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Creating a thinking classroom

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Objectives

• know what thinking skills consist of, and also have an awareness of the different ways in which they can be integrated into the science curriculum;

• have had an opportunity to carry out a range of thinking skills activities which could be adapted for use in the classroom;

• have been given time to reflect on how the resources contained in the Starters and Plenaries Packs could be used to develop a thinking classroom.

By the end of this training sessionall participants will:

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Activity 1

What is thinking?

Spend two minutes brainstorming your ideas with a partner

Be prepared to give feedback

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What is thinking?

The foundation of thinking is the assumption that:

‘thinking (cognition) goes beyond the acquisition of knowledge and includes the processes of knowing

about thinking (metacognition)’

R. Fisher (1990)

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Higher-order thinking skills

• Heuristic problem-solving strategies

• Metacognitive approach

• Subject-based strategies

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Teaching thinking

There are three main delivery methods for teaching pupils to think:

• Stand-alone programmes

• Curriculum bolt-on programmes

• Programmes which infuse the thinking strategies into or across the curriculum

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Teacher actions

A teacher action is a planned activity carried out by a teacher which results in focused learning by pupils. A particular teaching strategy (such as teaching pupils to think) is often made up of lots of teacher actions.

Measured teacher intervention

Conflict Teacher refusal to give the answer

Clear explanation of instructions

Class scanMetacognition BridgingClarification questions

Whole-class discussion

Group discussionJustification of answers

Decision making about own learning

No-hands-up ruleUsing the five thinking words

Open questionsThinking time

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Activity 2

• Watch the video. • On Handout 3, record the teacher actions

observed in the starter activity in the video clip.

Teacher actionsWhat the teacher did to cause a specific pupil response.

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Activity 3

During the following activities from the Year 7 and Year 8 Starters and Plenaries Packs, reflect on these points:

• Does the activity encourage pupils to think?

• What are the teacher actions that encourage thinking to take place?

• How does this differ from your present method of teaching?

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Activity 4

In your groups you have 10 minutes to evaluate the starter and plenary activities you have been given.

By the end of this activity you should be able to:

identify if the starter and plenary activities you have been given promote thinking

explain how the activities can be adapted so that they are more effective at encouraging pupils to think.

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What is thinking?

‘Thinking is the waste of time between not knowing and

understanding.’

Edward de Bono

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Objectives

• know what thinking skills consist of, and also have an awareness of the different ways in which they can be integrated into the science curriculum;

• have had an opportunity to carry out a range of thinking skills activities which could be adapted for use in the classroom;

• have been given time to reflect on how the resources contained in the Starters and Plenaries Packs could be used to develop a thinking classroom.

By the end of this training sessionall participants will: