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Camp: Critical Thinking, Building & Framing Great Arguments for Pre Teens

Completed by 94 learners
Ages 9-14
Live Group Course
Do you like to argue? This is a 4-session class on decision-making and recognizing bad arguments.
Average rating:
4.6
Number of reviews:
(396 reviews)

Live video meetings
4x per week, 1 week
3-12 learners per class
45 min

What's included

4 live meetings
3 in-class hours
Homework
1-2 hours per week. • 3 Quizzes reviewing the main points of the previous class teaching topic and book review. • Class presentation and written summary following the framework assigned. • Class participation in discussions.
Assessment
• 3 quizzes (40%) • Participation in the class discussion (30%) • Student presentation and written summary (30%)

Class Experience

US Grade 4 - 7
My Teaching Methodology and Practice
I believe the point of teaching is the learning process. My teaching method uses a combination of several elements, with attention to the age group of the class, in order to make the learning process as strong as possible. I include a PowerPoint presentation, a text (that I summarize - usually the 3 main points), personal stories to make either a good point or to make the wrong choice clear, occasionally I used a brief video clip to introduce the topic, use a Socratic question teaching approach, summarize/quiz about the main points of the class content 2-3 times during a class, randomly call on students to answer a question (rather than just have kids raise hands to keep everyone engaged), and include a student presentation project with a written component - that coincides with the topic theory (for the multi-day sessions). I always speak to class lecture items that should go down in notes I ask all students to take during class and typically hand out a note-taking sheet. Specific details of the class sessions are outlined below. 

Class Session #1, “Mindlessness”
1.	The text we will review and discuss: Amusing Ourselves to Death, Neil Postman 
2.	Session Topics:
•	What is “amusing ourselves to death?”
•	The benefits and problems of “mindlessness.”
•	American literacy rate? What's the average reading level for publications?
•	What are the effects of mindlessness on your: education, reading, relationships?
3.	Case Study #1: The story and end of Socrates.
4.	Class Presentation & Written Assignment (due for final class)
•	“Amusing Ourselves” problem – 5 examples.
•	“Critical Thinking” when reading, “Level 3” – 5 examples (1x) for children lit, teen lit, religious lit, music, and politics.
•	Logic Fallacies – 10 examples (1 for each of the top 10)

Class Session #2, “Critical Thinking”
1.	The text we will review and discuss: How to Read a Book, Adler
2.	Session Topics
•	What’s “critical thinking?” 
•	Mike’s simplified, “4 Levels of Reading.”
•	How does critical thinking fit in with reading? 
•	Does the critical thinking model (when reading) fit as well for writing? speaking?
3.	Case Study #2: Harry Potter vs LOTR books. 
4.	Review of Class Presentation & Written Assignment (due for final class)
•	“Amusing Ourselves” problem – 5 examples.
•	“Critical Thinking” when reading, “Level 3” – 5 examples (1x) for children lit, teen lit, religious lit, music, and politics.
•	Logic Fallacies – 10 examples (1 for each of the top 10)
5.	Quiz #1, covering “Mindlessness” and class #1 lecture/discussion.

Class Session #3, “Logic Fallacies”
1.	The text we will review and discuss: Mastering Logical Fallacies, Withey
2.	Session Topics 
•	What’s a "logical fallacy?"
•	Top 10 logic fallacies: spotting them and how to respond.
3.	Case Study: Covid19 Logic Fallacies.
4.	Review of Class Presentation & Written Assignment (due for final class)
•	“Amusing Ourselves” problem – 5 examples.
•	“Critical Thinking” when reading, “Level 3” – 5 examples (1x) for children lit, teen lit, religious lit, music, and politics.
•	Logic Fallacies – 10 examples (1 for each of the top 10)
5.	Quiz #2, covering “Critical Thinking” and class #2 lecture/discussion.

Class Session #4, Presentations
1.	Session Topics
•	3 Main Points of “Amusing Ourselves to Death” book? 
•	3 Main Points of “How to Read a Book” (Mike’s 4 Levels of Reading Simpler version)?
•	3 Main Points of “Mastering Logical Fallacies” book?
2.	Student Presentations & Written Assignments
3.	Quiz #3, covering “Logic Fallacies” and class #3 lecture/discussion.

Learning Goals

It’s my goal that students will gain an understanding of the following. 

(1)	Problems and benefits of engaged learning.
(2)	Critical thinking steps before forming an opinion.
(3)	Spotting logic fallacies – and framing their thoughts with sound logic.
(4)	How these principles play out when reading, hearing lectures, and speaking.

Other Details

Parental Guidance
None.
Supply List
I will review and summarize these books in class. It’s optional to read them. 
•	Amusing Ourselves to Death, Postman 
•	How to Read a Book, Adler
•	Mastering Logical Fallacies, Withey
 1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.

Meet the teacher

Joined April, 2020
4.6
396reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
California Teaching Certificate
Master's Degree from Biola University, Talbot School of Theology
In grad school, I took an upper-level class philosophy class taught by the head of the department. I was quickly embarrassed to realize that I was all over the place with my thinking and reasoning. I’d never been taught critical thinking and the Socratic teaching method of the professor just infuriated me. Some of the hardest books I ever read came out of that class. I both hated it and loved it. My learning path took a BIG change that year in my mid-30s. 

About the same time, I started homeschooling my 2 sons who were in the 4th and 8th grades. I headed down the road of the classical education philosophy which embraces the big education goal of learning to think. 

That was over 20 years ago. The classical model has shaped my learning and teaching. In many ways, I’ve become that professor who made me so mad in his philosophy class. I’ve grown to love helping others, just like I was, in how to think and how to learn based on a critical thinking model. I slip into this teaching method no matter the subject.

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