teacher resource #1 independent mindedness

Tools for Thought 2009–10:5 1 © The Critical Thinking Consortium

TEACHER RESOURCE #1

Introduce the term

CONCEPT

THINKING

Recreate a famous experiment, the Asch experiment, in which some participants pretend to believe ➤

something that is clearly false in an effort to influence other participants’ opinions. For simple instructions, watch the video that can be found by web-searching “Asch experiments”.

Select six students to participate in the experiment and have the rest of the class observe. Prior ➤

to the experiment, covertly draw aside four of the participating students and explain they will be actors in the experiment. When they are asked which line is the same length as the single line, they should appear to think carefully but should give the same incorrect answer. Organize the six students in two groups of three (two actors and one authentic participant in each group) and ask them to leave the room. Explain to the class that the experiment is about group conformity. Show students one set of the Experiment cards (Activity Sheet #1A) and explain that for each of the four sets, participants will be asked: “Which line, A, B, or C, is the same length as the single line?” Conduct the experiment four times, using all the card sets with each group of three students. Be sure that the actors always provide their answers before the authentic participant.

Discuss the results of the experiment with the class. Invite the two authentic participants to explain ➤

how they felt when confronted with the pressure to offer an incorrect response to the question. Explain that when psychologists did many trials of this experiment, over two-thirds of the subjects conformed and gave the obviously incorrect majority answer at least once.

Invite students to watch the YouTube video of the Asch experiments found by web-searching ➤

“Asch experiments”.

Introduce the term “independent minded.” Encourage students to explain its meaning in their own ➤

words. Point out that independent mindedness is a habit of mind or a way of thinking and acting that can be learned.

Discuss the difference between being independent minded and simply being contrary or stub- ➤

born.

Using the following activities, introduce the basic attributes of independent mindedness. ➤

Basic 1. Individuals who are independent minded are inclined to decide for them-attributes selves what to believe and do rather than simply accept things because others

say they should.

2. Being independent minded doesn’t necessarily mean that your opinions are always different from others and that you never consult with other people; it means simply that you hold opinions because they make sense to you.

3. Individuals who are independent minded aren’t afraid of having a different opinion but don’t simply pick an opposing view just to be different.

4. Individuals who are independent minded are typically willing to stand up publicly for what they believe.

Identify the attributes of the concept

Independent mindednessMaking up one’s own mind rather than simply accepting what others believe.

Objectives: • Understand what it means to be independent minded• Recognize the factors that influence our ability to make up our own minds • Understand the value of reaching independent-minded conclusions in a

variety of circumstances.

Use the following activities to systematically introduce the concepts


TEACHER RESOURCE #1

Introduce attribute #4

Attribute #1: ➤ Individuals who are independent minded are inclined to decide for themselves what to believe and do rather than simply accept things because others say they should.

Attribute #2: ➤ Being independent minded doesn’t necessarily mean that your opinions are always different from others and that you never consult with other people; it means simply that you hold opinions because they make sense to you.

Attribute #3: ➤ Individuals who are independent minded aren’t afraid of having a different opinion but don’t simply pick an opposing view just to be different.

Invite students to think of someone whom they consider independent minded. Discuss with • students how that person might reach a conclusion. Suggest that independent-minded persons are inclined to make up their own minds but do not simply choose opposing views to be dif-ferent.

Provide students with a copy of • Independent mindedness role cards (Activity Sheet #1B) Select those cards that are ap-propriate for the grade level you teach. Organize students in groups of three and assign one question to each group. Instruct students to create a role play or “think aloud” il-lustrating how an independent minded person might re-spond to each question and how a person who is not independent minded might respond. Remind students that all three attributes must be demonstrated in their role play. For elementary students, model the develop-ment of a role play with the class.

Invite students to share their role plays with the • class. Instruct the observing students to identify the independent-minded person in the role play and the specific behaviours that demonstrated the attributes.

Attribute #4: ➤ Individuals who are independent minded are typically willing to stand up publicly for what they believe.

Discuss with students the importance and challenge of standing up for what they believe. • When is standing up for what you believe important? When is it not important? What does it look like? What is the difference between standing up for what you believe and being “in someone’s face”?

Refer back to the role plays in the previous activity. Discuss which, if any, of the role plays • illustrated someone standing up for their belief. Invite students to brainstorm situations in their own lives that would require that they stand up for their beliefs. In small groups or as a class, write a dialogue or describe a variety of actions that illustrate standing up for one’s beliefs. Discuss the difference between standing up for one’s beliefs and trying to persuade others to share your beliefs. Point out that persuading others is not a necessary attribute of being inde-pendent minded.

Nurturing independent mindedness

Invite students to consider the last decision they made and identify the reasons they considered ➤

while making their decision Ask students to share some of these reasons with the class. Invite students to assess the extent to which they demonstrated independent mindedness in making their decision.

Introduce attributes#1, #2 and #3

Tools for Thought 2008-09:4

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© The Critical Thinking Consortium

Independent mindedness role cards

Who will be my close friends?

What game will I play at lunch?

What courses will I choose in high school?

Will I do the assigned homework?If I could vote, what political party or

candidate would I support?

Will I get my nose pierced?

Will I tell on a friend who is stealing?

Will I experiment with a potentially

addictive substance?Will I sympathize with a friend who has

been treated unfairly?

What kind of music will I listen to?Will I join an after-school activity, like

hockey, chess, or drama?What will I wear to the fi rst day of high

school or a new job?

Will I follow school rules about dress code?

What will I spend my extra money on?

Will I attend classes regularly?

Will I publicly defend a friend who has

been unfairly criticized?

Will I go to an unsupervised party?

What fashion “look” will I choose?

ACTIVITY SHEET #1B

Recognize reasons that are consistent

with making up one’s own mind


Provide student pairs with a copy of ➤ Reaching conclusions (Ac-tivity Sheet #1C Elementary or Secondary). As a class, invite students to distinguish between reasons that demonstrate inde-pendent mindedness and those that do not. Alternatively, use the first example to demonstrate the activity and assign the remaining examples for students to complete independently. Point out that some of the reasons support the decision and others oppose it. The purpose of the activity is to distinguish those reasons that are consistent with being independent minded and those that are not. Invite students to share their responses and explanations. Examine the reasons that support thinking for yourself and, as a class describe, the qualities of those reasons.

Suggest to students that there are factors or influences that ➤

discourage independent mindedness. Refer back to the initial Asch experiment and discuss why participants might have chosen no to think for themselves.

Provide students with a copy of ➤ Factors that prevent thinking for yourself (Activity Sheet #1D). Discuss the scenario and the five common factors that impede our ability to think for ourselves. Use the examples from the scenario to discuss each factor.

Provide pairs of students with a copy of ➤ Following the crowd (Activity Sheet #1E), and invite students to read the scenario. Guide students in finding examples of each impeding factor in this scenario.

TEACHER RESOURCE #1

Understand factors that may prevent making up one’s

own mind


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ACTIVITY SHEET #1C ELEMENTARY

Reaching conclusionsName: ________________________________________________________________

Reasons for deciding whether Is the reason consistent with making up your own mind?

or not to join a sports team yes no

Explain

1. Fear that you may not know

anyone on the team.

2. You have always been interested

in sports but wonder if you are

good enough to make the team. 3. Your friend might join if

you do.

4. Being on a sports team might

help make you less shy.

5. Students who play on sports

teams are seen as pretty cool.

6. Your older brother was on a

team and you really admire him.

7. You are already busy with many

activities and may not have time. 8. You talked to the coach and

found out the time committment

required.

Tools for Thought 2009–10:5

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ACTIVITY SHEET #1D

Factors that prevent thinking for yourself

Scenario: There is much promotion for a new fl u vaccine that will soon be available. Pressure

is being placed on students to take advantage of the vaccine in order to stay healthy. It is

being offered in your school and you have taken a permission letter home for your parents

to sign. Your parents have read about the pro and cons or the vaccine but are unsure about

giving young people a fl u vaccine As far as they know, your next-door neighbour is the only

parent who hasn’t signed. They heard this from a friend who was chuckling because the

neighbour got a call from the principal asking her to explain her decision. Their friend thinks

the neighbour is a weird hippy who does things just to be different.

Factors that may prevent you

from deciding for yourself

Examples of not thinking for oneself

Playing it safe / peer pressure

Going with the fl ow, rather than

deciding for yourself, is less risky and

less likely to annoy your friends.

Most of the parents are afraid of a fl u epidemic and almost everyone

else seems to be signing the permission form. Do your parents want

to take the risk that you might get sick and be looked down on by

their friends for not signing the form?

Doing what we are toldWe are conditioned to do what

authority fi gures tell us. We may be

frightened of possible punishment or

content to trust that the authorities

know what would be best for us.

The school system seems to be pressuring parents to agree to the

vaccine. Your parents should do what the school requests.

The principal phoned the neighbour who did not sign the form to

question her decision.

Limited informationIt is easier not to think for yourself if

you do not have enough information

to consider the consequences of the

decision.

Your parents are not sure about the dangers of having you get a fl u

shot, nor do they know if it is likely to be effective. So they think

they might as well go along with the majority.

Lack of confi dence in your own opinionSometimes we just think we will be

wrong if we think for oursleves.

Your parents may have read a lot about the vaccine and think that

it is dangerous but may not be confi dent enough to follow their

instincts on this issue. Other parents seem confi dent in deciding

what is best for their children.

Fear of being differentPeople who are independent minded

must be willing to act and think

differently from the people around

them. Many individuals worry about

standing out or being different and

do not like to draw attention to

themselves.

The neighbour who did not give permission to the school to

vaccinate her child was ridiculed as being a “fringe hippy.” Others in

the neighbourhood might think your parents are weird if they don’t

go along with the majority.


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ACTIVITY SHEET #1E

Name: ______________________________________________

Following the crowd

Your school is organizing a student activist march in front of the government offi ces to try

to urge politicians to act more quickly to prevent global climate change. Almost all of your

friends are going on the march. The environment is a hot-button issue. Students who don’t

seem to care are being dismissed as selfi sh and ignorant consumers. Your local paper has

published an article praising this initiative by your school, and those students who attend

the march will be featured in a follow-up story with photos. Your teacher who is a strong

environmentalist has urged all the students in her class to join the march.

Factors that may prevent you

from deciding for yourself


Playing it safe / peer pressure

Going with the fl ow, rather than




authority fi gures tell us. We may be







decision.Lack of confi dence in

your own opinionSometimes we just think we will be








themselves.


TEACHER RESOURCE #1

Assess studentunderstanding

Introduce ➤ Student Resource #1, Independent minded. Review each of the elements: the key attributes of the concept, rea-sons to develop the attributes of independent mindedness, similar and potentially confusing terminology, and the self-assessment rubric. Help students to create their own example for each attribute by asking them to think of a time when they demonstrated the attribute. Encourage students to refer to this resource when using the concept in the future.

Invite students to assess the independent minded- ➤

ness of an appropriate, familiar literary, movie, or TV character. Suggestions might include Harry Potter, Cinderella, Elizabeth from The Paper Bag Princess, Bella from Twilight, Batman, Hamlet, and MacBeth, Ask students to select their own character. Provide students with a copy of Rating independent mindedness (Activity Sheet #1F). Instruct students to find evidence for each attribute of independent mind-edness in their character’s behaviour and rate their selected character’s ability to think for him/herself. Encourage students to identify specific ways in which the characters might improve their ability to be independent minded.

If peer pressure is a topic you wish to investigate with your ➤

students, refer to the material on peer pressure in this resource and invite students to rate their own level of independent mindedness in recent decision making situations. (Critical Challenge #1)

At appropriate times over the ensuing several weeks, ask students to use this concept in situations ➤

in and out of school, such as the following:

when making decisions in the company of your friends.•

when answering questions posed in class.•

when deciding what to buy or how to spend your time.•

when deciding what position to adopt on a controversial issue.•

when examining the decisions made by others, whether they are actual people or fictional • characters.

Encourage students to refer to the rubric found in ➤ Student Resource #1 when self-assessing their understanding of this concept.

Allow students opportunities to apply the concept two or three times without evaluation.•

Guide students in interpreting and using the rubric to assess their own responses.•

Encourage students to use the rubric whenever they use this concept.•

To use the rubric for teacher evaluation of student work, remove the first person (student) refer- ➤

ence from each descriptor.


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Individuals who are independent

minded aren’t afraid of having

a different opinion but don’t

simply pick an opposing view

just to be different.

Being independent minded doesn’t necessarily

mean that your opinions are always

different from others and that you

never consult with other people;

it means simply that you hold

opinions because they make sense to you.


minded are inclined to decide

for themselves what to believe and

do rather than to simply accept

things because others say they should

STUDENT RESOURCE #1

EXAMPLE: My friend is always

picking the opposite viewpoint from

his parents just because he doesn’t

want to agree with anything they

say. I sometimes think that what my

parents say is reasonable.

EXAMPLE: I wasn’t sure what kind

of skis to buy. I talked to a lot of

my friends who skied and I ended

up buying one of the most popular

styles because the brand offered

good value for the money..

EXAMPLE: All my friends have

fancy cell phones and wonder why

I don’t want the latest gadget. The

phone I have is one I can afford

and it meets my needs.

My own example:

My own example:

My own example:

What are the key attributes or features of the concept?


minded are typically willing to

stand up publicly for what they believe.

EXAMPLE: My friend told a joke

that made fun of a cultural group.

I thought this was wrong and not

funny. Even though my friends

laughed, I told him that I didn’t think

telling the joke was a good idea.

My own example:

Apply the concept in everyday teaching

Reinforcethe concept


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ACTIVITY SHEET #1F

Name: ______________________________________________Rating independent mindedness

Character ________________________________________________

Attribute of independent

Evidence

mindedness1. Individuals who are

independent minded are

inclined to decide for themselves what to believe

and do rather than simply

accept things because others say they should.

2. Being independent minded

doesn’t necessarily mean

that your opinions are always different from

others and that you never

consult with other people; it

means simply that you hold

opinions because they make

sense to you.3. Individuals who are independent minded aren’t

afraid of having a different

opinion but don’t simply

pick an opposing view just

to be different.4. Individuals who are independent minded are

typically willing to stand

up publicly for what they

believe.Overall assessmentThe individual is

very independent minded

somewhat independent minded

not at all independent minded

Reasons

Suggestions for improvement


ACTIVITY SHEET #1A

Experiment card 1

A B C


ACTIVITY SHEET #1A

Experiment card 2

A B C


ACTIVITY SHEET #1A

Experiment card 3

A B C


ACTIVITY SHEET #1A

Experiment card 4

A B C


Independent mindedness role cards

Who will be my close friends?

What game will I play at lunch?

What courses will I choose in high school?

Will I do the assigned homework?

If I could vote, what political party or candidate would I support?

Will I get my nose pierced?

Will I tell on a friend who is stealing?

Will I experiment with a potentially addictive substance?

Will I sympathize with a friend who has been treated unfairly?

What kind of music will I listen to?

Will I join an after-school activity, like hockey, chess, or drama?

What will I wear to the first day of high school or a new job?

Will I follow school rules about dress code?

What will I spend my extra money on?

Will I attend classes regularly?

Will I publicly defend a friend who has been unfairly criticized?

Will I go to an unsupervised party?

What fashion “look” will I choose?

ACTIVITY SHEET #1B


ACTIVITY SHEET #1C ELEMENTARY

Reaching conclusions

Name: ________________________________________________________________

Reasons for deciding whether Is the reason consistent with making up your own mind? or not to join a sports team yes no Explain

1. Fear that you may not know o o anyone on the team.

2. You have always been interested o o in sports but wonder if you are good enough to make the team.

3. Your friend might join if o o you do.

4. Being on a sports team might o o help make you less shy.

5. Students who play on sports o o teams are seen as pretty cool.

6. Your older brother was on a o o team and you really admire him.

7. You are already busy with many o o activities and may not have time.

8. You talked to the coach and o o found out the time committment required.


ACTIVITY SHEET #1C SECONDARY

Reaching conclusionsName: ________________________________________________________________

Reasons for deciding whether or not to Is the reason consistent with making up your own mind? buy an unlimited cell phone package yes no Explain

1. The sales clerk was very o o enthusiastic and said everyone signs up for this package.

2. You get a new, free phone o o that is really cool looking.

3. This “good deal” promotion o o only last this week.

4. You think you would enjoy the o o package and the price is reasonable, but you are reluctant to sign the contract. 5. A friend who has just moved to a o o different province is keen to have regular contact, and you worry about disappointing her.

6. Your personal budget allows it, o o as there are sufficient funds this year.

7. All your friends have an o o unlimited cell phone package.

8. None of your friends have this o o package so you’d score status points.

9. Students who use their cells at o o school are hassled by teachers.

10. You don’t really know how o o much you would use all the features.

11. You want to stay connected with o o your friends.

12. Your parents are pressuring you to o o get your own package so you won’t use up their minutes.


ACTIVITY SHEET #1D

Factors that prevent thinking for yourself

Scenario: There is much promotion for a new flu vaccine that will soon be available. Pressure is being placed on students to take advantage of the vaccine in order to stay healthy. It is being offered in your school and you have taken a permission letter home for your parents to sign. Your parents have read about the pro and cons or the vaccine but are unsure about giving young people a flu vaccine As far as they know, your next-door neighbour is the only parent who hasn’t signed. They heard this from a friend who was chuckling because the neighbour got a call from the principal asking her to explain her decision. Their friend thinks the neighbour is a weird hippy who does things just to be different.

Factors that may prevent youfrom deciding for yourself


Playing it safe / peer pressureGoing with the flow, rather than



Most of the parents are afraid of a flu epidemic and almost everyone else seems to be signing the permission form. Do your parents want to take the risk that you might get sick and be looked down on by their friends for not signing the form?


authority figures tell us. We may be




The school system seems to be pressuring parents to agree to the vaccine. Your parents should do what the school requests.

The principal phoned the neighbour who did not sign the form to question her decision.




decision.

Your parents are not sure about the dangers of having you get a flu shot, nor do they know if it is likely to be effective. So they think they might as well go along with the majority.

Lack of confidence in your own opinionSometimes we just think we will be


Your parents may have read a lot about the vaccine and think that it is dangerous but may not be confident enough to follow their instincts on this issue. Other parents seem confident in deciding what is best for their children.







themselves.

The neighbour who did not give permission to the school to vaccinate her child was ridiculed as being a “fringe hippy.” Others in the neighbourhood might think your parents are weird if they don’t go along with the majority.


ACTIVITY SHEET #1E

Name: ______________________________________________

Following the crowd

Your school is organizing a student activist march in front of the government offices to try to urge politicians to act more quickly to prevent global climate change. Almost all of your friends are going on the march. The environment is a hot-button issue. Students who don’t seem to care are being dismissed as selfish and ignorant consumers. Your local paper has published an article praising this initiative by your school, and those students who attend the march will be featured in a follow-up story with photos. Your teacher who is a strong environmentalist has urged all the students in her class to join the march.

Factors that may prevent youfrom deciding for yourself


Playing it safe / peer pressureGoing with the flow, rather than




authority figures tell us. We may be







decision.

Lack of confidence in your own opinionSometimes we just think we will be








themselves.


ACTIVITY SHEET #1F

Name: ______________________________________________

Rating independent mindedness

Character ________________________________________________

Attribute of independent Evidence mindedness

1. Individuals who are independent minded are inclined to decide for themselves what to believe and do rather than simply accept things because others say they should.

2. Being independent minded doesn’t necessarily mean that your opinions are always different from others and that you never consult with other people; it means simply that you hold opinions because they make sense to you.

3. Individuals who are independent minded aren’t afraid of having a different opinion but don’t simply pick an opposing view just to be different.

4. Individuals who are independent minded are typically willing to stand up publicly for what they believe.

Overall assessment

The individual is o very independent minded o somewhat independent minded o not at all independent minded

Reasons

Suggestions for improvement


Independent mindedMaking up one’s own mind rather than simply accepting what others believe


minded aren’t afraid of having a different opinion but don’t simply pick an opposing view

just to be different.

Being independent

minded doesn’t necessarily mean that your opinions are always different from others and that you never consult with other people;

it means simply that you hold opinions because they make

sense to you.


minded are inclined to decide for themselves what to believe and

do rather than to simply accept things because others say they

should.

STUDENT RESOURCE #1

EXAMPLE: My friend is always picking the opposite viewpoint from his parents just because he doesn’t want to agree with anything they say. I sometimes think that what my parents say is reasonable.

EXAMPLE: I wasn’t sure what kind of skis to buy. I talked to a lot of my friends who skied and I ended up buying one of the most popular styles because the brand offered good value for the money..

EXAMPLE: All my friends have fancy cell phones and wonder why I don’t want the latest gadget. The phone I have is one I can afford and it meets my needs.

My own example:

My own example:

My own example:

What are the key attributes or features of the concept?


minded are typically willing to stand up publicly for what they

believe.

EXAMPLE: My friend told a joke that made fun of a cultural group. I thought this was wrong and not funny. Even though my friends laughed, I told him that I didn’t think telling the joke was a good idea.

My own example:


STUDENT RESOURCE #1

How are other terms are related to this concept?

Similar terms

Free thinker

Self directed

Why is developing independent mindedness important?

Develops independence and

confidence: By thinking for myself, I will learn to trust my own judgment and gain confidence in

making decisions.

Means being true to

yourself: If I am not independent minded, I’ll always be doing things because others

want or expect me to.

EXAMPLE: I don’t know if I should ignore my friends’ advice to not try out for the team, but if I don’t try out, how will I know if I could have been successful?

EXAMPLE: I would love to take up yoga but I am afraid that my friends will laugh at me. So I guess I’ll forget about it. If I was independent minded I would follow my interests.

My own example:

My own example:

Confusing terms

stubborn

contrary

Someone who is simply stubborn or contrary adopts an op-posing view just to be different. Individuals who are inde-pendent minded are not interested in just being different but make up their own minds based on what makes sense to them.


How well do I understand the concept?

Accomplished Good Basic Struggling

Recognize examples of the concept:

I can easily tell when someone is and is not being independent minded, even in complex situations.

I can usually recognize when someone is and is not being independent minded, but sometimes complex situations confuse me.

In very obvious situations, I can recognize when someone is and is not being independent minded.

I have trouble recognizing when others are and are not being independent minded.

Explain why the concept does or does not apply:

I can easily explain why an action or decision is or is not an example of independent mindedness, even if the example is not obvious.

I can explain in most cases when an action or decision is or is not an example of independent mindedness, but sometimes I have trouble explaining the more complex or difficult examples.

I can explain in obvious cases why an action or decision is or is not an example of independent mindedness, but I often have trouble explaining the complex or difficult examples.

I need help explaining even simple examples of independent mindedness.

Provide my own examples of the concept:

I can think of a variety of simple and complex examples that show what independent mindedness looks like.

I can think of some examples that show what independent mindedness looks like.

I can think of a few simple examples that show what independent mindedness looks like.

I have trouble thinking of any examples that illustrate independent mindedness.

Act on the concept in my own life:

I am very confident that I think about what I believe and value before making and acting on my decisions, and I don’t worry much about whether or not my conclusions will be popular.

I often think about what I believe and value before making decisions, but I wonder whether my decisions are truly my own.

I can make up my own mind but only in situations where there isn’t a lot of peer pressure or other factors pushing me to decide in a particular way.

I have trouble making up my own mind when presented with almost any decision that I must make.

Assessing my understanding of “independent mindedness”

STUDENT RESOURCE #1

teacher resource #1 independent mindedness

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