for t the applicable rate. The pub- fsher rouervns the rîght to categorize adortisements or dectîne. Kids need help using noodie We are daing a lousy jab ai teaching aur chul- dren ta think. A symposium an criticai thinking ai the annu- ai conventian of the American Psychaiogical Association lasi sommer makes for some preîîy scary reading. If yau have a child in irsi ar second grade, ask them the faiiawing riddie: "There are 26 goats and 10 sheep an a ship. Haw aid is the captain?" Mast children ai ibis age answered 36. Mare advanced riddies were designed thraugh flth grade wiib similar resuits. The generai pattemn is that mast students iailed ta, recagnize wben crucial information is miss- ing, wbich infarmation is relevant (and irrele- vant), and how ta aperate on the informatian given. Chiidren are capable ai iearning ta îthink criti- cally. It's just that some allier tbings get in the way, accardîng ta researchers. In particular, aur kids tend ta be: Il Impulsive -- They respond before tbey have thougbt it througb; e Narrow -- They look only ai iimîted information or have anly one approach ta saiving a prablem; 0 Hazy -- They tend ta act before tbey fdliy understand the probiem; - Sprawling -- Thley tend ta flit about in their tbinking withaut a plan or strategy. Wbat is a critical thinker? A critical tbinker seeks a deeper level ai understand- t Psychology in the -p90s Hundreda of warshippers crawded inta Boston Preabyterian Church in December, 1975 ta celebrate the church's 23rd annual Nativity service. Blue-robeci chair mnembers held candles. From left ta right are Nancy McKenzie, Norm Andersan, Grace Andersan, Joyce Head, Mari Clement and Marj Anderson. Another Chr'àVbýistmas at cottage Are yau ready far the cattage Christmas rehash? Most wondrous Christmas tree -- Despite snide camments irom aur mare traditianai rela- tives and neighbaurs, we da lave aur tail, spindiy cedar tree. Tagether as a iamiiy, we traipsed through the waads on Christmas Eve maming in search ai aur festive tree and setîled on ane grawing oui ai a law, racky cliii aver- laoking aur cattage. Simply decarated, it rises majesîicaiiy ta the cathedral ceiiing an aur livin- groom. Most welcome Christmas wrapper -- Our i l-year-aid relishes the naveity ai wrapping presents, sa apart irom bis stacking gits, we handed ail the bundles aver ta him ibis year. Most unexpected Christmas departure -- Our son, the university student, who apparentiy is no langer drawn ta the hub ai the iamiily, duti- fuily spent Christmas Eve at bis grandmother's for the firsi gift-opening session then part ai Christmas moming daing likewise ai aur cottage before announcing bis decision ta farega the iamiiy dinner and leave a day eariier than expected ta head for points west ta jain bis girl- friend for the holiday. So much for holiday ties. He'll evenîuaily be back, but only ta drap off bubby's car. Most unexpected Christmas arrivai -- On Christmas Day in the aiternoon, twa cald, weî and bedraggied dogs appeared oui ai nawhere. Hubby invited them inta bis heaîed warksbop On the Ho mefron t wbere they seemed content ta rest. He caliled the number on their tags. No one was at home sa he left a message ta cal] us ai bis mam's where we would be eating Christmas dinner. Around 8 that nighî, a reiieved owner phoned back and said he was an his way. We drave back ta aur cottage sa we could witness the happy reunion af dags and master. The father/son cambo had been an the loose for three days wandering many miles cross-country. Most temporary Chriistmas guest -- Unable ta keep ber kitten ai my mother-in-Iaw's because af a masi inhaspitable cat wha miles the raost in that hause, my sister-în-law drapped aoff ber 11- week-old, black furbail ai aur cottage ta enter- tain us and terrarize aur gmown cats wha eiîher kepi their distance or paid the price. Satin was ber name, but we tried oui other names taa: Satan (hubby's perverse chaice), Scaoter, Nefertiti and Yada. She respanded ta nathing but ber inner.manic vaices. She went absolutely berserk Christmas maming, attacking every sin- gle scrap ai wrapping paper. Most appreciated Christmas guesi -- My sister willingly waltzed into the kitchen and caoked aur dinners. Even though she is a vege- tarian, she didn't complain about frying up meat for us carnivores. She moved beyond aur usual bil aio fare -- pasta -- and spent hours whipping up chocolate truffies. Most memorable Christmas walk -- Crunching through the snow on the fmzen lake and gazing up ai the siar-foiled sky. - Open-niindedness -- Kids must be encaur- aged ta explore options and altemnatives befare they draw any conclusions. It daesn't malter wheîher it is Canadian bistary, health care ar interpreting a facial expressian ai a fnend. We shouid explore how athers interpret and critique it befare we aci on aur impression. - Intellectuel curiosity -- Kids shauid be encauraged ta wander about things around tbem, probe further, ask questians, laak far incansis- "Children are capable of - learning to thlnk critikafly. It'sjust that some other thIngs get in S 1the way."l *Ma. mamm ing about a subjeci. If it's a math prablero, he wants ta know several ways ai solving the prob- lem. If she's reading a newspaper, she's weigh- ing the assumptians and arguments, checking for bias, playing devi's advocate ta see if that can make more sense. As the world becomes more complex - social- ly, technologically and poli ticaily - critical think- ing becomes mare important. It is a skill that will serve a child weil in vîrtually any profession ormlationship. Hware you gaing ta teach your child ta think critically? I thought you'd neyer ask. The j-researchers describe eight main ingredients in the teaching ai critical thinking: tencies, conduct research an thingsofa interest ta them. It mus( be prampted, guided and praised, and it must be done often. -Understanding -- Kids shouid leamn how ta draw inferences ta idenîiiy broader concepts. They must understand the con- ceptuai bases ai rules, wheîher they be math or moral rmIes. -Plan ning/stra tegy -- Since mosi jobs in the 21 si part ai a team, it will be mare important than ever ta learn haw ta arganîze and strategize. Kîds can practice by deveioping sîrategies for beating the other saccer team, arganizing a skit or preparing a debate -- each involving a prab- lem ta salve, utilization ai available resources and strategies for prablem salving. -Inteliectual carefulness -- Our kids are not as a mile very thorough, careflul or concemned far accuracy. We need ta teach them ta check their facis, edit their awn work and be precise in their statements. Thiese campanents ai critical thinking are like muscles. They need ta, be practiced and naur- ished regularly in order ta grow and fiourish. Looking Back . --j 1