Chapter Three: Thinking and Questioning Skills for Meaningful Learning

I found this chapter of Teaching Young Adolescents very relevant for today's middle school classrooms, and for classrooms in the future. The authors begin the chapter by pointing out that, "The key to meaningful learning is thinking" (p. 81). I believe this was a very good way to begin the chapter, because the statement itself made me reflect and think about what it means.

I think that it is definitely important that students learn to question and analyze issues and problems, rather than just regurgitating an answer. Pulling answers from memory generally doesn't use a lot of higher level thinking. This kind of thinking is useful to an extent to gain knowledge about a topic.

 However, I think that this knowledge should be taken to a higher level so that students will be able to synthesize the knowledge to discuss and provide solutions for authentic, real world problems. If they have practice with this, they will be able to do so effectively in the future as adults.