The New York City Reasoning/Thinking Skills Program

Abstract

Introduction:  The paper that follows is a report written in 1988 describing a city-wide program that was in effect in New York City from 1985 until 1988. It was intended for publication in a journal, The New York Supervisor, which unfortunately ceased to exist during that year. The program described included twelve school districts at its initiation and resulted in a variety of projects which included: A Philosophy for Children project in three districts; a three year effort to intregrate critical thinking in the reading, social studies, and bilingual curricula in one district; a two year program to integrate thinking skills into a gifted and talented program in yet another; infusion of thinking skills into the reading program in two other districts; a mathematics curriculum for gifted middle school students, a science curriculum for junior high school students, a curriculum based on local history; a program for drop-out prevention; and a prgram to enhance critical thinking through a media center in five other districts.