Reasoning Skills Necessary in Primary School?

When a person thinks about primary school most often they think, addition, subtraction, simple writing and reading. Usually, it is basic skills necessary to life and the rest of a student’s education career, that are taught in primary schools. However, the question has been asked, should reasoning skills be taught in primary schools? Considering that primary school is a place where children learn basic, yet necessary skills that they will use for the rest of their lives, and that history has proved the necessity of these skills, children should definitely be taught reasoning skills in primary school.

A point comes in a child’s life when he must begin to make decisions for himself; this means that a parent is no longer deciding every little thing for that child. This stage is typically middle school. The decisions that students begin to make at this stage can greatly affect the rest of their lives; therefore it is necessary that schools begin to teach children reasoning skills prior to this stage. In many cases, if a child is only taught reasoning skills after or during middle school it is too late, and the result can be detrimental to that child. Speaking of this, Stephen T. Russel, Ph. D., of the University of Arizona, says, “The issue of decision-making becomes increasingly important during adolescence because teens are developing greater autonomy and encountering more choices independent of adults. The choices teens make may drastically affect not only their own lives, but the lives of others as well (Ganzel, 1999). Some of these choices may include which career to pursue, whether or not to have sex or use contraceptives, whether or not to use alcohol, cigarettes, or other drugs, or whether or not to engage in violent or risky behaviors (Fischhoff et al., 1999; Ganzel, 1999).” Primary school needs to be the place where children and students learn these skills.

History has proved the need for reasoning skills because throughout history, humans have needed a certain skill set in order to survive. This includes the ability to find water and food, to fend off enemies, and to be able to take part in a relationship. Each of these sills that are essential to survival come with a prerequisite of having reasoning skills. Reasoning skills to know where food and water will be, reasoning skills to know how to deter and stop your enemies, and reasoning skills that help determine who you can and cannot trust. This is the case from ancient history, for example Rome, until today. In ancient Rome children were taught reasoning skills at a very young age, and Rome was one of the most powerful empires ever to rule the world. However, the fall of Rome can be accredited to the fact that the people of Rome felt they were so powerful they no longer needed reasoning skills. The same will be true of our American society if we do not teach young kids reasoning skills while they are still in primary school, and before it is too late and they already have to make major decisions.

In the fourth chapter of How to Think About Weird Things, Theodore Schick, Jr., and Lewis Vaughn state, “Those in the know are more likely to get their way than those who aren’t, because their views are based on reality-not on fantasy, illusion or wishful thinking. Their projects have a greater chance of success, because their knowledge gives them the ability to foresee obstacles and devise ways of overcoming those obstacles. Prediction and control are keys to survival, and knowledge makes prediction and control possible.” Reasoning skills are a necessary component of survival in life. In most cases, children begin to make key choices that will affect their lives in middle school. It is imperative that primary school’s teach these children reasoning skills so that when they do come upon the tough and inevitable choices of life, they will be capable of making logical and wise decisions. Although it is a possibility that this could be too young of an age for children to begin learning reasoning skills, the fact that these skills are necessary for the rest of their lives, along with the fact that in the next stage of their lives monumental choices will begin to be made, make primary school the best option to begin teaching children reasoning skills.