ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Inside the Sylvan Learning Center, students are hard at work learning the basics like reading, writing and math. But instructors are also working with them on a skill you might not expect: Critical thinking. 

Students today are faced with overwhelming amounts of information. Instructors work with students to build critical thinking skills, helping them decipher the information they’re taking in and form their own opinions. 

“A lot of students are really good at pulling out facts and details they’re presented with but getting to that next level using critical analysis. But that’s a very high-level skill," said Susan Steron, the director of Sylvan Learning Center. 

Steron says it can take years for students to build critical thinking skills. To help, teachers here show them how to put down the smartphone and look at other sources like newspapers and books to analyze information. It’s something parents can help with as well. 

“The dinner table is under-utilized, use that time to engage with your child. Teach them vocab, debate something they're passionate about," said Steron. 

At the end of the day, teachers say the best thing to do is limit screen time and slow down your brain. Not just for students but for all of us.