Learning how to “Think. Notice. Wonder.” is a process that develops stronger critical thinking skills. Below is a simple, done-for-you activity to do with your teen.
Two weeks ago, friends of ours noticed an employee at their small business was really going the extra mile.
Without being asked, he was coming in early to get a head start on the day’s tasks (on salary, so no monetary incentive to do so).
He introduced a small change in a process that would streamline their business.
And he brought positivity and focus to the office environment.
They did something they felt was very small. They gave him a bonus of a few hundred dollars.
Our friends had no idea that the money would be used to buy groceries–that it was just the right amount at just the right time.
There are so many things I can learn from this…maybe you can, too.
But for today, I want to point out that the “noticing” was a key part in this story.
Without that, the star employee might not have received such an unexpected reward.
Noticing is part of the critical thinking activities that I create and teach.
If you’re interested in some of the research, here’s one article on the subject.
Basically, noticing helps us think critically and that helps us do better in math.😎
Here’s an activity to do with your teen to develop noticing:
If it’s hard to come up with some of these, first of all, understand that’s okay!
If it was easy, it wouldn’t be necessary.🤷♀️
For “I think…”
- what’s happening in the picture?
- be very general, not specific
- who is it and what is the person doing?
For “I notice…”
- look for details
- what stands out to you when you see the picture?
- what did you focus on when you first looked at it?
For “I wonder…”
- this is often the most challenging to do
- you’re asking yourself–what do I not see?
- what would you be able to understand better if the picture was taken from farther away…or closer in?
Would you like more activities like these? I send them out about once a week. Get them sent straight to your inbox by clicking here.
You’ve got this!
