The document outlines barriers to critical thinking that may exist for students and provides guidance on writing a self-reflective paper to identify and address those barriers. Students are asked to write a 750-1000 word APA paper identifying 1) their barriers to critical thinking, 2) possible sources of those barriers, 3) how the barriers conflict with critical thinking, and 4) how the barriers can be removed or altered. The paper should focus on two to three of the most significant barriers and provide some examples while focusing the discussion on overcoming the barriers.

1. Now that you have received an introduction to critical thinking in the first week, you have an
opportunity for self-reflection. You should assess where you are as a critical thinker. Write an
APA paper (stay within 750-1000 words) that addresses your barriers to critical thinking and
offers suggestions on how you can bring these barriers down. Write this paper in first person
since it will be about you. Ultimately this exercise will free you to become a better critical
thinker. The paper is to cover 1) identification of your barriers; 2) the possible sources of your
barriers (not just your upbringing or environment); 3) how your barriers conflict with thinking
critically; and 4) how these barriers can be removed or altered in an effort to become a better
critical thinker. YOU MUST USE THESE HEADINGS AS YOUR MAIN TOPIC HEADINGS.
YOU MAY USE SUBTOPICS IF YOU WISH. The length of the paper precludes addressing
every barrier you may identify, so two or three of the most significant barriers should be chosen.
While you may identify several in your introductory paragraph, you should specify the two or
three barriers that you will discuss. You may provide examples in your paper but please realize
that the examples should only serve as a segue to the larger discussion objective and should not
constitute the bulk of the paper. Note: Remember that barriers are conceptual blocks that tend to
prevent problem solving and critical thought. Sources of barriers are the original root causes of
your barriers.
Solution
You tried to listen to students or you invited students to meetings, and nothing seems to work.
Since then, every time you've suggested students participate in activities you think are
meaningful, they don't show up; worse yet, they smirk at you and fold their arms.
Or you actually tried to speak up in class, and you even went to the meeting. You were excited
by what your teacher was talking about, but when you got there you only heard a group of
teachers and a vice principal talking about school rules and policies and procedures and... it was
all very boring. Now every time your teacher asks for volunteers to come, it feels like her stare is
burning a hole in your forehead.
Each perspective here is correct: students are routinely bored at most significant educational
leadership activities, and teachers are often underwhelmed or frustrated by students' disinterest
in opportunities to change their education.
According to academic research and practitioners from across the nation, there are two main
categories of barriers to engaging student voice throughout education. This article explains those
barriers, and offers several strategies for overcoming them. These categories are entwined:
changing one shouldn't be seen as a silver bullet for engaging student voice. Each should be
acknowledged, examined, addressed, challenged, and transformed in order to engage student

2. voice.
Structure in school is any formalized activity within education. There are "4 Ps" in the structure
of schools: positions, policies, practices, and procedures. It may be tempting to neglect the
importance of developing structures that embrace student voice, as it may seem daunting or
impossible to change those "4 Ps". However, the public education system is inherently steeped
in process; that is what makes it a tool of democracy. In order to secure and strengthen
democracy and education, students must be integrated and student voice must be infused
throughout the structure of schools.
Culture is a less concrete, more intrinsic factor to engaging student voice throughout education.
Many researchers say the culture of a school is its "personality": Just like people, schools can
be kind and accepting, rude and disrespectful, wise and guiding, and any other set of
characteristics. Even more so, schools can be, and usually are, any combination of those
characteristics. In this way, culture actually dictates structure; it is also obvious in the attitudes,
actions, interactions, and relationships of individuals throughout education.
Here is an example of how structure and culture can be barriers to student voice.
Scenario - The School Committee
Teachers in a middle school decided to invite a to student join a committee, a first for their
school district. During a seventh grade Advisory period, one teacher invited a student to
volunteer to participate in a meeting that evening. At the meeting, there were 6 teachers, and the
one student who missed her Junior Honor Society meeting in order to attend. After sitting
through three meetings without speaking, the student stopped attending. Afterwards, the teachers
swore off inviting "anymore kids" because "they don't add anything" to the meeting.
Structural Barriers
Teacher preparation courses and professional development training does not prepare or reinforce
teachers' ability to engage student voice.
Student voice activities should not be limited to one school or to middle and/or high schools.
Adding student voice was an afterthought to committee planning, occurring only the day of the
meeting, rather than as a course of action with framing and reflecting activities.
The meeting was not announced in enough time to allow student participants to prepare.
The committee meeting time conflicted with previously planned student activities, limiting the
participation of more students.
The student was not told about expectations for their involvement.
The student did not receive training on committee participation or the issues addressed by the
committee.
There was inequitable representation between the student and the teachers.
The student had no structured reflection focused on her experience of being involved in the

3. committee.
Cultural Barriers
While the teachers recognized the inherent benefit of engaging student voice, their were armed
with good intentions, not experience-driven practice.
Teacher didn't have knowledge of or access to materials to help them develop their committee.
The nature of the activity had limited appeal to diverse students, particularly non-involved
students.
Committee participation was seen as separate and unrelated from classroom lessons, despite the
opportunities for applied learning in communication, leadership, and social awareness.
Committee participation was seen as separate and unrelated from Junior Honor Society activities,
despite the connections between serving on the committee and community service.
The teachers made no overt concessions designed to engage the student in the meeting, instead
relying on her to answer the question, "What do you think?" in the same way another teacher
would.
Lacking opportunities to reflect on her participation, the student complained to other students
about the experience, further disinteresting other students from becoming involved.
The teachers' perceptions of the student and her involvement will further alienate student voice.
Main Strategy for Overcoming Barriers
Develop a district or school-wide strategy for engaging student voice, including professional
development, policies encouraging and sustaining student voice, and integrated approaches to
developing, sustaining, and strengthening the impact of student voice. Steps in this particular
scenario may include...
Individual teacher advocate learning about student voice and meaningful student involvement.
Teacher advocate training peer teachers and intentionally selected nontraditional and traditional
student leaders about student voice and meaningful student involvement.
Students learning about issues in education by incorporating their reflections on school in a
constructivist learning experience centering on the committee's work.
Teachers and students committing to participating as equals on committee.
Facilitation of development and reflection activities focusing on student voice are provided
throughout committee activities.
Final committee activity is focused on critical reflection and celebration of accomplishments,
including meaningful student involvement.
There are plenty of other examples of the structure and culture of schools serving as barriers to
engaging student voice throughout education; however, these are surmountable tasks that every
school can and should overcome. Student voice is too valuable to the success of learning and
leading in schools and communities to continue to be neglected, alienated, or rejected. Our

4. schools and students can't wait any longer.