![\"DeBono's](\"https:\/\/www.classcrown.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/deBono_hats.png\" "\\"DeBono's")
<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cLearn the 10 Amendments to the Constitution by Friday.\u00a0 There will be a quiz worth 20 points,\u201d the teacher says after she teaches her students a pneumonic device to memorize the amendments.<\/p>\n
While it is certainly imperative that students know the Bill of Rights, what good is it, really, if they can\u2019t think critically about why they were added to the Constitution in the first place?\u00a0 With state testing placing extra pressure on teachers to spend much of their time \u201cteaching to the test,\u201d teaching critical thinking skills often falls by the wayside in classrooms.\u00a0 But how can we call ourselves good teachers if we haven\u2019t taught our students how<\/i> to think so that they can apply these strategies to the myriad situations and circumstances they will encounter in their futures?<\/p>\n
Teaching critical thinking skills sounds nice, but also seems amorphous.\u00a0 How exactly does one go about it?\u00a0 Teachers who are determined not only to address the state standards, but also to teach their students the essential skill of thinking critically may find psychologist Edward De Bono\u2019s 6 Thinking Hats strategy helpful.<\/p>\n
The Thinking Hats strategy is a simple way for students to approach problems and ideas from different points of view and encourages them to think below the surface.\u00a0 Each hat requires the thinker or group of thinkers to contemplate an issue from a different perspective:<\/p>\n
White Hat: Information\/Data<\/strong> What information do we have?<\/i><\/p>\n What do we know?<\/i><\/p>\n If students were considering the Bill of Rights in a group, for instance, they would discuss what they know about the Bill or Rights, which may be their content and a bit about the reasons they were added and who insisted upon them.<\/p>\n Red Hat: Feelings\/Gut Reaction<\/strong> What do we feel?<\/i><\/p>\n What is my instinct\/gut reaction telling me about this?<\/i><\/p>\n When discussing the Bill or Rights, students might consider how they feel about the amendments.\u00a0 What would their lives b e like without them?\u00a0 What emotions would they feel if they were taken away?<\/p>\n Black Hat: Negatives<\/strong> What are the drawbacks?\u00a0 <\/i><\/p>\n What are potential bad results of this decision?<\/i><\/p>\n For instance, when learning and discussing the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution, students might discuss the drawbacks of any of the Amendments.\u00a0 Students might discuss the tension between liberty and safety.\u00a0 Sometimes more freedom means more risk, but to our founding fathers, liberty was of more value than protection that required the sacrifice of freedom.\u00a0 Do your students agree?<\/p>\n Yellow Hat: Positives<\/strong> What are the benefits of this idea?<\/i><\/p>\n What good would come from this decision?<\/i><\/p>\n With regard to the Bill of Rights, students might discuss how citizens of the past and present benefit from these enumerated rights.<\/p>\n Green Hat: Creativity<\/strong> What ideas have we got?<\/i><\/p>\n What are some possible solutions to this problem?<\/i><\/p>\n With respect to the Bill of Rights, students might consider if there ought to have been any changes to the Bill or Rights?\u00a0 Is a new Amendment to the Constitution necessary to secure present liberties?\u00a0 This might lead them to a discussion about how new Amendments to the Constitution are passed.<\/p>\n Blue Hat: Managing our Thinking<\/strong> What are our aims?<\/i><\/p>\n If students were to put on the blue hat in their discussion of the Bill or Rights, they would evaluate their own thinking and ensure that they have thought deeply and critically with each of the hats on.\u00a0 Did everyone have a chance to speak?\u00a0 Are all thoughts recorded?\u00a0 Perhaps the goal of the discussion was to help students think about the topic before writing a paper on it.\u00a0 Was the discussion adequate to provide a jumping off point to begin writing?<\/p>\n Other Ideas for Using the Six Thinking Hats<\/strong> \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 During Literature Circles: Have students discuss an aspect of the novel\/picture book they are reading using the Six Thinking Hats.\u00a0 For instance, if a character in the novel is trying to make a decision, the students could use the strategy to decide what they think the character should do.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 During discussions of history: Use the Hats when students are discussing historical events.\u00a0 Example: should the United States have used the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of WWII?<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To Aid in Class Decision-Making:\u00a0 Include the class in making a decision that impacts them.\u00a0 Manage the discussion using the Thinking Hats strategy.\u00a0 For instance, should tests be given on Fridays, or will students likely perform better on another day of the week?<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To Help Students Prepare for Writing a Paper: Use the 6 Hats Strategy as a method for brainstorming for a paper.\u00a0 Example: use to help prepare for the writing of a persuasive paper so that all points of view are considered and counter-arguments can be rebutted.<\/p>\n Free Printable<\/strong> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cLearn the 10 Amendments to the Constitution by Friday.\u00a0 There will be a quiz worth 20 points,\u201d the teacher says after she teaches her students a pneumonic device to memorize the amendments. While it is certainly imperative that students know … Continue reading
\nWith this hat on, students will consider the information they have about the topic and will answer the questions:<\/p>\n
\nWhen students put on the red hat, they will consider their feelings with regard to the topic\/problem and will answer the questions:<\/p>\n
\nWith the black hat on, students consider the negatives or drawbacks of a particular idea or concept.<\/p>\n
\nThe yellow hat requires considering all of the positive aspects of the idea in consideration.<\/p>\n
\nWhile wearing the green hat, students think creatively about new ideas related to the idea in question.\u00a0 They ask,<\/p>\n
\nWith the blue hat on, students ensure that they are thinking about and organizing their thinking.\u00a0 There should be an end goal in mind during the Thinking Hats discussion.\u00a0 Students should be trying to reach a consensus or ensuring that they are covering all important parts of discussion.\u00a0 When wearing the blue hat students ask,<\/p>\n
\nThere are endless teaching scenarios where it would be appropriate to use the 6 Thinking Hats Strategy to encourage students to think critically.\u00a0 Here are just a few ideas:<\/p>\n
\nUse this free printable for students to record their thoughts as they use the 6 Thinking Hats Strategy to engage in a discussion: Click Here<\/a><\/p>\n![\"De](\"https:\/\/www.classcrown.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/hatsWorksheet_thumb.jpg\" "\\"De")
<\/a><\/p>\n