By: Megan Prats

10/2/2014

The 2learn® Method has defined thinking independently as the student selects an answer because she believes that her answer is right. Now, the idea behind believing her answer is right must come from what she thinks and her emotions. However, if her emotions overtake her ability to analyze the situation, her “right” answer might not be so “right” after all.

In order to think independently the student must do what the term calls for – thinking. Thus, despite how the student emotionally feels about the answer, the student still should be able to support her answer on an intellectual level. Thus, thinking independently is about first, intellectually reasoning to the answer; next, emotional verification of the answer; and third considering alternate answers but still coming back to her answer because she believes that it is right. If the student can identify that her “right” feeling exists even after looking at the solution objectively, then she has successfully thought independently.

I will now explain the aforementioned concept via an example. When my student was solving a problem regarding the time signature of a song, he did not think independently because he allowed drum tabs and a guitar teacher make the decision for him. He, himself, couldn’t objectively rationalize the decision thus he didn’t think independently.

Now, a true independent thinker can think independently even when she’s presented with an answer better than hers. She can do this because of the ability to separate her emotional-self from her intellectual-self to analyze the argument objectively. Thus, thinking independently is not about winning, it’s about thinking independently.

How you develop this skill in the student is you first show the student the two facets of her conclusion – emotional and intellectual. Then, ask her to explain her answer emotionally and intellectually. By looking at the two motivators separately, the student will be able to visualize any inconsistencies amongst the two. Then, when she can see both sides of the coin, ask her again if she believes that her answer is still “right”.

The difficulty in developing an independent thinker is emotional insight. A student who is more in touch with her emotional-self will be able to separate her two motivators more easily than a student who isn’t. You are not a therapist thus you are not to approach emotional insight as a therapist would. Instead, you can help the student identify where her emotional conclusion comes from by giving her feedback as to what you believe is the cause. At the end of the day, the student is the authority regarding her emotions as only the student can see her emotional-self in its truest sense, but feedback from you can help steer her in the right direction.

© Megan Prats 2014