The way I would use the word, critical thinking is a subset of skepticism: it is skepticism directed at ideas that you have already accepted, or are in danger of accepting; especially skepticism directed at your assumptions. Searching for flaws in ideas you already don’t like isn’t critical thinking.
This probably isn’t emphasized too much in a school setting whenever you’re encouraged to think critically, because the usual tendency is to believe everything the teacher tells you.
The way I would use the word, critical thinking is a subset of skepticism: it is skepticism directed at ideas that you have already accepted, or are in danger of accepting; especially skepticism directed at your assumptions. Searching for flaws in ideas you already don’t like isn’t critical thinking.
This probably isn’t emphasized too much in a school setting whenever you’re encouraged to think critically, because the usual tendency is to believe everything the teacher tells you.