Thursday, June 9, 2011
Making Thinking Visible a 21st Century Approach
In today's world of education everything seems to be "upside down..." Unfunded mandates, criticism of the most noble profession in the world, politicians acting like children fighting on a playground and the global economy reshaping the way American children will have to compete. My hope is that we can look at what we do well at Bemis and study VT routines that if embedded... will help our students and teachers be more focused on critical thinking, creativity, collaboration etc... I hope you enjoy the journey we are about to begin...Have a great summer!
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hi
ReplyDeleteI'm in!
ReplyDeletehttp://scil.com.au/documents/stephen-harris_virtual-pedagogical-physical
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Hi everyone! I'm excited to be a Bemis Bear!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteHi:)
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone! Happy Summer Solstice!
ReplyDeleteFor those that are having difficulty posting go to help forum on blogspot. There are a list of things to try. It was very helpful.
ReplyDeleteCall me if you need help setting up your account. This can be tricky.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful summer!
ReplyDeletetaking visible thinking as my reading material in Florida...leave on Saturday.
ReplyDeleteBeen reading on our new deck... now all we need is patio furniture!
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteThe concept of making thinking visible through questioning is interesting and thought-provoking for creating a classroom culture that values learning. I can see how authentic questions would propel learning forward. Do you think authentic questioning would help me learn how to become a good cook? Hmmmm
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to blogging with you all! Hope everyone is having a great summer.
ReplyDeleteForget setting up my classroom. I'm going to teach via blog this year!
ReplyDeleteJust a reminder that tomorrow is the first post for our VT blog. It is scheduled from 9-10 a.m. for PD reasons only. The expectation is that you will make at least one entry. The hope is that you will read and be part of the on-line dialogue and make your thinking visible.
ReplyDeleteIf you are unable to participate from 9-10 a.m. you may make your posts throughout the day...that is the beauty of distance learning.
You should be able to go into Kalpa on Thursday and sign in for credit. The Kalpa # is 380661 bemis blog 1.
I look forward to your thoughts...
Good Morning Team! I trust you are enjoying your summer and I hope that these on-line PD opportunities will be meaningful for all of you...
ReplyDeleteBeginning with the end in mind...our purpose today is simply to allow professional discourse to begin on the topic of Visible Thinking...
Ultimately, our research will create the true vision of where we want to go in the future...with that being said, let's begin.
I will post the first set of questions to get things going...then, feel free to join in with your thoughts or questions. Enjoy!
Q1: What insights have you gained through your research on Visible Thinking?
Q2: What kinds of thinking do you value and want to promote in your classroom?
Good morning! I'll be one of the first to comment since we are nearing nap time here and I'll be indisposed for awhile. :)
ReplyDeleteIn my research so far on Visible Thinking I think the one major thing I noticed is the importance of the teacher's thinking, questioning, and listening in order to foster the same in their students. I liked the sentence in chapter 2 that said, "...it is switching the paradigm of teaching from trying to transmit what is in our heads to our students and toward trying to get what is in students' heads into our own so that we can provide responsive instruction that will advance learning.". Questioning techniques are so important to bring out students thinking, but also to drive instruction. Students will then pick up on our modeling and begin to embed these questions as their own.
I think it is important to give students more opportunities to "think." A lot of what I do with the lower level ESL students focuses on memorization... which they will still need. But I am now feeling challenged to come up with ways that will really make them think... which I hope will provide deeper, longer lasting learning.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning everyone!
ReplyDeleteHope y'all are having a great summer....it's been a hot one for sure! Thank goodness for central air in the new place... ;)
As I'm reading and thinking- one piece that I've noticed as a common theme throughout the book is that in order for us to help students realize they ARE thinking and heighten their level of thinking - we need to allow the TIME for them to think! This means reevaluating our curriculum and looking at what we teach and its value.
I really think that things like "timelines" for teaching concepts, like we have in all subject areas, are becoming more of a detriment than a help to us in this endeavor. Certainly students need the skills that are being introduced, but perhaps teaching those skills through projects where students are organizing and planning - both showing that they are thinking- is a way to accomplish giving students the skills they need to do well on standardized tests, but also allow them to develop a different set of "thinking" skills that will allow them to be successful in the future.
I love the fact that I'm teaching 3 sections of science, because I feel like this subject provides a wonderful jumping off point for me to help shift my way of teaching and become more of a "thinking" teacher :)
Adding on....such a powerful statement on pg. 26- "With the learner at the center of the educational enterprise, rather than at the end, our role as teachers shifts from the delivery of information to fostering students' engagement with ideas."...... and "[Students] not only learn; they learn how to learn."
ReplyDeleteAwesome.
The "routine's" table 3.1 will definately serve our Bemis students well if teachers throughout grade levels use the same language (for example, "See-Think-Wonder") and the students already have prior knowledge about what the routine looks and feels like! What a powerful way to teach concepts to students at any grade level.
ReplyDeleteSue- You really have a tough job here, especially with the lower level ESL kids. I can't imagine how communication would work.... but I love that you're willing to give it a shot! On a side note- ran into Sohee at the library on Monday- she was smiling. :)
ReplyDeleteGood Morning, Bemis! This post comes to you from Beckely, West Virginia! We are on our way to Samantha's wedding!! So you know where my thinking is! But..onto visible thinking....one of the comments that struck me in the first chapter was on page22..to the extent that the students can develop a greater awareness of thinking processes, they become more independent learners...I liked this thought as we talk often about getting our kids to become more independent learners. This could be a great way to get them on that track. I also liked the quote on page 28 that talked about children grow into the intellectual life of those around them. This really got me thinking about the environment we provide for them. THe idea of questioning, I think, is taking place in many of our classrooms but I begin to see the importance of how we ask or the words we use. I really liked the phrase...what makes you say that. I certainly see the value in getting kids to explain their thinking. I look forward to reading the various routines and discussing what we think can work at Bemis.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Faith, the question "what makes you say that?" will definitely help to propel students thinking and also make them more aware of their thoughts and learning.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update on Sohee... so glad to hear she is smiling!
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking about how to integrate thinking with those NES students and that will be a challenge. Most of my students are not NES, so there are a lot of of great opportunities there. I also think kids really "wake up" and enjoy the challenge of thinking, but get lost or rely on their classmates to come up with the answer and the repeat it. So... asking them to think outloud or explain why they think what they think, will really focus in on helping them along. Adding the question, "What makes you say that," found on page 35 may be a go to question for me this year!
From Mary Tovey...
ReplyDeleteThe thing that came to mind for me is metacognition. It is not just teaching the strategy but the awareness of how and when to use the strategy to further the thinking. This was so apparent last year, for me, as we taught children the "Show-Not-Tell" strategy. Not only were we focusing on this in our writing but we also began to apply it to our read alouds. Students were much more aware of when they, their classmates and even mentor authors were using this writing strategy. They became so adept at looking at a good piece of writing that this became a benchmark for the students and it became part of their critiquing/dialogue with each other when asked the question of: "What makes this a good piece of writing?" Students would even go further to say and specifically pull out the exact examples from the text to illustrate a "Show-Not-Tell" example. This is exactly the type of thinking that I want to encourage in my classroom because it is an application of the learning not only to "professional texts" but also to our own "works in progress". This makes the learning so specfic for all students about how to improve their own writing. They are constantly identifying specific examples of what good writing looks like and eventually that transfers over to their own writing.
When we had a chance to observe Frankenmuth Schools and Bloomfield Hills Schools...I saw teachers frequently using the strategy of "what makes you say that." On the positive side I saw kids using their thinking skills to deeper their understanding...on the flip side it took up a lot of time... How do you keep everything in balance? State/District expectations and appropriate time for students to think deeper?
ReplyDeleteI think it is funny we all picked the same question. I was writing while the others were posting and just read their comments. Great minds think alike! That's where we want our students to be!
ReplyDeleteRhona's trying to post and is having trouble.....
ReplyDeleteRhona- if you want, email me your post and I'll put it up for you. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree Sue. With the students in my classroom I also focus a lot on memorization. In the upcoming year I really want to focus on using more authentic questions, and teach strategies to my students that will allow them to continue exploration of a topic without me telling them each step.
ReplyDeleteAnother great idea was documenting. I label a lot of items in my room now, but I never thought of taking photographs of students working and of student work and makin it available for students to "see their thinking". My students need a lot of visuals, and this is a great way for them to SEE my teaching and their learning.
Good Morning!
ReplyDeleteWe are teaching our students in a new way, and asking them questions to promote learning in a collaborative, flexible, adaptive, open-ended way. It is far different than the educational delivery where teachers asked questions and expected a narrow answer. The possibilities for promoting thinking are exciting
ReplyDeleteWho's Mrs. S?? Kim Smiley? Is that you? Or another Mrs. S?
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the questioning idea, I also love the, "name, notice, and highlight" the thinking of students when they make a connection, see a pattern or explain their thinking! It will be interesting to see if I use name the skill enough, if the students start using the actual key features of thinking themselves. Faith-enjoy the wedding! I'm down to single digits... 9 more days until our wedding!! Can't wait to see photos!
ReplyDeleteI loved taking a look at the Thinking Routine's Matrix, furthermore the protion that outlined the "Key Thinking Moves." All of those routines are very realistic and I will be using the chart as a reference point and reminder when I begin to making thinking even more visible in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteSomething else I noticed:
3 Ways of looking at thinking routines
1) As tools
2) As structures
3) As patterns of behaviors.
These are important as we take a look at these routines as a staff, grade level, and in our classrooms.
Mrs S is Tricia! Im not sure why it came up like that :) I wanted to be mysterious :)
ReplyDeleteTo comment on Jeremey's other question about "time", I do agree these thinking routines and allowing time for students TO think will take additional time which we have little of these days. I can't remember where I read it in the book, but I thought I read something about determining the most important concepts that we want the students to understand and focusing on those. There will definitely need to be a shift in our planning and focus.
ReplyDeleteI love that statement "What are we going to do with the time we have?" I picked this up at a PLC training several years ago. We often lament over having so much to do that we don't always make the best use of the time we have. I think that putting some of these routines in place will allow us to promote thinking and in the end propel our students forward more than ever.
ReplyDeleteJust as we have seen the beautiful transition in the areas of reading and writing with our students as we have developed a common structure and language throughout the grade levels, so too will this continue as we put thinking routines in place.
One of the cool things that I gathered from the book is the notion that there is not one right answer we are expecting kids to know. I think that will be very empowering for them as learners. We say to them, your thoughts have value and we want to understand why you think what you think. Then if there is a flaw in their thinking, we can help guide them and teach them not an answer but a more effective way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Karla! I also think with a common structure with the language we use with our students it will become even more helpful and powerful as our students start hearing and living through the thinking strategies as we teach them!
ReplyDeleteI loved the different ways of looking at the thinking routines too, Mike. I also really liked the reminder about modeling thinking. "The novice imitates experts in an ever-advancing series of approximations of excellence...Consequently, the students in our charge need to see an image of us as thinkers and learners, that they can imitate and learn from." Visible Thinking allows us to demonstrate our thinking and the thinking of their peers to help those who are reluctant or need additional insights to discover their own understandings.
ReplyDeleteKarla is right on. As these routines and thought processes are used throughout the grade levels and over the years, it will be second nature to our students!
ReplyDeleteI loved Rhona's quote too. I remembered rereading that a few times when I read the book. We need to show how we think and allow our students to show how they think and we will all learn and be better off for that. It reminds me of helping my nephew with his math homework. I'll ask him to explain how he got the answer and he took a completely different route than I would have, but it works and showed me a new way of thinking!
Also thinking about routine as a tool. I think we all do this, but consistently thinking about the purpose "what it's designed to elicit", appropriate content " what classroom situations and subject matter for which it will be useful", and assessment " what to look for in students responses in the moment and over time".
ReplyDeleteJumping onto Sue's comment, it is exciting to think that our less confident students will not act as passive agents who merely take in what the teacher says. Rather our students will be active in constructing their own understanding because of the way we are soliciting their thinking in every classroom at Bemis.
ReplyDeleteI am rethinking many things that I currently do within the classroom to see if I am giving full opportunity for students to become more "visible" learners. One thing that came to mind is to provide more minutes to "listening". Often the time allowed to complete assignments will reduce the listening time for students. This adjustment will allow me to take them to the next level and to bring the classroom alive. It is really a balancing act!
ReplyDeleteThe conversation has been wonderful...I know that some are struggling getting on to the blog...don't worry, many can help. The conversation can continue throughout the day and weeks to come.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to go onto Kalpa tomorrow to get your PD time. Kalpa # 380661 Bemis Blog 1
I look forward to our next session on August 3rd...
Thank you for making your thinking VISIBLE today!
Rhona you're so right. It goes along with Mary's post about "show not tell". Like you said, we need to show our students we our thinkers an learners so they can model this behavior, not tell them what a thinker and learner looks like.
ReplyDeleteI too have enjoyed going over the Thinking Matrix. As I was reading it over I highlighted routines I thought I would like to consider trying. As it turns out there were two ffrom each of the three sections. I know that we are going to look at adopting one schoolwide, however, I will likely try out a couple more as well.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is important to keep in mind that, as stated in the text, these are vehicles for promoting thinking NOT activities. Much like other routines we put in place in our classrooms, these should become a part of how we do things throughout the curriculum, not just once in a while or "here and there".
Hurray, I finally did it!
ReplyDeleteOn behalf of Carrie Lynn...
ReplyDeleteAs educators we can articulate the kinds of thinking we are teaching to our students, but it is a greater challenge for the students to develop an awareness of the important role that thinking plays in their understanding- problem solving, decision making, and judgement.
Wow, this has taken all morning!
ReplyDeleteWe need to help our students think more critically and be able to justify their thinking. I saw some similiarities to Making Meaning routines. The connections, I wonder..., I think... The routines in Making Meaning have carried over to other subject areas.
I am looking forward to reading more about and implementing the routines that will foster better understanding and deeper level learning.
Trying this again- wasn't working this morning. I found myself thinking back to times when I would ask questions of the kiddos and then be dumbfounded as to how to respond in a way that would provoke their thinking. For example in Making Meaning we would be talking about connections to the story and some of my 5-6 year olds answers would be so far off in left field. Rather than saying, "what makes you say that," which would lead the conversation down the right track and hopefully prompt them to explain their thoughts- I would usually say, "well that is an interesting way to look at it!" I can see where this could lead children to "try and guess what is in my head". My goal is not only learning to ask the "right" kind of questions but also to be more responsive and adaptable so that in our conversation I won't be stumped as to how to respond but more able to use their thinking!
ReplyDeleteSomething else that was refreshing to me is that Visible Thinking will fit into every area of our classrooms. This isn't a new unit or something else to add but can be used to enhance and improve what we already do! I agree with the other postings that talk about having a common language as well. We have seen evidence of the power of a common language through our Reading and Writing Workshops where by the time the kids are in 2nd grade they have heard and used vocabulary so many times that it feels natural.
ReplyDeleteOn behalf of Kim Cherny...
ReplyDeleteI am very pleased that we are reading this book and being able to discuss it as a staff. I agree with many of you that this book reminded me of how much "Time" we need to give to our students. Often time we rush through the "thinking" part. This is probably do to the fact that we are trying to deliver much information in a short time period.
I agree with Karla. I feel like this was more of a way to look at my own teaching in a different way and expand on the things that I already do in the classroom. It was nice to realize that we already do visible thinking and there are so many other ways to slow down and make thinking visible in our lessons. We don't need to necessarily change the curriculum. We just need to incorporate thinking into the lessons we are already doing.
A great way to start this is by realizing that we already all do "Think, Pair, Share" in our reading curriculum. Now, we can just make time to incorporate those important thinking skills into other parts of the day, as well.
I feel, as many above have said, that this will provide our students the opportunity to better understand their own thinking and take control of their own learning. They will be able to understand the way that they came to a conclusion so they can practice the same skills in the future.
I LOVE the activity in the very begining of the book with the idea web of "Thinking". I will definitely be using this in my classroom. I'm very curious as to what my students will write down. I feel they'll be stumped, but I'm hoping to do it again towards the end of the year so they can see their growth. :)
I hope everyone's having a great summer!!! Mike Cottone is the greatest and I really am grateful to know him.
From Ellen...
ReplyDeleteDitto Kim...Mike Cottone is the greatest because he will be posting this for me.
I read all of the comments and so many mirrored my thought while reading the book.
To Courtney and many others who talked about looking at curriculum and planning in a new way. I think we have to take a look at our units, identify the important concepts to be developed then go about identifying the teaching and learning strategies that will lead to strong concept building as opposed to a loose network of facts that will be soon lost and never used again.
I totally agree with Karla that the time factor will take care of itself once we get ourselves and students familiar with common structures and routines. Go slow to go fast...it worked with Reading and Writing Workshop. On page 48, the authors comment that "effective teaching depends on more than the design of units and delivery of lessons...but also on the context of routines and structures..." I believe that the Visible Thinking routines are no more or less cumbersome than any other classroom routines. They are just new to us.
To Rhona who commented on the potential for helping more passive students...I also see the VT routines as bringing all levels of differentiation to the classroom. It gives students who need more challenge the structure to rise to the occasion but it also allows the less able students to listen and contribute at their own levels. "How do you know that?" is so much more inviting to respond to than "why." A comment in the book that really resonated with me was on page 27 when the teacher commented about not asking "why" on a test. I have been there...the answers can be so far out there you wonder how there could be such a mismatch in your own perception of what has been learned and what is really going on in students' brains. By making thinking visible...we'll have a better idea and can make course corrections along the way.
My favorite routine so far is Compass Points. It allows for very rich conversation at all ability levels and really gets thinking on the table.
P.S. to Faith...Been to Beckley West Virginia many times on our way to SC. Enjoy this exciting week-end.
Thanks again to Mike...if I were to have another child I would hope he or she would be just like you!
Hello all! I have certainly enjoyed reading all the posts and perspectives shared on our blog and look forward to following along in the book and commenting.
ReplyDeleteI am quite 'low' today (it is a timing thing), I will do more 'thinking' myself and share more later.
I am focusing on the opportunities in which students will have time to think and formulate their personal opinions and responses while in their library environment. So many children love to think and talk about books they have read, are reading or plant to read. I love to watch children's eyes light up when they get 'excited' and engaged in something they believe is meaningful and thought provoking.
Stay cool!
;-)
Testing a post from my phone...
ReplyDeleteSo good to hear from you, Robin. Thinking of you often.
yay! I'm in!! It took me the whole day to figure this out. Ellen, guess I wouldn't make it in the PACE program after all. Mike, thanks for posting my response for me, although I'm not sure I would ever call you the "greatest". Robin, SOOOO good to hear from you!! xoxo.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading these first three chapters, I was excited about applying some of the Making Thinking Visible ideas into my student's piano lessons today. I tend to teach at a fairly fast pace, but I see how important it is to slow down and really get at what our students understanding is. Modeling out loud the thinking strategy I was using to arrive at an answer they didn't know helped teach them how to think for a future question. We did a lot of tossing and catching questions in lesson today. Can you say more about that? How did you figure that out? What do you mean?(p.35-36). I found my awareness of my student's understanding grew much clearer. Also, I practiced "facilitating the illumination of students' own thinking to themselves" p.31 or more simply "Name and Notice" the specific thinking strategy in my feedback to them.
ReplyDeleteGiving students time to construct their own understanding is worth it, even if it mean covering less material. A lot of lightbulbs went on for my student's today and their learning was tremendously successful! I look forward to learning more.
Hi Everyone! It has been very interesting reading all the wonderful posts. I am very happy that we are reading this text - it has been an easy and enjoyable read. Although I am learning a great deal from all three chapters, I did a large amount of highlighting on page 33 in chapter 2. I would like to make a more conscious effort to ask constructive questions in my classroom to allow my students to connect ideas, make interpretations, focus on big ideas, extend ideas, etc. We need to guide, direct and push forward students' understanding of important ideas.
ReplyDeleteThis concept was depicted clearly in the example they gave on page 33 of the first grade teacher who was having students connect each of their senses with the kinds of information that can be gathered from them. The questioning the teacher used allowed students to make interpretations and assumptions. The teacher played a vital role in the effectiveness of the lesson and at the same time she was modeling what good questioning is - another key element in making thinking visible.
I'm trying a post using Safari rather than IE from my home computer. Let's see if this works.
ReplyDeleteYeah!!! It's an Internet Explorer issue. Talk to you all in 2 weeks.
ReplyDeleteP.S. To Kim...I think figuring this out definitely showed both of our higher level thinking abilities :)
Hi everyone! I am so sorry I am just now posting. I have truly enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts and ideas about making thinking visible and I would have loved to participate yesterday, but my new little guy has kept me busy!
ReplyDeleteMaking thinking visible is such a wonderful concept but appears to be easily overlooked in the classroom. I find that many students just want to memorize the information without truly knowing why they need to understand it. I know for myself I am a successful learner when I can visually output what I am thinking. I strongly agree with the text that states, “When we make thinking visible, we get not only a window into what students understand but also how they are understanding it.” It is an inspiring moment when I can see the wheels turning in the young minds of kindergarteners. I can say for certain that my students are making thinking visible when they are able to make connections between what they are learning with something going on in their own lives. I am also motivated as a kindergarten teacher to make sure that my students are not passively learning, but learning “as a result of our thinking and active sense making.”
What I am excited most about this concept is that it can be applied to both teachers and students. It makes it easy for students to watch their very own teachers modeling how to make thinking visible. I am always looking for opportunities for my students to see me practice what I teach.
Ashley, I also enjoyed reading about the 1st grade teacher and her questioning technique. Modeling is such an effective tool in teaching for all grades, but I am sure you will agree it is especially useful in kindergarten. From the first day of school we are modeling simple routines and lessons. We are setting the stage for the rest of their educational career. I think that being able to model how to make thinking visible will also be successful in our classrooms.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to using many of the thinking strategies from this book with my third graders in the fall. Science is one of my favorite subjects to teach because students can make connections with their prior knowledge from other experiments, look at things from a different perspective, and generate alternative questions and hypotheses. I have students individually write down what they have learned during the lesson, share it with their group, and finally come together as a whole class to share in their learning. (We call this the "line of learning", where we actually draw a line with our pencils between what their thinking was, and how it compared and contrasted to what the whole group learned.) Concept maps are a powerful visual thinking strategy that can be used across the curriculum as well. I have never thought of grouping concept maps into four main response types: associative, emotional, meta, and strategic. The research shows that ... "elementary students' responses were frequently 70 percent associative and 10 percent emotional." As the author points out on pages 17-22, that students need to be taught the strategies to facilitate and direct their thinking in order to build deeper understanding. As a result, students become more engaged, independent learners!
ReplyDelete*Please read the entire entry...
ReplyDelete**Good Morning...just a reminder that tomorrow is our second "Blogging" day and I must say that the comments from the first "Blogging" day were excellent. I am very excited to continue the dialogue...
***RSVP: Also, on Wed. August 17th from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. is our 3 hour PD event at my home. My address is 836 Knox Street, Birmingham Michigan 48009. Originally, my wife was going to provide child care; however, she and the "kids" will be out of town that week in Gull Lake, Michigan--sorry!
****Parking: our home is within 50 yards of the Kroger shopping plaza located at Woodward and Maple. Please park in their lot and walk over to our house...the Bham Police love to give street parking tickets...
****If you missed logging into Kalpa before the deadline or if you couldn't find the first blogg entry in Kalpa...don't worry! I will create a new Kalpa account in August and you will be able to get your time.
*****Finally, could you email me and let me know if you are planning on attending the Aug. 17th PD event. I need to plan on how much "food" to purchase. Thank you...
I have enjoyed reading all the past posts. With everyone on the same page, using the same language, our students can't help but have success. I am hoping to blog tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Jeremey's earlier question about keeping everything in balance and how to provide time for these thinking routines, I believe that once students learn the structure of the thinking routine and it becomes embedded in the culture of the classroom, it really won't take that much time. It will just become a "way that we do things" much like other routines of the classroom such as counting off by "magic number" when we do a fire drill outside.
ReplyDelete2nd Blog Entry:
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering, could someone start us off and share with our team what routine captured your attention the most from our second reading? Then share with us what it was exactly that captured your attention and how you could apply it to a current unit of study...
I'm looking forward to seeing your thinking...
Greetings from South Carolina! I'm testing this out before I post since I wasn't able to post last time.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone! It is hard to believe the summer is almost over. Through our reading we are familiar with all of these thinking routines. As I read about the steps for each routine, I kept thinking..."I can't wait to try this!" As we begin to experience success with these routines in our classrooms, it is tempting to want to try all of these thinking routines with our learners. I am glad that Ritchhart understands teachers and learners, because he cautions us that attempting too many strategies too quickly will fatigue our students and even frustrate them. Instead of attempting to try many routines, Ritchhart suggests that we concentrate our efforts on deciding what kind of thinking is called for, and tailor our choice of routines to the process we are trying to achieve. Smart guy!
ReplyDeleteThe routine I was thinking about posting about is the "See, Think, Wonder" one. I kept thinking back to our visit to Frakenmuth and how this was used in a classroom there to address the topic of bullying. (At least, I think that's what it was for) I also love how this routine is similar to one I already do during math. (Ellen is the one who opened my eyes to this!) By starting out with just asking"What do you notice" my students were already familiar with having a lesson start with some pondering questions. This VT routine will provide an even stronger framework for deeper thinking and getting students to really dig into a topic.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning, everyone!
ReplyDeleteI am a little behind in the reading- I haven't read about compass points or the explanation game yet, so I can't share about those. However, of the routines I have covered, two of them really captured my attention: 3-2-1 Bridge and Zoom In.
3-2-1 Bridge can be used in a variety of units in the classroom, but I can see it being most effective in reading and science. In science, students come into the classroom with such a wide variety of knowledge, and it's hard to know where to begin with some units of study. The words and questions that students choose/ask will give me more of a definitive understanding of what concepts students are familiar with, and where I need to focus my energies. In addition, I love the metaphor/simile idea because it allows students to attain a higher level of thinking about a concept. When the unit is over, I believe that the MOST important part will be the comparison of the two 3-2-1 Bridge activities. Students will be able to see how much they've learned throughout the unit, and as a teacher- seeing examples of their thinking is so meaningful as it allows you to get an idea of how effective your teaching is.
I also really loved Zoom In- I haven't connected this activity to a particular subject yet, but I believe it can be applied to any one. I see myself using this as a weekly blog activity, pertaining to a different subject area this week. On Monday, I would post a part of a picture and ask students to comment (via blog) on what they see and what they think the bigger picture is. Each day or two, I would reveal more of the picture and have students repeat the process. The picture or drawing could relate to something we're learning about in any subject area- which means that I may have to draw the picture myself- YIKES!- or it might be a picture that relates to something recent in the news, something happening at school, or just something fun.
I can also see "zoom in" as a way for students to get more involved in the teaching process. As a student selected topic, students might choose to CREATE a picture for zoom in, which allows them to show their learning about the topic as well as provide opportunities for their classmates to show their thinking.
I'm really looking forward to the fall, and trying out some of these ideas in the classroom!
KO
I really got some great ideas in Chapter 4: Routines for Introducing and Exploring Ideas! First of all, I like the way the chapter is set up with the routine being summarized at the top, followed by the purpose, selecting appropriate content, steps, uses and variations, assessment, tips, and finally a picture of practice. I also watched the DVD with the routines, and found it to compliment the book for easier understanding. I plan on using "3-2-1 Bridge" at the beginning and conclusion of a new unit in social studies or science, or when starting a new book in reading. I really like the "Explanation Game" too. I was thinking about showing various pictures on the Smart Board in social studies of a particular region of the United States, and having students look at how different geological features are related to one another. Students would then name them using sticky notes, explain it in their small groups giving reasons for their explanation, and finally generate alternative explanations other than the ones they initially came up with. These approaches to learning will hopefully engage my students in a fun and interesting way!
ReplyDeleteCourt- it'd be cool to introduce some of these routines as buddy activities- like chalk talk- because my kiddos could scribe for your kiddos. Then, my kids would understand the routine and it'd be easier for them to apply it to some more difficult concepts....
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that struck me as I was reading about these different routines was the fact that we already have in place some versions of these routines. See-Think-Wonder, THink-Puzzle-Explore, and Chalk Talk, I think, can be found in some variation in classrooms throughout Bemis.So, I do feel we have been creating some visible thinking and will not be starting from scratch with some of the routines. I do, howeever, see how the questioning that I have been doing in my classroom can be made better by asking better questions. The routine that seemed to capture my attention was The Explanation Game. While reading the various routines, my thought is always how I could use this with my 4th graders. I could see this routine used in our Michigan History as well as our study of lighthouses. I like the idea of taking away "guess what you think this is," and creating "an environment for conjecturing and hypothesizing."
ReplyDeleteIt would be neat to use the "Explanation Game" as an introductory experience for our students much like Mitchell Gregory did for his middle school students. Wouldn't it be cool to use images around Bemis to familiarize the students or remind them of where certain places are or what certain rules/expectations we have for them? For the younger students, it could be pictures of different staff members to familiarize them with the people who help out at Bemis. For older students, it could be behavioral rules/expectations like how to be responsible in the cafeteria. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI used "chalk talk" after seeing it in action last year. I had a chance to explore it a bit with the 5th grade boys, and I loved that it allowed them to reflect their own thinking and also to jump onto the thoughts of their peers. Each child had a chance to be "heard". The conversation shared by the students in writing gave them time to ponder, and they could continue their thinking when they saw another thought that generated something new. Now that I have read more about it, I can see its value even more.
ReplyDeleteGood morning everyone! I can't believe it's August already. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone at the retreat!! I hope everyone has enjoyed their summer.
ReplyDeleteWhat captured my attention from the second reading is the See-Think-Wonder strategy. This caught my attention because of how well it would work in my kindergarten classroom. It encourages students to learn how to use descriptive words as well as learning how to effectively observe an object. Last year I had each Super Star student bring in a object and give clues to the class as to what it could be. The class had to think and ask questions about it so they could figure out what it was. They struggled at first with asking appropriate questions, but with time they did a great job.
This strategy would be so useful for our science and math curriculum. We have a unit on wood and I always feel my students don't quite get enough out of the lessons themselves. I would first display each piece of wood individually and have the class observe the pieces for a few minutes. I would then have them share what they actually "see". I would encourage them to use descriptive words and focus on the facts. They would then be asked to "think" about about what they see. I would pose a question like "What do you think the wood can be used for?" After more discussion I would give them some time to "wonder" what else they would like to know. They are already pretty good at "wonder" questions because of our Making Meaning unit. This will encourage them to dig a little deeper to find new information. While we share these wonderings, I would record them on a large poster board so that we can refer to it during future lessons and we may find that our "wonderings" have been answered!
I really enjoyed reading all of the different routines and could apply most of them in my kindergarten classroom, but I found that the See-Think-Wonder would be a fantastic place to start!
I agree with you, Faith- there are a lot of these routines that we have different variations of in the classrooms- we are teaching more visibly than we thought! ;) I do love the idea of helping the kids to be able to "name" their thinking process- I have struggled with helping them do this. In reading, we often compliment students when they use one of the reading strategies and are able to give them specific feedback- "You just figured that word out by using different context clues!"or "I like how you chose to re-read that page when you couldn't remember what happened on it"..... that type of feedback is so much more meaningful than "good job with your reading."
ReplyDeleteHaving names to go with these routines makes it so much easier for us to use that same teaching style throughout the day- it gives me much more specific feedback for students.
I agree with Rhona that we do not want to try all of these routines in one year! I love the idea of picking 2-3 and really learning how the routine works and making it a part of our teaching.If I tried to use all of them, I think it would become a one lesson thing and then I would move on.I love reading ideas others have for various routines. We are so good for each other!3-2-1- Bridge was one I wasn't too sure about. But now reading what Katie and Sandy have to say, I can look at it again and see what works! I so believe the sharing we do within this journey is going to be very beneficial!
ReplyDeleteFrom Robin:
ReplyDeleteRitchhart also recognizes that our students need time for thinking. He says that without time, teachers and other leaders cannot expect insights, connections and understandings to develop. Our students need time to reflect and to think deeply.
I notice this with regard to what is happening in the media center. With the limited time students are now spending in the media center, I think sometimes our kids are shortchanged. They used to have time to ponder, reflect, search, compare titles and themes, and now they are limited in their time to explore books during the time we spend together.
Kaity,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to use the Explanation Game with your students in Blog format. That would keep our students connected to the learning even when they weren't in school. I would love to explore this idea even further!
The Think-Puzzle-Explore routine captured my attention because of how similar it is to the K-W-L. Just by making subtle changes in my word choices "What do you think you know about....?" instead of "What do you know about...?" which can shut down a student that doesn't have confidence about the subject. This routine allows students to be more open-ended when forming their questions.
ReplyDeleteCourtney, I also was intrigued by the See-Think-Wonder routine because it starts lessons off with those pondering questions you spoke of. It is a great way for students to engage in the lesson without feeling nervous that they may say the wrong thing. This routine also allows me to to get an idea of what my students already know about the topic. I really look forward to using this particular VT routine!
ReplyDeleteI would also like to explore blogging with my third graders this year! Maybe we could get together as a group and come up with ideas to share!
ReplyDeleteSandy- I think the K team has a blog set up for their K parents which I think is an awesome idea!!!
ReplyDeleteKaity, I like your idea for the Zoom-In routine. It definitely can be used for any subject. I think it could be a great routine for a social studies unit. When I did my student teaching in 1st grade we did a unit on needs and wants. A picture could be used to determine some needs and wants that are in the picture. There are so many opportunities for this routine.
ReplyDeleteI also liked Step Inside. When reading fiction,or even books about historical figures, it is very interesting to help kids see different perspectives of the characters they are exploring.
ReplyDeleteThe example in the book was really interesting because the teacher at one elementary school used Step Inside to assist with character building, and being a good friend. Sometimes those kinds of activities help our children understand how a bullied child might feel. Aside from that, exploring thinking from different perspectives will help our students generate deeper thinking. I had not thought about using that routine for friendship issues and building a classroom community, but I thought it would be powerful.
Kaity- I love that idea! What a great way to explore the thinking routines having older students involved with the younger ones. Not only would it be a great model, but imagine the ideas that could be talked about and the thinking that it would bring out.
ReplyDeleteFrom Gayle Spiteri...
ReplyDeleteI am intersted in trying the compass point routine this year at Curriculum Night. It would be interesting to have the parents try it. Has anyone watched the DVD at the end of the book yet? I wonder if it shows examples of the routines in actions.
It's Tricia, I still have to change the Mrs.S :) Kaity- I also really liked the Zoom In strategy. I like your idea of putting up a little bit of a picture each day or week on your blog and letting students explore it. I definitely think this could be used in any subject area, and will give all students a chance to look at a picture or object over an extended period, and really have the time to look, look more closely, interpret what they're seeing,and gain new information about it.
ReplyDeleteI also really liked the Chalk Talk. This is a great way for students to share their ideas, and reflect and respond to others ideas. This reminded me of the carousel activity we have done during collaborations. It also reminded me of using written conversations with students which I have tried in the past, but chalk talk is focused on a larger topic.
It's so powerful when students' are engaged in their learning with one another and modeling their thinking to their peers. The learning that occurs is priceless!!
ReplyDeleteSandy- I like the idea of getting together and sharing blog ideas also. I'm trying to start one for the upcoming year, but would love a chance to learn and share ideas!
ReplyDeleteOff to the ocean- spending the day at the beach:) It's going to be 99 down here today! Take Care everyone!!
ReplyDeleteGayle, I watched the DVD and it goes over the routines of the book! It even shows a team of teachers reviewing their lessons with eachother, with one teacher taking notes on their group meeting. What a great way to get feedback on your lesson, and share ideas with your grade level!
ReplyDeleteI may be a bit further along in the book than most because my livelihood will depend on it next year :) So it is hard to limit my point of view to just the routines in chapter 4 when my thinking continues to expand as I read on. First, Rhona hit the nail right on the head about being cautious with how many routines we try at one time. They are called routines for a reason...so they will become ingrained in our teaching and our students' thinking. But...I know we are all overachievers and want to do it all right now so I can see the possibility of choosing one routine from each chapter (beginning lesson, mid-lesson and end of lesson) to try over the course of the year. But, I can also see the possibility of choosing one routine and exploring how to use just that one at different points of learning.
ReplyDeleteThat being said...my first favorite routine in chapter 4 is Think-Puzzle-Explore because it provides so much potential for differentiating and scaffolding curriculum for all levels of learners. I especially like that the "explore" component would suggest the perfect vehicle for higher level learners to extend and deepen their learning in a supported independent project.
I used 3-2-1 Bridge last year as the basis for a final project in one of my PACE classes. The students put their words, questions, metaphor and new thinking in a Prezi presentation. The kids loved doing it and the results were impressive.
I love Gayle's idea to use Compass Points with a parent group. I think it would be great to use it with our group at some point to debrief on our VT learning. When I first read about Compass Points I thought it would only apply to older grades so I loved how they gave the example of how it could be used with very young learners.
Hello, everyone!! I am not too happy with the times of these blogs...I babysit Luke and Sydney every Wednesday from 9-2, so it's hard for me to find a time, while here, to sit down and blog (I don't know how you parents out there do it). Then, by the time I get ready to blog, many of you have already said exactly what I was thinking. However, I realize that it's a good thing that so many people share my views, as it will make it much easier to collaborate across all grade levels to make visible thinking possible.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite strategy, just like Ellen's, was "Think-Puzzle-Explore". I really liked how this was taking KWL, which we all know and love, and pushing it one step further. I loved how that instead of "What do you want to know?" This pushes students to think more broadly in terms of inquiry rather than fact collection.
I've always loved using KWL to start off a unit so that students feel more confident in the unit, realizing that they actually already have a base knowledge. This just pushes that thinking even further. This not only helps students realize what they know, but even what they THINK they know.
As I was reading, I had the same thoughts about the compass points as many of you have stated. I would love to try to use this with parents. I wonder how realistically it would work. Faith, I agree, it would be good to see an example before attempting it with a set of parents.
The "Zoom in" strategy reminded me so much of working on "details" in Writing. This activity would help students think more about how to discover details in all subjects, which would ultimately help deepen their writing skills.
I really did enjoy reading this chapter, I felt like I could finally start to visualize what these routines look like in the classroom. I am excited to test these out wtih the kiddos. I could see this pushing their thinking to such new heights. Then, the best part will be seeing them use these routines naturally.
I was also excited to see the opportunities for posting students thinking in the classroom. This chapter ecouraged me to not only post on our school visual thinking board, but to have a bulletin board in the classroom dedicated to thinking strategies. This way, students could feel surrounded by thinking, which will give them new ideas and push them even further! :)
I can't wait to see how this works in all clssrooms. Kaity, I agree with you, it would be REALLY neat to try this as a buddy activity. I would love to see the older kids helping the younger kids to think visually.
Erin says...
ReplyDeleteHello everyone!! Happy summer...can't believe it is going by so quickly! I have been out of town for almost all of July so that is why I am so late to post!
Anyway...for a few years I have heard and believe that giving students processing time and processing experiences is so important to increase the effectivness of instruction. I love how these different thinking routines can be used for different purposes and allow students to process the information that they are learning. For instance...chalk talk can be a brainstorming activity to get minds warmed up but also it can be formative assessment tool used after learning has taken place. Also 3-2-1 bridge can be an independent thinking organizer or it can be a group thinking experience where you are teaching and practicing collaboration skills. To me these tools can be used in coutless ways with diverse audiences...Gayle LOVE the idea of incorporating them into your curriculum night agenda! Instead of using these tools in ADDITION to what we do I think they can be used in place of other tools or activities that we have been using that maybe haven't been as effective as what we hoped.
Great book!!
August 3, 2011 7:58 AM
testing it out- had to do some thing with cookies- will be back after my blood pressure has come down to try the post...again.
ReplyDeleteAs I read, I thought Compass Points could be used during Concert preparation to help excite and engage students more in the process. However, my next thought was how we always need more practice time just on the music and students are already involved and excited as each has a special job.
ReplyDeleteSo then I thought, at the beginning of the year I always ask students what they think would make our class a "safe singing space" and post their ideas for reference and reminders throughout the year. The Compass Points routine would be a great way of getting at students ideas for how we create a great atmosphere to sing in, since singing is such a personal thing for kids.
Since music about understanding form, function and parts of the whole, the Explanation Game could be used for finding Harmonic Function of a song and identify how the tonic function is what makes a song sound finished (in upper grades). It would be a great way to help students think like a musician who comprehends sounds internally.
I also thought of a game where I post the notation of several familiar songs without their titles, list title choices on the side and ask students to identify each song and support their answers with tonal and rhythmic explanations in how they read it. They may also be able to make meaningful connections between patterns in one song and in another.
I am impressed with the ideas in the book and the suggestions for better phrased questions such as asking "What do you think about it?" instead of "What do you know about it?" as a more inviting way for students to participate.
It's great that we are recognizing we already do a lot of this in our classrooms!
Here we go again... One thing that I really appreciate about the book is that they give examples of teachers across grade levels and how they weave the various routines into their day to day. This is so helpful in getting the wheels turning and I was able to think of several ways that each routine could be used. I think of all in chapter 5 I can see myself using the See Think Wonder routine the most often. I like the way it engages the students into thinking about the topic right away- instead of prepping the kids for what they are about to learn. These routines really force kids to think for themselves and they teach kids how to put into words and talk about what they are thinking. I can definitely see this routine being used during our Animals 2 by 2 kit to make what is already rich observations and discussions even more meaningful. Rather than starting the unit "teaching" about the animals I would invite the students to gather their own ideas and information.
ReplyDeleteI also LOVED the compass points and the example that they gave in the book about young kids and their thoughts on starting school. I tried it out with a little girl I tutor who is going into first grade. She really struggles with ideas and brainstorming in writing and this definitely helped her to organize her thoughts and identify her ideas. She was able to list 3-4 ideas under each heading- which is FAR more than she would have been able to under the prompt, "tell me about how you feel about first grade." I could also see using this routine before a big field trip to the zoo or as they listed at curriculum night.
I think it is a great suggestion Kaity to use these with buddy classes. The older kids would be very valuable models for these routines as well as help with some of the technical aspects like the writing.
Lastly - I am a very visual person and wanted to see more examples of the routines in use in classrooms. I would definitely suggest googling "Examples of visible thinking in _____grade level" or look for blogs that other teachers keep. I was able to find a lot out there (some with videos of it in action) and I also found a ton of teacher blogs on using CAFE. I know someone brought up that Kindergarten does a blog- ours last year was to serve more as a place parents could go to see updates on what we were learning and view pictures- but I love the thought of including more about the process and how the students are thinking rather than always doing a write up after the activity is over to recap.
The routines in this book are organized in a meaningful way and will benefit our students. Although I see myself trying one or two routines I also will need some type of reminder to try various ones. I need some type of graphical reminder that can hang from my white board. That reminder will help me to pick and try various routines within myclassroom.
ReplyDeleteOkay I just spent the last hour reading all of today's posts and writing my own response only to loose my entire post as I tried to preview it prior to posting!!! Will have to regroup and try again.
ReplyDeleteMike what about printing out the matrix on pages 51 and 52 and highlighting the routines you want to focus on?
ReplyDeleteLet's try this again! I am late in joining the conversation today due to spending most of the day with my dad at Beaumont. Thankfully they were able to get his breathing back in line and release him:)
ReplyDeleteOn to VT. Courtney, I too began using Ellen's "What do you notice?" question last year and did see a diference with the responses I got from students. Subtle changes in how we ask questions does impact how and if our students respond. I have used the question "What questions do you have?" for a couple of years now after learning that at a PLC training session. It has now replaced the old standard "Who has questions?" which leads me to Erin's comment about replacing rather than simply adding to our routines. I think as teachers we are often reluctant to "throw out" something that has proven to be useful or helpful in the past, however, we then become our own worst enemies as we develop a litany of routines that become overwhelming and impossible to include due to time issues. My new mantra will be replace vs. add!
Rhona's point is well taken regarding diminished thinking time during book checkout in the media center. Since it is so important to give our students ample time to process and explore, last year I began having my students spend that last 10-15 minutes of computer lab time browsing for books. We used the Bemis media catalog, Quest and several other book review websites. This routine promoted conversation between classmates and prepared them prior to going into the media center for checkout. They walked in with a book title or two noted down and they knew they would likely find them on the shelf.
I particularly liked the Think-Puzzle-Explore routine featured in the book. I like the idea of using it both at the beginning and end of a unit to bring our thinking full circle and , as the text states, to "remind students that learning is an ongoing process". This is very evident in our EDM curriculum. The spiral that it is based on lends itself to the Think-Puzzle-Explore strategy.
Hi All! I am late to the blogging today and I apologize! It’s been a busy day – tutoring, a visit to Bemis (the building is looking fabulous) and iPad lesson planning (more to come on this!).
ReplyDeleteChapter 4 has been an insightful exploration. As I was reading, I was constantly thinking about how I could best adapt the strategies to my classroom. Although I love all of the routines, two of my favorites were Chalk Talk and Compass Points.
As Courtney mentioned already, Chalk Talk was one of the routines we observed when we went up to Frankenmuth. I believe one of the classrooms we observed was 2nd grade and they were jotting down ideas that came to mind when visiting the concepts: solids, liquids and gases (objectives that aligned with their curriculum). The second graders in this class were able to connect to others’ responses, comment and question. I thought this would be a great routine to use once a week in the classroom when students are coming in to school – it could be a great morning activity and then could be a focal point to be discussed later during a class meeting or at calendar time. It would be ideal for visiting a concept that was already covered or a thought that was newly introduced.
I also enjoyed reading about Compass Points. This was not a routine that was presented at Frankenmuth but it is one that I would like to try and experiment with. I especially liked the way that students need to take a stance, think about their next steps related to the idea and suggest an idea as well. I believe this covers a wide range of levels of thinking, just like Costa suggests in his levels of thinking and questioning – it aligns nicely with these effective prompts.
Dear Team,
ReplyDeleteI believe everyone has had a chance to post their blog at this point and gone into Kalpa...
I have read through them a couple of times trying to pick up on themes...
I want to bring us all back to the commitment we made at the end of the year. Our goal is to research, study and implement at least one routine this year. The emphasis will be on truly using a specific routine within in your grade level...or building...that can be discussed, refined and to find out if it works! We may move forward with other routines throughout the year, but to start out we will focus on just one...
I believe in the routines and see their potential, but I also believe in taking our time with the implementation of these routines.
The thinking that you all put into your blog posts made me get very excited...I love the fact that we all are creating a common foundation of understanding about VT. I love the collaboration that is going on amongst all of us. And I love the fact that we are able to be in communication over the summer.
I am looking forward to the 3 hour PD session at my home. Many of you have RSVP'd to me that you are coming, but if you have not please let me know as soon as possible. Enjoy your next section of reading and I hope to see you on Wed. Aug. 17th...