Struggling to Teach Critical Thinking? How comics make critical thinking fun!
Ask any teacher where to find good resources on critical thinking and you'll get the same answer: good luck. There's plenty about what critical thinking is. There's very little that kids actually want to read.
Why comics work
Comics change that. A good comic does three jobs at once: it grabs attention, it makes an idea concrete, and it gets people talking. Unlike novels, you don't have to invest a lot of time or effort. You can be super tired and still read them. They're little snapshots of moments in time. Bite-size stories. Something that is accessible to everyone.
Teachers have known this for years, which is why so many ended up cobbling together clipart to illustrate a lesson on Animal Farm (a horse for Boxer, the ever-faithful loyal servant, anyone?). Students loved those dorky comics, and drawing their own was often the most engaging part of the lesson. But clipart only gets you so far. It never quite shows the idea you need.
Duchess and Bruno - the Perfect Duo
So we built our own cast. Characters are perfect for representing us, in all our strengths and weaknesses. Duchess is sharp, sceptical and fiercely independent. Bruno is her loyal best mate, a rule-follower who trusts nearly everyone. Around them are Boxer, Gizmo and Bubba, and a whole entourage of supporting characters who make up a society.
We started with logical fallacies, which are tough concepts to understand but need to be taught. The Slippery Slope, Straw Man and Bandwagon Effect, for example, are used every day in the media to influence, persuade or manipulate us, and most of us were never taught to spot them.
Now, 24 fallacies later, Duchess and Bruno have become characters readers love. Their comics are more than teaching tools; they bring humour and wit into conversations that really matter.
If you're looking for a way to make critical thinking fun, meaningful and unforgettable, explore our comics, activity packs and cards. Please leave us feedback to help us improve too!
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