21st Century Critical Thinkers

No, the "brain map" here does not have anything to do with the real geography of your brain... but it does show the many different mental areas in which you can develop and grow! If you want to becoming better at critical thinking, then make that your goal, and work on it! The image comes from MentoringMinds.com.

Developing 21st-Century Critical Thinkers

Integrate critical thinking skills within and across all content areas.
Establish safe, intellectually risk-free learning environments.
Provide students with repeated opportunities to practice higher-order thinking.
Consistently cultivate higher-order thinking skills.
Allow time to develop critical thinking skills.
Promote academic conversations or dialogue that foster critical thinking.

Open-Minded
Engage in Problem Solving
Analyze, Reason, and Evaluate
Collaborate with Others
Reflect on Learning
Make Real-World Applications
Think Critically and Creatively
Communicate Clearly and Accurately

1. Think deeply to make relevantconnections
2. Ask quality and clarification questions
3. Use evidence and reasoning to support thinking
4. Analyze, reason, and evaluate
5. Interpret information beyond surface learning
6. Synthesize diverse ideas
7. Solve relevant and complex problems
8. Make reasoned decisions
9. Generate and evaluate options prior to making decisions
10. Focus on details to derive meaning
11. Apply higher levels of thought to real-world situations
12. Think critically on a daily basis
13. Use criteria to judge the value of ideas and solutions
14. Engage in reflective thinking
15. Follow problem-solving steps
16. Question the credibility, accuracy, and relevancy of information and sources
17. Well-informed
18. Willing to consider multiple perspectives
19. Seek new and better solutions
20. Explore alternatives
21. Examine diverse points of view
22. Value and respect ideas of others
23. Question what is read, heard, or seen
24. Assessconsequences of actions or ideas
25. Think independently and in concert with others