Think Globally
To make the world a better place, it’s important to know about the places in the world. Knowing more about geography—having an idea of where different cities, countries, and continents are—will help you make sense of stories you read and news you hear.
When you hear about a new place, make a habit of finding it on a map. See what continent it’s on, what big cities are nearby, and if it’s close to a body of water. Then look up what language or languages are spoken there, some of the most popular foods or dishes eaten there, and popular modes of transportation. Getting a sense of the people who live there and what daily life might be like for them will help make that place more than a dot on a map in
your mind.
Listen
Every person has a story. It might be a story about their past. It could be about their hopes and their dreams for their future. Their story could be about their fears or what makes them sad. No matter what words they use when they share their story, what they are really telling you is who they are.
Being a good listener means being genuinely curious about other people and caring about their thoughts and feelings. And, being a good listener can make the world better by helping you have more compassion, avoid misunderstandings, and learn about new people, places,
and issues.
Here are five ways to boost your listening skills:
1.
TRY TO UNDERSTAND. Don’t worry too much about having a response ready. Instead, really try to figure out what it is they are trying to say.
2.
FOCUS. That means putting away all distractions and really giving whoever’s talking your full attention.
3.
DON’T INTERRUPT. Give whoever’s talking the space and time to express themselves the way they want to.
4.
BE OPEN-MINDED. When someone is telling you something personal, they’re trusting you with their truth. They’re giving you a little glimpse into their heart and their mind. Be respectful of that and try not to rush to judgment.
5.
LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND. (Or that maybe you don’t.) When you want to make sure someone knows you are hearing them, you can say something like, “It sounds like what you are saying is….” Or, “Do you mean…?” If you don’t understand, try, “Could you say that in another way?”
Think About Things Critically
Being a critical thinker means that before you believe something or someone, you consider the facts and evidence. For example, take something you might read on the internet. A lot of the information you find there is not fact-checked. So, you have to be your own info investigator. Double-check! Find another reliable source that can verify, or confirm, the information.
When trying to determine whether or not to trust a source, or the information provided, consider these questions:
1.
Who is the information coming from? Who is the original source?
2.
Is this source reliable? Why or why not?
3.
Does this source have an agenda or a motive for sharing this information?
4.
What does this source gain from my belief in this information?
5.
Do other reliable sources confirm or agree with this information?
