Critical thinkers are curious and reflective. They ask questions—a battery of questions.
I am oversimplifying it. But if those are the qualities of a critical thinker, then my online students—on a scale of one to five, five being the highest—would rate zero. After passionately explaining a theory about their interests, I’d ask, “Any question?”
Silence.
Am I glad that lasted only a few weeks, or I’d have turned comatose from frustration. So I accepted a short-term teaching load for a face-to-face class with 15 students. It’s easier to engage Gen Z’s when you are mask-to-mask.
Since this is the “me, me, me” generation, I thought they should learn to be aware of their environment, so they can think and write critically.
“This book, ‘Present’ is about students being absent even if they are present,” I announced.
“Huh??” That got them.
“This book is all about you. It will be the basis for your exam next week. I wanted to give them to you as a present, but my grandmother used to say that people never treasure anything they receive for free. So I am selling them for P100 per copy.”
“Aaaah?”
“But I am giving you a 99% discount. Pay me only one peso.”
“Oooooh.” Immediately they each gave me their one peso coin.
“Now I have P15. I will add P200 to the kitty, then ask for volunteers to give this money as a present to the first janitor you see on the hallway.”
Spontaneously, most of them drew bills from their wallets and pockets, saying in almost unison, “I’d like to add to the kitty!”
To say I was floored is an understatement. The kitty suddenly ballooned to P600!
“Okay,” I decided, “we can afford to give two janitors. Volunteers, make sure you observe his/her reaction and share it with the class.”
The janitors were in tears, and so were the volunteers (and frankly, so was I). The rest of their observations might be too sappy for you, so I will end it here.
But that was the day my 15 students gave me a present: they learned to be present. In addition, they became curious and reflective.
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