An REE lesson on Critical Thinking – handout
0. Review: “Religions” are systems of belief and behaviour that come from and
lead to human experience of spiritual reality, or God.
1. Recap: The three spheres of study in REE are:
2. Discuss: What is the skill of “Critical Thinking”?
Philosophy of
religion – incl.
Big Questions
& Thinking
Skills
World
religions – incl.
Christianity &
other faiths
Spirituality –
incl. spiritual
experience &
ways to it
3. Discuss: What is an “assumption”?
4. Explain: the aim of the lesson
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5. Do you know what shape is made by joining the dots?
6. Do you know what the next number is in this series?
1, 2, 3…
7. What might it mean to say: “Knowledge is based on assumptions?”
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8. Do you know the total number of objects here?
9. Do you know what that is?
10. Copy & discuss the maxim: “The map is not the territory.”
11. Copy & discuss the Zen koan: “Do not confuse the finger pointing with the
Moon.”
12. In what contexts do we make or find assumptions?
13. Write a paragraph (50—100 words) on what have you learnt today about how
you think.
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An REE lesson on Critical Thinking, designed by Dr Nick Coleman, Head of REE SKR
An REE lesson on “Critical thinking”
– elaboration for teachers
Year: the practical problem-solving aspects are manageable for middle year students and
older. Depth of discussion of the further theory will vary according to year level.
Aim: to acquaint students with the nature and impact of assumptions
Outcomes: 1. heightened awareness of the role of assumptions in the formation of knowledge
2. improved skills of meaning-making and communication
3. enhanced ability to think critically and independently
0. Review: “Religions” are systems of belief and behaviour that come from
and lead to human experience of the ultimate spiritual reality, or God.
1. Recap: The three spheres of study in REE are:
2. Discuss: What is the skill of “Critical Thinking”? –
Philosophy of
religion – incl.
Big Questions
& Thinking
Skills
World
religions – incl.
Christianity &
other faiths
Spirituality –
incl. spiritual
experience &
ways to it
(e.g. being aware of assumptions – one’s own & others)
3. Discuss: What is an “assumption”?
(e.g. “ taking for granted”)
4. Explain: the aim of this lesson is to become familiar with the presence and influence
of assumptions in your thinking. Assumptions are crucial for problem solving. They are
what provide the basic framework for shaping information into knowledge. Assumptions
make knowledge possible. Consider the following examples.
5. Do you know what shape is made by joining the dots?
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Possibilities include:
(Assuming the dots are joined by straight lines, the most obvious
shape is a square. Other more subtle shapes are also possible
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while still using straight lines – see dotted box at right. Students
assume straight lines because conventional education favours
discursive reasoning, which is to think in small increments each directly linked by the
shortest distance – i.e. a straight line. Yet, we can also use intuitive thinking, which is
often referred to as “thinking outside the square.”
N Z X
5A. What shape might you get by “thinking outside the square”?
(If teachers neither assist nor prevent them, students usually work out that the dots
can be joined with a circle!!. If a circle is possible, then ANY shape is possible – it
doesn’t need to be regular or symmetrical. Think about it!)
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An REE lesson on Critical Thinking, designed by Dr Nick Coleman, Head of REE SKR
6. Do you know what the next number is in this series:
1, 2, 3… ?
(Assuming the series is linear (i.e. adding one digit), the next number is ‘4‘. Assuming the
series is Fibonacci (i.e. adding the two previous digits [Cf. The Da Vinci Code]), the answer
is ‘5’. Assuming it’s summative (i.e. adding all previous digits), the next number is ‘6’. Not
enough information is given to know the answer without assuming the kind of series.)
7. What might it mean to say: “Knowledge is based on assumptions?”
(Knowledge is gained by interpreting information according to assumptions. We can’t know
anything without assuming something. Different assumptions allow different
interpretations of the same data. Hence, several conclusions may be equally valid, given
different assumptions. In REE (e.g.), the different World religions might all be equally
valid ways of knowing God. Middle Years students can discuss Einstein’s dictum:
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Senior students might discuss Anais Nin’s
maxim: "We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are.”
8. Do you know the total number of objects here?
– Note: this is not a “join the dots” problem.
(Assuming only individual things are objects, we know there are
‘3’ – i.e. the dots. Assuming that relationships are also objects,
the answer is ‘7’ – i.e. 3 dots + three pairs + a three-of-a-kind.
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8A. Explain: to identify relationships as objects involves the skill of abstract
thinking. Abstract thinking is beneficial for grasping principles of connection. To reflect
on connecting principles is to think independently and make
meaning.
9. Do you know what that is?
A) Show the class a map of the world and ask if they know what it
is. The automatic answer is: “A map of the world.”
B) Point to circled area and ask if they know what it is. The
assumed answer is: “Australia.” Often encouragement is needed for the students to
acknowledge the circled area is a map of Australia.
10. Copy and discuss the maxim: “The map is not the territory.”
(Thought and talk about things in the world interprets those things and partially
represents them, but is not the reality of those things themselves.)
11. Copy & discuss the Zen koan: “Do not confuse the finger pointing with the Moon”
(This Zen koan alludes to the error of mistaking representations or indicators for the
things represented or indicated. For example: we may fail to recognise the difference
between what someone else says and means and what we hear and understand.)
11A. Discuss: “Reality does not come to us cut up at the joints.”
(Senior students can discuss how sense-experience does not provide the data for its own
interpretation. Our assumptions determine the meaning we make of our life-experience.)
12. In what contexts do we make or find assumptions?
(e.g. in all contexts of thought, talk and walk)
13. Write a paragraph (50—100 words) on what have you learnt today
about how you think