Critical thinking is the combination of logic, reason and creativity to make better judgements and decisions. In this course, learners will develop critical thinking skills by solving puzzles and riddles with Link in various Legend of Zelda video games. Along with live game play in class, students will also have discussions, create artwork and complete learning activities. The critical thinking skills we aim to develop are problem solving skills, strategy, intellectual empathy, quick thinking, reason, bias identification, analysis, creativity and more. 

Learners will team up with their classmates to defeat monsters, complete quests and become better thinkers. 

The course is also a social club. Students will learn how to communicate effectively, listen to others, compromise and genuinely collaborate. It is also a chance to practice classroom etiquette, as students will be asked to raise their hand to share and not speak while others are speaking. (If your learner struggles with this, please don’t stress–this is a great place to practice those skills! We are in a judgment-free zone.)

Ultimately, the goal is to think hard, build social skills and make friends. My hope is for students to bond over a shared love of video games, which will motivate them to work together to solve problems. 

In every class we will explore a larger question about life, and we will solve puzzles and strategize as we complete Legend of Zelda games together. Each class will use a variety of teaching methods to engage every type of learner. Learners will be challenged to question what they know and draw connections between the game and the real world.


🧠 What is taught in this course? 🧠


Week beginning 11/11/24: What does it mean to be selfless?
Week beginning 18/11/24: Is it okay to judge people?
Week beginning 25/11/24: How to evaluate something
Week beginning 2/12/24: Would Link fit in the real world?
Week beginning 9/12/24: Can you age backwards?
Week beginning 16/12/24: Can jokes go too far?
Week beginning 23/12/24: How to budget money
Week beginning 30/12/24: What is critical thinking?
Week beginning 6/1/25: How to communicate effectively
Week beginning 13/1/25: Is it dangerous to help people?
Week beginning 20/1/25: How to make friends and allies 
Week beginning 27/1/25: What does it mean to be brave?
Week beginning 3/2/25: How to solve problems with a team
Week beginning 10/2/25: Why do people tell lies?
Week beginning 17/2/25: How to think quickly and make decisions
Week beginning 24/2/25: Why do people become “villains?”
Week beginning 3/3/25: How to conserve resources
Week beginning 10/3/25: Why is teamwork important?
Week beginning 17/3/25: How to strategize for the long-term 
Week beginning 24/3/25: What does it mean to be kind?
Week beginning 31/3/25: Is hacking ethical?
Week beginning 7/4/25: How to "guesstimate" 
Week beginning 14/4/25: Are video games addictive? 


Further topics to be added.


🧠 About my Qualifications 🧠
I have been an English teacher and tutor for more than 7 years. I have two degrees in English and writing, and have spent 3 years as a children's librarian where I developed literacy programs for young learners. If you'd like to learn more about me and my qualifications, please feel free to visit my profile. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have!

Let’s get learning!