3 Strategies to Promote Independent Thinking in Classrooms

3 Strategies to Promote Independent Thinking in Classrooms. Edutopia

How do we promote more independent thinking in children? Harvard psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi believes more independent thinking comes with better focus. This is possible, says Csikszentmihalyi, when children and adults are” intentional” and “self-motivated” in their learning. Blogger Margaret Regan outlines Csikszentmihalyi’s research focuses on the ways that “self-motivation within the classroom can promote attentional capacity in students.” According to Regan, “teachers can utilize three strategies to cultivate self-motivation within the classroom: sequence instruction, set goals, and help students learn how to recover from mistakes.” These strategies are not revolutionary, but I do believe they are the first steps in helping students maintain greater focus in order to improve their learning (and hopefully inspire greater independent thinking). tlb