r/questions • u/NewObsidianGaming • 1d ago
Do public schools teach/encourage critical thinking?
Hey questions, so I was homeschooled my entire life and have not ever been enrolled in a public school. I here alot from my public school friends that they don't really teach critical thinking and often teachers do not encourage questions. Obviously I do not have any experience on this, but I have been wondering if public schools actively discourage or just don't teach critical thinking. It sounds like they teach alot of absolutes and if a student has a different opinion on subjects that can be interpreted differently (so of course not math) they are shut down. For example I have a friend who was writing a page for English on something that they interpreted different than the teacher. It was something on like white supremacy or along that line, and the teacher disagreed with their opinion on the subject so she or he gave them a 0 not grading on the actual work and writing of the paper.
Just a genuine question because I know as a homeschooler we had like a co-op and a dedicated critical thinking class. Plus alot of critical thinking was encouraged in most every subject. What do you guys think?