I love the question students often ask: “Is this for a grade?”

Many times students fail to give 100 percent if they do not believe they will be held accountable for what they do. Is this true for most aspects of life? I can remember hearing a teacher state, “Why should I pour my heart and soul into my job when there is no appreciation for what I do?” I personally believe the intrinsic reward received from performing your best outweighs extrinsic incentives. Yes, a pat on the back or a public expression of thanks for a job well done is nice, but sometimes people are so busy with their own agendas that they forget to recognize the “little people” behind the scenes!

Being held accountable tends to keep people on task. If there were not any negative consequences for breaking the law, imagine what our society would be like. If parents did not make their children attend school and do chores around the house, think of what their future as an adult might be like. Not only are there good reasons for doing the right thing at all times, great character is formed by making wise decisions for ourselves and our family.

Great teachers plan lessons that foster critical thinking skills. As a result, students are better able to solve the missing piece to a puzzle and face crucial decisions in education and in life. Students are constantly being bombarded with suggestions from others on how to act, who to befriend, and where to ‘hang out.’ By thinking critically, students can make decisions for themselves based on their own personal experiences and values. They develop the ability to use their intelligence, knowledge and skills to question and carefully explore situations that enable them to arrive at thoughtful conclusions that are ultimately based on factual information and reason.

A critical thinker is able to get past biases and determine what is right after hearing different perspectives. Today, students have an opportunity to examine different viewpoints by using the power of technology. Being that information changes rapidly, it is important that today’s students learn critical thinking skills. For the most part, this is so they can reason with what they read or critique it. Research implies that many educators believe knowledge is not enough. Today’s students are intrigued by the creative, constructive designs of lesson plans and welcome unique teaching methods.

By helping students develop critical thinking skills, young people experience a sense of ownership for what they learn; they approach course material in a more thoughtful manner. Further, students develop higher-order thinking skills that can prove beneficial in their future when pursuing college academic or work success.

As parents, it is also crucial to ask ourselves what we can do at home to teach our children to be critical thinkers. For example, every time they ask for something at the mall, quiz them to see if they fully understand the concept of spending money wisely.

Many teenagers enter high school not knowing the true facts about what jobs are available and what those career opportunities demand. Critical thinking isn’t only used for academic purposes, but for employment and life skills as well.

Dr. Sonya Rogers is a certified counselor who lives in Daphne.