Thinking Routines as Cultural Praxis: Reclaiming the Ethical and Epistemic Core of Education

Abstract

This article examines the philosophical, pedagogical, and ethical dimensions of thinking routines as cultural tools that foster critical and participatory learning in education. Moving beyond their instrumental use, we conceptualize thinking routines as elements of a praxis-oriented pedagogy that supports epistemic justice, dialogic inquiry, and transformative curriculum design. Drawing on sociocultural theory, critical pedagogy, and the ethics of education, we argue that thinking routines have the potential to reshape the teacher’s role, position students as epistemic agents, and align curricular form with ethical purpose. The discussion highlights the risk of instrumentalizing thinking routines within performance-oriented systems and instead advocates reinterpreting them as ethical and political practices that deepen pedagogical engagement. Ultimately, we propose that, when thoughtfully enacted, thinking routines function not merely as tools for cognitive engagement but as carriers of human subjectivity, democratic dialogue, and pedagogical renewal.