The Instructional Context of Critical Thinking Development in Early Childhood Education: Theoretical and Curriculum Perspectives

The Instructional Context of Critical Thinking Development in Early Childhood Education: Theoretical and Curriculum Perspectives

Hannah Mills Mechler
Copyright: © 2021 |Pages: 15
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-3022-1.ch046
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Abstract

This chapter will outline the roles of teachers within early childhood learning environments and how they may promote children's critical thinking skills. Further discussions about how children's cognitive development may be fostered is also addressed. Theoretical frameworks are integrated as well to further decipher and understand how children's critical thinking skills may be promoted within early childhood learning environments. In addition, several curriculum models in early childhood education that are focused on the Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Tools of the Mind, High Scope, and Waldorf approaches are presented and applied to how they may enhance children's critical thinking skills as well as their overall development.
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Background

Children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development may greatly be influenced by their environments and experiences they gain within these settings. To begin the discussion of how factors within children’s environments may affect their critical thinking skills within early childhood contexts, it is important to consider how nature and nurture both interact to influence this potential. Children’s ability to engage in critical thinking skills may depend upon a combination of both nature and nurture.

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