ARE YOU ASKING STUDENTS TO REMEMBER OR THINK?

Are you asking students to remember or think? 

There is a big difference.

In today’s world, remembering is less valuable.  Do you remember going to the library have toy to look up the lifespan of a chimpanzee? You can now do it in about 5 seconds on your phone.

So, rather than just requiring recall, our time is better invested in teaching our students to process the world critically – to truly think.

Below are a few ways to begin this noble pursuit.

DEBONO’S SIX THINKING HATS

Meet DeBono’s Six Thinking Hats, and check out the video for a quick overview.

Get some colored hats at the Dollar Store, and you are in business! Also, a quick search online will get you a variety of free materials to help with implementation. For the younger kiddos, consider modifying by including only two or three hats. Ultimately, this becomes a great exploration of thinking when students can apply all the hats independently to an issue.

QUICK WRITES

Writing is also a natural way to get your students to reflect and process in a more critical way.  But, it doesn’t require a multi-page essay. Quick writes can be just as powerful!

Check out this article for some questions stems across content areas to get the thinking going.

SOCRATIC SEMINAR

Socratic Seminars and class discussions can certainly help your students delve deep.  However, there are usually a number of challenges associated with the management of it and ensuring all students are participating.   

One of my favorite methods for socratic seminar can be found here, and though it is demonstrated for a high school class, it can easily be adapted for other grade levels. 

 Above all, remember, those doing the work are the ones doing the learning!

I hope this was helpful.  Would you like more posts on this topic? Just let me know!

J Brandy