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Home School (Grades K-12)

"...the intellect, which has been disciplined to the perfection of its powers, which knows, and thinks while it knows, which has learned to leaven the dense mass of facts and events with the elastic force of reason, such an intellect cannot be partial, cannot be exclusive, cannot be impetuous, cannot be at a loss, cannot but be patient, collected and majestically calm, because it discerns the end in every beginning, the origin in every end, the law in every interruption, the limit in each delay; because it ever knows where it stands, and how its path lies from one point to another .
John Henry Newman, The Idea of a University, 1852

There is no more pressing need in education than the cultivation of the intellect.  This is one of the primary reasons behind the growing home study movement.  And, as John Henry Newman said, more than 150 years ago, education is a high word , and therefore is not to be confused with other things (such as indoctrination, training, socialization, amusement).  But such cultivation is no easy task.  Many materials available to the home school educator (and to teachers in general) lack substance.  How does one works one's way through the myriad instructional strategies, gimmicks, fads prevalent in the "educational" materials market today? 

We argue that the first step is to l earn what it means to cultivate the intellect , to engage the intellect in the process of learning.  In other words, we believe that educators themselves must develop their own minds if they are to foster the intellectual development of others.  When we have cultivated our own minds, we are then ready to assist our children (students) in this process.

When we internalize the basic concepts and principles of critical thinking we understand that critical thinking must be placed at the heart of everything we do in the classroom.  This is true because all content is understood by thinking, assessed by thinking, analyzed by thinking, internalized by thinking, modified by thinking, contextualized by thinking.  In other words, it is only through thinking that we can understand content, truly and well.  Students therefore need the tools of critical thinking to think their way through content.  Until they are thinking their own way through content, with discipline and skill, they cannot internalize it.  They cannot make it their own.  They do not understand it. 

We invite you to explore the resources on this page as a starting point for your understanding of critical thinking.

K-12 INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES & SAMPLES
The following complementary articles on our website are among those most relevant to fostering critical thinking in any subject or discipline and at any level.

Tactical and Structural Recommendations
Teaching Tactics that Encourage Active Learning
Using Intellectual Standards to Assess Student Reasoning
Making Critical Thinking Intuitive
John Stuart Mill: On Instruction, Intellectual Development, and Disciplined Learning
Socratic Teaching
Strategy List: 35 Dimensions of Critical Thought

HOW TO "REMODEL"  LESSON PLANS
The Art of Redesigning Instruction
Introduction to Remodeling: Components of Remodels and Their Functions
Remodeled Lessons: K-3
Remodeled Lessons: 4-6
Remodeled Lessons: 6-9
Remodeled Lessons: High School

MATERIALS FOR PURCHASE
In addition to the complementary resources above, we offer for purchase a Home School Thinker's Guide Set to help you learn the foundations of critical thinking and foster critical thinking in your home study environment.  We also offer several bundles that can be used in conjunction with this thinker's guide set. The bundles and thinker's guide contain materials commonly purchased by K-12 institutional and home study teachers at a savings to the individual item cost. 

For Parents/Teachers and Older Students

 Home Study Thinker’s Guide Set

Limited desk copies available for educators in paper format. Please email cct@criticalthinking to inquire.

We recommend this set for home study parents of Junior High/High School Students. This set includes the thinker’s guides which focus on the foundations of critical thinking. It also includes those guides useful in contextualizing essential critical thinking concepts and principles for classroom instruction. And it contains the thinker’s guides we recommend for student use.

•    550M: Active & Cooperative Learning, 3rd edition
•    595M: Analytic Thinking, 2nd edition
•    555M: Critical Thinking Competency Standards (For Educators)
•    583M: Educational Fads
•    585m: Ethical Reasoning
•    575M: How to Detect Media Bias & Propaganda, 4th edition
•    560M: How to Improve Student Learning, 3rd edition
•    525M: How to Read a Paragraph The Art of Close Reading, 2nd edition
•    530M: How to Study & Learn a Discipline
•    535M: How to Write a Paragraph: The Art of Substantive Writing, 3rd edition
•    580M: The Art of Asking Essential Questions, 5th edition
•    553M: The Art of Socratic Questioning
•    554M: The Aspiring Thinker's Guide
•    570M: The Human Mind, 4th edition (revised and expanded)
•    563M: The International Critical Thinking Reading and Writing Test, 2nd edition
•    520M: The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts & Tools, 7th edition
Retail Value: $229.84 | You Save $79.89

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SKU: Title - Item Details Price Add Items
05SET Home Study Thinker’s Guide Set $149.95 Qty.


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Kindergarten through 3rd Grade

The K-3 Teacher Bundle includes instructional design materials for grades K-3, elementary products for classroom use, and materials to help the teacher learn and begin to internalize the concepts of critical thinking. The Thinker's Guides included help deepen a teacher’s understanding of the foundations of critical thinking.

•    595M: Analytic Thinking, 2nd edition
•    350DVD: Children's Guide to Critical Thinking - Companion DVD
•    540M: Critical Thinking for Children, 2nd edition
•    401B: Critical Thinking Handbook: K-3
•    544M: Fairminded Fran and the Three Small Black Community Cats
•    542P: Masks of Fran, Sam, Nancy (set of 3)
•    574M: Teacher's Handbook for Critical Thinking for Children
•    541M: Teacher's Manual for 540M (children's mini-guide)
•    570M: The Human Mind, 4th edition (revised and expanded)
•    543M5: Think About Fran and Sam
Retail Value: $160.66 | You Save $40.71

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SKU: Title - Item Details Price Add Items
08BUND K-3 Grade Teacher Bundle $119.95 Qty.


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Home School Grades 4-6

Grades 4-6 Bundle

The 4-6 Teacher Bundle includes instructional design materials for grades 4-6, elementary products for classroom use, and materials to help the teacher learn and begin to internalize the concepts of critical thinking. The Thinker's Guides included in this set help deepen a teacher’s understanding of the foundations of critical thinking.

•    595M: Analytic Thinking, 2nd edition
•    350DVD: Children's Guide to Critical Thinking - Companion DVD
•    402B: Critical Thinking Handbook: 4th-6th Grades
•    200S: Laminated Card Set: Critical Thinking for Education (set of 6)
•    104B: Learn the Tools the Best Thinkers Use - Concise Edition
•    574M: Teacher's Handbook for Critical Thinking for Children
•    541M: Teacher's Manual for 540M (children's mini-guide)
•    570M: The Human Mind, 4th edition (revised and expanded)
•    543M5: Think About Fran and Sam
Retail Value: $211.56 | You Save $51.61

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SKU: Title - Item Details Price Add Items
09BUND 4-6 Grade Teacher Bundle $159.95 Qty.


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Junior High and High School Home Study


Home School Students at the High School and Jr. High School levels will find the articles at the following links valuable in assisting them in becoming more self-guided and engaged learners. We encourage parent-teachers to read the content with their students and engage in conversations about how students can begin to take command of their learning through disciplining the mind.

LINKS FOR THE JR. HIGH - HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
Learning the Elements and Standards of Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking in Everyday Life: 9 Strategies
Developing as Rational Persons: Viewing Our Development in Stages
How to Study and Learn (Part One)
How to Study and Learn (Part Two)
How to Study and Learn (Part Three)
How to Study and Learn (Part Four)
The Art of Close Reading (Part One)
The Art of Close Reading (Part Two)
The Art of Close Reading (Part Three)
Looking To The Future With a Critical Eye: A Message for High School Graduates
Becoming a Critic Of Your Thinking

 

 

Grades 6-9 Bundle

NOW  INCLUDES THE ASPIRING THINKER'S GUIDE
The 6-9 Teacher Bundle includes instructional design materials that can be adapted for grades 6-9. It also includes materials to help the teacher learn and begin to internalize the concepts of critical thinking. The Thinker’s Guides included help deepen a teacher’s understanding of the foundations of critical thinking.

•    403B: Critical Thinking Handbook: 6-9th Grades
•    200S: Laminated Card Set: Critical Thinking for Education (set of 6)
•    104B: Learn the Tools the Best Thinkers Use - Concise Edition
•    554M: The Aspiring Thinker's Guide
Retail Value: $121.73 | You Save $31.78

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SKU: Title - Item Details Price Add Items
10BUND 6-9 Grade Teacher Bundle $89.95 Qty.


High School Bundle

NOW  INCLUDES THE ASPIRING THINKER'S GUIDE
The High School Teacher Bundle includes instructional design materials that can be adapted for high school students. It also includes a book designed to help the teacher begin to internalize the foundations of critical thinking. It is designed for use along with the Junior High/High School Teacher Thinker’s Guide Set.

•    404B: Critical Thinking Handbook: High School
•    200S: Laminated Card Set: Critical Thinking for Education (set of 6)
•    104B: Learn the Tools the Best Thinkers Use - Concise Edition
•    554M: The Aspiring Thinker's Guide
Retail Value: $121.73 | You Save $31.78

Add Item to your Cart

SKU: Title - Item Details Price Add Items
07BUND High School Teacher Bundle $89.95 Qty.