Think Globally
It’s important to know about places in the world to make the world a better place. Geography plays a big role in that. Do you know where different cities, countries, and continents are? This will help you make sense of stories you read and news you hear.
When you learn about a new place, find it on a map. See where it is, what big cities are nearby, and if it’s close to a body of water. What language or languages are spoken there? Look up the most popular foods eaten there. Getting a sense of the people who live there will make that place more than a dot on a map!
Listen
Every person has a story. It might be about their past. It could be about their hopes for their future. It could be about their fears or what makes them sad. When people share their story, they are telling you who they are.
Being a good listener means being curious about other people and caring about their thoughts and feelings. It can make the world better by helping you have more compassion.
Here are five ways to boost your listening skills:
1.
TRY TO UNDERSTAND. Don’t worry too much about having a response ready. Instead, try to figure out what a person is trying to say.
2.
FOCUS. That means putting away all distractions and giving whoever’s talking your full attention.
3.
DON’T INTERRUPT. Give the speaker 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 peek 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 let someone know they are being heard, 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 you consider the facts and evidence. For example, a lot of the information on the internet has not been fact-checked. Double-check it! Find another reliable source to verify the information.
How do you know 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?
