Common Sense and Taking Action
Critical thinking seems too simple for most where the student has to apply common sense to their surroundings. I teach in the culinary arts and often times my students get caught up in the moment and forget what comes natural to them. I find that those individuals who think for themselves, rather than their fellow classmates over comes these obstacles.
Randy,
Good point and an important part of the learning process. Questions are gateways to discovery and growth.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
During part of my Army career, I facilitated two-week leadership seminars. As a facilitator, two of my key missions were to promote discussion and self-discovery.... and the best way to accomplish these was to answer questions with questions...the more open-ended, the better!
I agree Glenn. I am a Pastry Instructor, and I find all the time that students are so concerned with making the slightest mistake that they lose their ability to use their common sense to come up with a solution, which causes them to make bigger mistakes.
I agree with that I like the question for a question, one to see if they are paying attention and let them know they have to start taking action for themselves, I wont always be there to answer questions
I agree with all of you, co dependents seem to be a real problem, the more I ask my students to think out of the box and create. Just seem to copy my examples, no extras.
David,
I am a big fan of common sense even though it does not seem to be used much today. The more you can help your students to understand and use their common sense the better you are preparing them for the real world.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Common sense is so important for everything. When my students get stuck on something where common sense would help solve, I will ask basic questions. I sometimes get funny looks from the student that I am directing the question to because the question is so basic; I then proceed with my questioning and it will eventually lead to the answer the student is looking for. Students tend to over think situations and questioning helps to get the student to start thinking from a different viewpoint.
Paul,
These "learning moments" are what keeps us coming back to the classroom and lab time after time. We are helping them move closer to their career goals and that is exciting for us all.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
This is a great forum! I too have similar issues with my students. I teach culinary students how to bake. It's tough enough to have pastry students keep their focus but now teaching savory students a subject that they are not necessarily passionate about is at sometimes difficult. I love the moment when you toss the question back at them and after a brief pause, they come up with the answer. Most of the time the students know it, it's just buried in the foggy haze.
Sherry,
I do find the same thing happening with my students. Common sense doesn't seem to be as common as we think.
Mike,
I like this strategy as well because if we give them the answer each time they ask a question they quickly become dependent on us for the information and don't work at finding it themselves.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
when trying to get my students to think for themselves, I often answer a question with a question. I feel it makes them stop and think about the informaation they are seeking. and more often than not they have the answer.
Peter,
I am getting many of these types of students. It is a struggle to get them to think. Winnie the Pooh is always saying to his friends in the Hundred Acre Woods especially Tigger you need to "Think, think, think." Great advice from a children's story but needed with today's learners. I use a lot of case studies and try to get the students to develop steps they can follow to analyze and propose solutions to the problems that are presented in the case studies. A challenge but some progress is being made.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
common sense,with today's generation common sense goes out the window,if it does not relate to video games or cell phones.they just don't know how to use their common sense, because they take can not action
when they can't leave home with out their toy's.
today's students can not have a one on one conversation look you eye to eye as adults would do. their common sense level is below the norm.
and they don't know how to take action to help them selfs.
Norma,
I totally agree with your observation. Today's student is a different breed.
This just does not apply to the younger generation of students.
Many students no matter what their ages are, tend to lose that critical thinking ability when they enter into a classrtoom, they take on the STUDENT mentality and stop using critical thinking and commom sense.
Many times when our school has a In-service for staff and we have guest speakers , the questions that are asked by educators leave you questioning "Are you serious"? Why would you ask, or make a comment like that?
So the point being is that in certain situations we switch off when circumstances and enviroment dictates our ability to use critical thinking and to a larger extent common sense.
Paul,
Good definition that makes sense in may different ways.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Logic to me is akin to "OCCUMS RAZOR" in that when faced with any problem to easiest solution is the most probable solution...PAUL T. ROUGEMONT
Sherry,
This has been my experience as well. The more opportunities we can offer them to use and develop their common sense abilities the better prepared they will be when they leave our programs.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In todays society I really believe that the young people that we are educating do not have as much common sense that is necessary to help in everyday situations
