ABSTRACT
As students demonstrate empowerment to think critically, they initially might experience discord because learning to take a new road to thinking requires leaving behind old, ineffective ways of thinking. Supporting this mission can situate teachers as “divine crafts-persons” who nurture critical thinking as a spiritual service that blends theoretical and spiritual awareness with practical experience. A complementary consideration is to connect deep thinking to Buberian I-Thou relationships, which can result positively in treating people with full spiritual respect. Regardless of the varied perspectives, this growth-oriented, psycho-spiritual journey receives evidence-based support that values connections among critical thinking, content-oriented learning, and a balance of direct instruction and student-centered experiences. Retrospectively and introspectively, highly competent and caring teachers will inspire students to embrace and apply higher interactive thinking skills (HITS) to personal contexts, to politics, and to domestic, national, and international issues.
