A REACTION : The Excision of Courses in the Humanities and the Social sciences
As a social science teacher, I have always encouraged critical thinking in my classes. I make it a point that my final examinations (oftentimes extemporaneous speaking) include questions that require students to apply critical thinking skills. Personally, this is how I gauge my students’ intelligence - not only on the extent of their knowledge and understanding of social issues, but also the depth of their insight and analysis. Students who are merely good at memorizing theories and concepts do not impress me as much as those who are able to think beyond the box and relate these theories and concepts to real-life situations. For me, true learning is reflected in a student’s ability to analyze, interpret, and apply knowledge meaningfully to society and everyday life. Critical thinking and holistic learner development become difficult to be fully achieved when courses in the humanities and social sciences are radically removed from education. These disciplines cultivate reflecti...