The Thinking Classroom

AIMS OF THIS SESSION

• To understand why it is important to establish a
thinking classroom for the learners of the 21st century.
• To introduce thinking skills and to develop awareness
of a range of teaching and learning strategies to
promote thinking.
• To provide knowledge of resources and further
information about different strategies and ideas and
conditions for learning.
 Thinking Skills – learning how to learn
What?
•Information processing skills
•Reasoning skills
•Enquiry skills
•Creative thinking skills
•Evaluation skills
Thinking Maps
Using Visual
Patterns to
Facilitate Learning
Eight Different Maps
 Developed in 1988 by Dr. David Hyerle
A COMMON VISUAL LANGUAGE FOR
LEARNING.
They have a consistent design and are used
at all grade levels.
Non linguistic representation of 8
thinking skills
defining describing
sequencing classifying
comparing and contrasting
analogies
recognizing part whole
relationships
With consistent use, the brain develops a pattern
that connects the process to a specific Thinking
Map.
8 Maps that are used by
teachers and students for
reading comprehension,
writing process, problem
solving and thinking skills
 Circle Map
Thinking Process: Defining in Context
Key Question:
How are you defining this thing or idea?
Key Words and Phrases:
List, define, tell everything you know,
brainstorm, identify, relate prior knowledge,
describe, explore the meaning
Geometry
 INTRODUC FRQUENCY
TION OF DISTRIBUT
DATA ION

DATA
MEASURES
PROBABI HANDLING
OF
LITY CENTRAL
TENDENCY
MEASURES
OF
DISPERSION
 EXPRESSIONS &
OPERATION OF
EXPRESSION
DIVISION OF
TYPES OF
POLY
POLYNOMIALS
NOMIALS
POLYNO
MIALS

FACTORISATION OPERATIONS
OF
IDENTITIES POLYNOMIALS
 Pythagoras
theorem

Applications
of Trigonometric
trigonometry ratios
Trigonom
etry

Trigono
metric Trigonometric
vaues
identiies
 Bubble Map
Thinking Process:
Describing Qualities; Characterization
Key Question:
How are you describing this thing?
What adjectives best to describe it?
Key Words and Phrases: Describe, use vivid
language, describe feelings, observe using the
five senses
 DATA

Pie Collection
chart of Data

Introduction
of Data

Organisation
Bar of data
graph

Pictograph
 Definition
Plane figure enclosed
by 3 line segments

Theorems ( BPT, Types of Triangles

ABT,
Pythogorean) Based on Angles
Based on sides

TRIANGLE
PROPERTIES
Interior- Angle Sum
Comparison of Property
Triangles
Exterior- Angle Sum
Similarity Property
AAA, SAS, SSS Exterior-Angle Property
Area Property Comparison of Sides related Property
Triangles
Congruency
SSS, SAS, SSA, RHS
 Double Bubble Map

Measures UN GROUPED Measures

of AND GROUPED of Central
Dispersion DATA Tendency
 Tree Map
Thinking Process: Classifying
Key Question: What are the main ideas,
supporting ideas, and details in information?
Key Words and Phrases: Classify, sort,
group, categorize, give sufficient and
related details
 GEOMETR
Y

Plane Geometry 3D
Geome
try
Point, Line,
Rays and Angles Triangles Symmetry
Plane Cir
Types of Quad
Types Compar cle
Intersec Pair of Triangle rilate
of Angles and Properties of ison of s
ting Angles s Based rals
Lines their Triangles Triangle
Parallel on Sides
Properties and s
Concurr Lines
ent lines Angles
Perpendicul
ar Lines
Skew Lines
 Brace Map
Thinking Process: Part to whole relationship
Key Question: What are the parts and
subparts of this whole physical object?
Key Words and Phrases: Part of, take
apart, show structure
It is for parts only, for “types” of things, a
Tree Map should be used.
 • A Closed Polygon
Triangles
• Definition of Triangle

• Vertices
Parts of a Triangle • Sides
• Angles

• Based on sides
Classification of Triangles
• Based on Angles

• Angle Sum Property

Properties of Triangle • Exterior Angle Property
• Triangle Inequality

• SAS
Criteria for congruency of • ASA
Triangles • SSS
Geometry Triangles • RHS

Concurrent Lines, Points • Meaians, Altitudes

of Concurrency • Centroid, Orthocentre, Incentre and Circumcentre

• AAA
• AA
Similarity of Triangles • SSS
• SAS
• Areas and Perimeters of Similar Triangles

• Basic Proportionality Theorem and its converse

Theorems • Angle Bisector Theorem and its Converse
• Pythagoras Theorem

• Median of Triangles
Construction of Triangles • Centroid of Triangles
• Incentre, Circumcentre, Orthocentre
DATA HANDLING
 FLOW Map
Thinking Process: Sequencing
Key Question: What happened? What is
the sequence of events? What are the sub-
stages?
Key Words and Phrases: Sequence, put in
order, order, recount, retell, what happens
next, cycles, patterns, describe processes,
describe change, solve multi-step
problems
angles Triangles

Right
triangle

Pythagoras
theorem
 1.Identify Organization
the objects Raw data data

Recording Grouped
Counting data
Data

Collecting and Drawing

Pictograph tabulating pictograph
data bargraph
 Learning continuum
Pythagoras Method of
Theorem. Using Basic
Trigonometric Identities of
Tables. Trigonometric Height and
Ratios. Distance.
Applications
of
Pythagoras
Theorem Complementary
Equal form of
Angles.
Identities.
Angle of
Elevation and
Angle of
Depression.
Trigonometric Values of
Ratios of Given Trigonometric Application of Identities
Sides. Ratios for in Proving and Solving the
Special Angles. Problems.
 Multi Flow Map

Thinking Process: Cause and Effect; Problem-

Solution
Key Question: What are the causes and effects
of this event? What might happen next?
Key Words and Phrases: Causes and effects,
discuss consequences, what would happen if,
predict, describe change, identify motives,
discuss strategies
 Diameter
Properties Chord Length
of Chords
Sum of the Opposite
Angle in a Angle in a cyclic
Quadrilateral is 1800
Circle Circles
Angle subtended in a
Cyclic Semicirle is 900
Quadrilaterals Angles in same
segment is Equal
 BRIDGE MAP
Classification of Triangles
No sides One Angle
Two sides All sides are All Angles One Anle is is Obtuse
are Equal are Equal are Acute
Equal Right Angle Angle
Scalene Isoceles Equilateral Acute Right Obtuse
Triangle Triangle Triangle Angled Angled Angled
Triangle Triangle Triangle
 What makes a thinker?
Curiosity- the compulsion to wonder
Creativity- the urge to make something new
Rigour- the determination to see things through
Explanation the desire to share
Understanding – the drive to make sense of it all

How can you create a classroom ethos which values

thinking?
What are the features of a thinking classroom?
 Guy Claxton –
Building Learning Power -4R’s
• Resilience – locking on to learning
• Resources fullness – knowing what to
do when you don’t know what to do
• Reflection- strategies and self-
awareness
• Relationships – learning alone and
with others
• http://www.guyclaxton.com/blp.htm
The mind is not a
vessel to be filled,
but a fire to be
ignited.
(Plutarch)
Brain theories about the optimum conditions for learning
• high level of sensory stimulation
• high levels of challenge low levels of threat
• the learner is motivated and having fun
• immediate feedback ( adjusts its neurons)
• making choices
• the brain learns best in short chunks
• operates ALWAYS on 2 levels – conscious and
unconscious
• language and music are key processing mechanisms for
the brain which loves patterns and rhythms
 What tools/frameworks do you have in your tool
box to promote thinking?
• Blooms Taxonomy to promote higher order thinking

• Multiple Intelligences –Howard Gardner

• Mind- mapping – Tony Buzan

• Thinking Hats- Edward de Bono

• TASC Wheel – Belle Wallace

 BLOOMS REVISED TAXONOMY
CREATING
Generating new ideas, products, or ways of viewing
things
Designing, constructing, planning, producing,
inventing
EVALUATING
Justifying a decision or course
Justifying a decision or course of action
of action
Checking, hypothesising, critiquing,
Checking, hypothesising, critiquing, experimenting,
experimenting, judging

judging
ANALYSING
Breaking information into parts to explore
understandings and relationships
Comparing, organising, deconstructing,
interrogating, finding
Applying
Using information in another familiar situation
Implementing, carrying out, using, executing
UNDERSTANDING
Explaining ideas or concepts
Interpreting, summarising, paraphrasing,
classifying, explaining
Remembering
Recalling information
Recognising, listing, describing, retrieving,
naming, finding
Mind Mapping
 Belle Wallace – TASC WHEEL

http://www.nace.co.uk/tasc/tasc_home.htm
http://www.tascwheel.com