A school culture recognised for placing learning and thinking first.

Developing thinking Principles ( Appendix 1)

The changes to the national curriculum Orders (Wales 2008) enable all teachers to develop thinking in all subject areas. Developing thinking strands will be appropriate in all subject areas.

The central and crucial process in developing thinking, from both scientific and classroom practice evidence, is labelled metacognition, thinking about thinking. In other words, learners need to reflect on learning and intentionally At present there are two alternative ways by which developing thinking is taught: through subject specific methods, or through cross-curricular infusion methods

For these orders, the whole process of developing thinking can be viewed as cyclical/spiral so that learning from reflection can be fed back into the next task.

Diagram: Developing thinking – learner’s spiral.

It should be noted that metacognition (thinking about thinking) is at the heart of all learning; learners need to ‘unpack their thinking’ in order to appreciate

the strategies they have used to learn, to assimilate the learning that has taken place and to link the learning to a new context. It is the vital ingredient which makes the learning approach spiral.

Key Perspectives:

Teaching thinking is a hard, long-term business. There are no quick fixes. We may see more articulacy in one year, but permanent change takes longer.
The pitfall for children is that they learn to think in one place but fail to apply these skills across the curriculum. We can’t just play some funny little games and then expect thinking about thinking to pop up into kids’ consciousness wherever and whenever they need to think. It won’t. We have to do things in lots of different contexts, they have to write thinking journals every week, you have to shift the culture of the classroom. Otherwise the thinking skills lock to the particular content.”
Thinking hard is hard, Children cannot do it at first. They need support but they also need teachers to resist the temptation to make it easier.
Not all learning requires thinking: It is possible for learning to take place without thinking (learning by rote, or learning by accident) The role of memorisation is important. Memorisation has a different role in the case of learning without thinking to that which it does in the case of learning with thinking. Internalisation of information can occur in the same ways in both cases, but internal processing in the case of learning without thinking relies upon memorisation, while in the case of learning with thinking memorisation is only a part of the wider internal processing of thinking and learning.

Why develop Thinking Skills?

Developing thinking skills enables learners to gain a deeper understanding of topics, to be more critical about evidence, to think flexibly and to make reasoned judgements and decisions rather than jumping to conclusions. These qualities in thinking are needed both in school and in the wider world. Learners need to develop a repertoire of thinking strategies to be drawn on when they encounter new situations.

Benefits for pupils:

Thinking skills help our pupils to

consider issues from other people’s points of views and value other people’s opinions
respect others
recognise differences
be motivated to learn and enjoy learning
raise their confidence/self-esteem
liberate their thinking from the constraints of always looking for correct answers to problems
recognise the importance of teamwork
be more aware of how they prefer to learn.
prepare for life after school and for citizenship.

Benefits for teachers :

_ helping them to recognise different learning styles and reflect more on teaching and learning
_ increasing their own motivation
_ making teaching more exciting and engaging
_ cutting down on discipline problems because children enjoy the activities
_ raising teachers’ esteem because it is obvious pupils are enjoying learning.

Fundamental to how we develop thinking are six principles:

Principle 1: The learning environment is supportive and productive.:

In our learning environment we endeavour to:

Build positive relationships through knowing and valuing each pupil
Promote a culture of value and respect for individuals and their communities
Use strategies that promote pupils’ self-confidence and willingness to take risks with their learning
Ensure that each pupil experiences success through structured support, the valuing of effort, and recognition of their work.

Principle 2: The learning environment promotes independence, interdependence and self motivation.

In our learning environment we endeavour to:

Encourage and support pupils to take responsibility for their learning personal learning
We use strategies that build skills of productive collaboration.

collaborative learning

structures for collaborative learning

collaborative learning strategies

establishing roles

Principle 3: Pupils’ needs, backgrounds, perspectives and interests are reflected in our planning for the learning

In our learning environment we endeavour to:

use strategies that are flexible and responsive to the values, needs and interests of individual students
Use a range of strategies that support the different ways of thinking and learning
Builds on pupils’ prior experiences, knowledge and skills
Capitalises on pupils’ experience of a technology rich world.

Principle 4: Pupils are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and application

In our learning environment we endeavour to:

Plan sequences to promote sustained learning that builds over time and emphasises connections between ideas.
Promote substantive discussion of ideas through such strategies as brainstorming, questioning techniques
Emphasise the quality of learning with high expectations of achievement
Use strategies that challenge and support pupils to question and reflect
Use strategies to develop investigating and problem solving skills
Use strategies to foster imagination and creativity.

Principle 5: Assessment practices are an integral part of teaching and learning.

In our learning environment we endeavour to

Design assessment practices that reflect the full range of learning objectives
Ensure that pupils receive frequent constructive feedback that supports further learning
Make assessment criteria explicit
Use assessment practices that encourage reflection and self assessment
Use evidence from assessment to inform planning and teaching.

Principle 6: Learning connects strongly with communities and practice beyond the classroom.

In our learning environment we:

Support pupils to engage with contemporary knowledge and practice
Plan for pupils to interact with local and broader communities
Use technologies in ways that reflect professional and community practices

Our approach at Christ the King Primary School is three-fold:

Children are taught to think more clearly using a variety of approaches from:

_ specifically designed programmes ( Using PC4 Sapere approach)
_ infused across the curriculum ie ‘to introduce into one thing a second thing which gives it extra life, vigour and a new significance.’ (Webster) such as thinking maps, tools, use of Tasc wheel, HOM.
_ embedded in a particular subject. ( Eg CAME, VCOP)

By this multi approach we hope to overcome the problems inherent in adherence to one.

eg If on the one hand we chose to use just PC4 approach how can we ensure that our pupils can apply skills learnt in one context to other situations? Alternatively, if teaching

thinking is embedded in a particular curricular area such as CAME , there is no guarantee that learners can isolate it from its context and apply it more generally to other situations.

Developing Dispositions to learning

We develop positive dispositions to learning in our pupils: consistently progressively &

uniformly through out the school using ‘Habits of Mind’ by Art Costa.

Our Teaching Style:

Using investigative & exploratory approaches to learning, particularly in science, Geography and History. Developing creative thinking, playful approaches to learning in all subjects particularly the arts.

Powerful Questioning

Using questioning to develop thinking, both child & teacher, using Bloom’s taxonomy

The Scope of our thinking School encompasses:

Thinking Skills:-Shared tools and strategies for extending thinking. Developing learning strategies
Thinking Curriculum:-progression planning, cyclic & developmental, agreed consistent approaches.
Thinking Classrooms: -Teaching practice & methodology, class environment supports conditioned for learning.
Thinking School- our ethos, practices, organisation, structure.

The role of teacher is critical to success. The teachers role changes from the teacher as the ‘fount of all knowledge’ to the teacher as co-learner with the children. By listening to what children think and how they approach problems or issues, participants believed that teachers can continue to learn.

Planning for Opportunities to develop Thinking Skills

Teachers give as much consideration on how to teach as what to teach.
The function of the teacher is not be just to control the delivery of knowledge, but to plan and manage a challenging learning experience for every learner, every lesson.
From the medium-term planning (i.e. Scheme of Work), teachers could choose a learning objective that would appear to be rich in opportunities to develop a particular thinking principle.
They then plan to creatively work on a related classroom activity, bearing in mind the thinking skill principle and the underlying practices to develop thinking in lessons.

1. Philosophy for Children P4C Approach ( appendix 2)

P4C is a structured thinking skills programme based around the principles of Socratic Dialogue, drawing out ideas, thoughts and opinions, stimulating and challenging these in turn.

Through this approach children are enabled to formulate and consider questions, dealing with some of the key philosophical issues-questions about concepts, perspectives and ethics at a level appropriate to the child.

P4C is an approach that aims to improve the quality of :

Reflective Thinking: where we examine the grounds and consequences of our beliefs in order to solve a problem that has unsettled us.
Critical Thinking: having a questioning approach and giving reasons for everything you say.
Creative thinking: identifying difficulties and deficiencies and valuing the search for new ideas, seeking viewpoints of others etc.
Thinking about thinking- metacognitive awareness.

Initially small groups of children are led by Mrs Hulme (Senco) over a period of half a

term to build a community of enquiry. When the children become confident, they use the same methodology within the class.

Building a Community of Enquiry

After a warm up activity that usually helps to develop listening, a picture or text is chosen as a stimulus. Questions are asked to establish understanding and recall of the story.
Before embarking upon any discussion there is time for private reflection in order to the child to identify key issues and any questions or ideas they would like to take further
Sharing reflections; Once they have reflected individually then children can share some of their thoughts/ feelings with a child sitting next to them.
Question Creation. Children are asked to devise a question ( in groups) arising from the stimulus that they would like to take into discussion.( Skills of negotiation and co-operation practiced)
Airing questions; he questions from the group are recorded- names attached to questions to establish ownership. Children can clarify question Children select one question to be discussed.
Enquiry: The discussion that now takes place is more than an exchange of ideas. Children are taught They are taught to think about the rationale behind their ideas. The role of the teacher is to guide the enquiry forward so that it does not just become a mere exchange of opinion. Groundrules are established for one person to speak at a time. Children are showed how to listen and build upon what has been said. Children are encouraged to be:
1. Critical (able to think according to purpose: metacognitively aware)
1. Creative( making connections, suggesting alternatives),
1. Collaborative( building upon ideas of others) (caring( sensitive to the needs, ideas and opinions of others).
Reflections The discussion is brought to a close. The teachers gives an overview of points aired. Children invited to make a final comment and reflect upon the process or content of the enquiry through the sharing of experiences.

2. Infusion Methods

The benefits of infusion approach:

thinking skills can be matched directly with topics in the curriculum;
content instruction is invigorated thus leading to deeper understanding;
classroom time is used optimally;
teaching for thoughtfulness is directly supported across the curriculum;
and transfer of learning can be more easily promoted and reinforced at other stages.
Progression of thinking skills in determined by the context in which they take place

Generalised Approaches

Using specific tools to help children develop their process of thinking that can be used in any context- visual maps.

David Hyerle’s thinking Maps. Thinking Maps (Appendix 3)

Each of the eight Thinking Maps is based on a fundamental thinking skill such as comparing and contrasting, sequencing, classifying, and cause-effect reasoning. Much like carpenters using a set of tools, multiple Thinking Maps are used as tools by pupils for constructing knowledge: for improving the basics of reading, writing, and mathematics as well as for problem-solving and the development of higher-order thinking abilities.
A wealth of research and published articles supports the use of different types of Visual Tools generally, and Thinking Maps specifically. New brain research provides even greater insights into why most pupils perform better when using Thinking Maps. (Appendix 3)

In our school they are used across he curriculum and specifically in the development of literacy in a systematic and progressive way using the maps ‘Write from the Beginning.’ (WftB)

De Bono’s Thinking Hats-Parallel Thinking with De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats (Appendix 4)

Edward de Bono is regarded by many as the leading authority in the field of creative thinking, innovation and the direct teaching of thinking as a skill. He is equally renowned for his development of the Six Thinking Hats. The Six Thinking Hats method provides a practical method of constructive thinking. Each thinking type of thinking is identified with a coloured hat as shown below.
Six Thinking Hats is a simple, effective tool that helps all involved to be using the same type of thinking at any one time, which is far more productive, focused, and mindfully involved.

The Six Thinking Hats:
The White Hat-Information available and needed
The Red Hat-Intuition, feelings, and hunches
The Black Hat-Cautions and difficulties/Where things might go wrong
The Yellow Hat-Values and benefits/Why something might work
The Green Hat-Alternatives and creative ideas
The Blue Hat-Managing the thinking process
We use thinking hast to discuss topics, solve problems, explore alternatives, reach decisions, research, organise and write reports, brainstorm

Developing positive dispositions to learning- Habits of Mind

Art Costa’s Habits of Mind. (Appendix 5)

“A habit is like a cable: we weave it each day and at last we can not break it.”.
By nurturing and valuing these habits or attitudes our pupils develop positive dispositions to learning that enable them to become confident life-long learners
The 16 Habits of Mind identified by Costa and Kallick include:
Persisting
Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision
Managing impulsivity
Gathering data through all senses
Listening with understanding and empathy
Creating, imagining, innovating
Thinking flexibly
Responding with wonderment and awe
Thinking about thinking (metacognition)

Taking responsible risks
Striving for accuracy
Finding humour
Questioning and posing problems
Thinking interdependently
Applying past knowledge to new situations
Remaining open to continuous learning

Developing our questioning- (Appendix 6) Blooms:-using different strategies eg whiteboards, giving thinking time, partner talk,, pupil asking questions, enquiry approach.

· Bloom’s Taxonomy: An Overview

Almost 50 years ago Benjamin Bloom developed a matrix that shows a list of six levels of difficulty when dealing with what you know. This group of different levels of describing how you approach a problem is called taxonomy.

Asking pupils to think at higher levels, beyond simple recall, is an excellent way to stimulate pupils’ thoughtprocesses. Different types of questions require us to use different kinds or levels of thinking.

Basically Blooms is used in the school to ensure that the questions the children are exposed to aren’t all one type of questioning (for example knowledge or understanding based questions). The children are made aware of and taught a range of questions from the six sections listed below.

Benjamin Bloom identified six levels of questioning , from the simple recall or recognition of facts- the lowest level, through increasingly more complex and abstract levels of questioning that involves the greater thinking. Research has shown that teachers tend to ask questions in the “knowledge” category 80% to 90% of the time. These questions are not bad, but using them all the time places ceiling on our pupils’ learning. Questions at the higher level require much more “brain power” and a more extensive and elaborate answer.
At Christ the King both teachers and pupils use the categories of questioning that Bloom identified and were updated by Anderson in the 1990’s to ensure that we challenge our learning. The different levels of thinking are also used in the KS2 homework projects.
Below are the six question categories as revised by Anderson.
—–REMEMBERING- The ability to retell or describe information or data.
—– UNDERSTANDING-The ability to interpret information
—–APPLYING-Being able to apply the knowledge in new situations.
—–ANALYSING – Being able to interpret the knowledge, apply principles and relationships in a given situation.
—– EVALUATING- Being able to draw together information and data in different formats and develop new or improved models of understanding.
—–CREATING -To reflect on what has been processed and judge or verify its merit.

· Q Matrix- a grid to support the development of questioning.

Developing emotional, affective thinking

– SEAL (Appendix 7)

This is a structured progressive approach that develops Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning. It uses circle time and a range of activities to help develop children’s social, emotional and behavioural skills: a whole-curriculum.
The knowledge, skills and understanding developed by the SEAL resource
Self-awareness
Self-awareness enables children to have some understanding of themselves. They know how they learn, how they relate to others, what they are thinking and what they are feeling.
They use this understanding to organise themselves and plan their learning.
Managing feelings
In managing feelings, children use a range of strategies to recognise and accept their
feelings. They can use this to regulate their learning and behaviour – for example managing anxiety or anger, or demonstrating resilience in the face of difficulty.
Empathy
Being able to empathise involves understanding others; anticipating and predicting their likely thoughts, feelings and perceptions. It involves seeing things from another’s point of view and modifying one’s own response, if appropriate, in the light of this understanding.
Social skills
Social skills enable children to relate to others, take an active part in a group, communicate with different audiences, negotiate, resolve differences and support the learning of others.

Using Learning Preferences (Appendix 8)

“People of all ages can learn virtually anything if allowed to do it through their own unique styles, their own personal strengths.” Barbara Prashnig.
We believe that although people may have underlying traits, these are not fixed and we do not restrict pupils in their learning, our aim is to develop learning flexibility. However, when approaching new concepts, when a child is under stress we ensure that teaching strategies deliberately engage with a variety of learning styles to ensure a child is not prejudiced in his learning.
All lessons are therefore planned with elements that reflect the learners learning preferences. That is, they are planned with elements for our visual, auditory, tactile and kinaesthetic learners.
Children in Year 4 have their learning style analysed using the model developed by Barbara Prashnig. The children work with the teacher to understand how they can help themselves in developing their learning. The class teachers have print outs detailing the learning preferences of their class. This informs their planning and teaching style. Parents are involved to enhance learning at home. At the end of Year 6 the child’s learning style is again assessed, comparisons made. This is then given to the high school as part of the transition projects.

Encouraging pupils to reflect upon their learning–(metacognition)

(Appendix 9) eg Plenaries, ( Mrs Potters Questions) Assessment procedures

We use the plenary as an opportunity to round off and summarise the lesson, to underline what has been accomplished. It aims to refocus pupils on the objectives that have featured in the lesson. It is also a time to look back and look forward and to relate work in the lesson to other work. For the teacher, the plenary is an opportunity to assess learning and plan accordingly.

We also use plenaries part way through a lesson; staging posts when the teacher draws the class together, it crystallises understanding and directs the class to the next phase of work.

Our plenaries will vary in length, two minutes on one day, 20 minutes on another, depending on the style and format of what the teacher has planned. To provide the necessary variety we use them to develop:

Teaching Strategies– no hands up, thinking time, collaborative learning, using learning styles, multiple intelligences ( Appendix 9) Strategies that are activity based (Appendix 9) (trategy in which every teacher asks questions for pupils to answer at the beginning of every lesson to remind them of what they had learned yesterday, last week, 3–4 months or even a year ago.
‘Thinking time’ when teachers posed oral questions was increased.
Thinking skills incorporated into the Personal and Social Education (PSE) programme.

Brain gym, an exercise-based programme, is used as a way of stimulating children’s thinking at the beginning of each teaching session and os specific sessions. (Appendix 10)

Thinking through Assessment (see assessment for learning policy.)

Developing better quality thinking and assessment for learning

**the two are inextricably linked. It follows, therefore, that similar teaching strategies may be used to stimulate better thinking and assessment for learning.

**both thinking skills and assessment for learning also retain several specific characteristics **different teaching strategies may be required to enhance better quality thinking or encouraging learners to use assessment for learning.

Assessment for Learning Principles

The focus will be on three main areas for developing classroom principles for Assessment for Learning:

Questioning technique

Providing feedback to learners

Peer and self-assessment.

Evidence from assessment for learning practice can indicate to the teacher where more time is needed and where it can be saved so that teachers do not become slaves to schemes of work. Summative tests should be seen to be a positive part of the learning process, if used formatively.

Assessment for Learning Skills –

Questioning	Feedback	Peer and self-assessment
*Assessment for learning principles*
Improving quality of answers	Target setting	On-going lesson assessment
Peer discussion	Immediacy of feedback	Uses of summative assessment
Active involvement of all learners

The Thinking Classroom (appendix 10)

What Does Good Thinking Look Like? Here are few examples of the types of thinking skills and behaviours evident in a Thinking Classroom. Each point involves some sort of deliberate “action” around an idea, concept, or topic. The key to teaching thinking is to get pupils to take cognitive action. Thinking

Classroom pupils tend to:

Take think time

Generate lots of options when making a decision
Look beyond the obvious toward a richer conception of a topic
Challenge assumptions and question the validity of given information
Find problems and solve them
Wonder about deep issues or structure
Seek alternative solutions and perspectives
Pay attention to detail to achieve deeper understanding
Make connections to ideas and subjects students already know about in or out of school
Seek hidden causes and explanations
Give examples and evidence to make a point
Produce reasons and arguments from multiple perspectives
Find new and effective ways to apply knowledge
Anticipate potential consequences
Demand and provide proof
Make plans, set goals and standards
Anticipate obstacles
Use diagrams, graphs, and organizers to illustrate ideas and concepts
Detect patterns of thinking
Describe strengths and weaknesses in learning

What we know

Impact upon teaching/learning

Thinking takes time. Intelligence is learnable. Models matter. Language creates meaning Explanations clarify expectations. Detection creates opportunity. Investment pays Feedback informs learning. Connections secure knowledge. Reflection deepens understanding. Attitude is everything. High-order knowledge goes beyond the facts.

.Teachers build think time into lessons, discussions, and activities. Communicate that we can all learn to think smarter. Provide pupils with lots of models of good thinking. Enrich pupils s’ thinking vocabulary for greater precision and understanding (e.g. use words like speculate, reason, deduce, infer, guess, summarize, analyse, etc.) Directly introduce, describe, and explain the types of thinking that you are looking for. Encourage pupils to be alert to occasions to identify potential problems, to deliberate about a decision, to pursue a new line of inquiry, to consider an alternative cause, explanation, or reason. Create an environment that fosters pupils’ natural inclinations to invest and pursue the thinking opportunities they detect. Self-assessment, peer-evaluation, and teacher evaluation all provide pupils with valuable information and insight on how well they are thinking and learning. Encourage pupils to connect new ideas and learning to things they know about inside or outside of school. Provide pupils with skills and opportunity to become better at observing and managing their thinking. Create an educational environment that promotes productive patterns of intellectual conduct. Focus on the knowledge and know-how of solving problems, using evidence, and discovering lines of inquiry within the disciplines.

Securing habits to develop thinking during lessons

Pupils are taught to:

What this means

Gather and Recognise Identify Evaluate Learn from experience

What do I know about this? Pupils are taught to gather and recognisewhat they already know at the beginning of a ‘new topic’ – only then can our teachers and pupils identify what is known and understood. This is the point from which differentiation of lesson planning begins. What questions should I ask about the activity? Do I fully understand what I must do? What do I need to find out? How will I judge the success of the activity? How well did I do the activity? What must I do to improve? How can I work more efficiently? What have I learned? Learning is recognised when pupils reflect on the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of their learning. All pupils need to see how they are changing and progressing. This process of metacognition lies at the very root of learning how to learn. At the end of every topic of work, or lesson, learners need to analyse what new knowledge, skills and concepts they have acquired through generating, selecting, and implementing ideas and communicating about their learning. This analysis, together with the identification and evaluation processes discussed above, will help pupils to learn from experience and consider how else this newly acquired learning can be used across the curriculum and in life outside the classroom.

Use of Questions ( appendix 6)

We optimise the interaction between you and your students by ensuring that your questioning is as effective as possible. Questioning, either by the teacher or between pupils is a crucial part of review following guided practice or at the end of the lesson.

Types of question:

· Closed questions have one clear answer (e.g. ‘How much is 4 times 8?’).

· Open questions have open-ended answers (e.g. ‘Some people say that friction is the opposite of slipping. What do you think? ‘What do you think makes a country democratic?’).

· Product questions are designed to find the answer to a particular problem.

· Process questions are meant to elicit procedures, processes and rules used to get the answer.

The mix of question types used will depend on the topic and goals of the lesson. Teaching is more effective if you use more open than closed questions, and more process than product questions.

Developing thinking may have as much to do with dispositions and habits of mind as it has to do with acquiring specific skills and strategies. It is important therefore that classrooms are cultivated as thinking environments where asking questions, seeking evidence, doubting statements, and tolerating points of view are actively pursued. We concentrate on creating a thinking classroom in several ways.

What is evident in our school?

Lessons are never just about developing particular thinking skills. However, in the pursuit of curriculum and learning objectives, appropriate thinking skills are highlighted ( type of thinking and strategy highlighted in planning) and utilised. These were evident in lessons for pupils of all ages.
Teachers constructed sequences of learning activities to reflect Bloom’s taxonomy, KWL grids, thinking maps etc and these were made explicit to pupils..
Classrooms, for all ages, displayed the thinking skills maps that pupils and teachers are using and teachers take opportunities to model these skills
Classrooms and books are full of the evidence of previous learning and the thought processes that had been used .eg thinking maps in books, left on white boards, posters displaying previous work, affirmations about what it means to be learner our school.
Explicit reference was made when appropriate to the particular thinking skills that could be used to complete particular tasks. Eg- comparisons- double bubble. etc
Pupils frequently self-assess on completion of tasks
Marking comments of the quality of thinking used ( eg strategy used) and its effectiveness in helping to develop learning.
Investigative project work passes through distinct phases:

Brainstorm elements – using visual tools. (add as necessary.)-

KWL- Question Setting – finding Answers-( using graphic signposts/ main idea/detail)- Comprehension choosing how to display answers analysis of positive and negative factors of an issue leading to evaluation and feelings and judgements

synthesising of ideas for actions that needed to be taken

Learning activities are explicitly planned to stimulate and reflect Learning Styles.
Collaborative work: Group work is effectively used to provide the right learning environment to complete tasks and to develop the specific skills being sought.
Enquiry Learning Approaches used effectively.

Establishing research teams to find out about different aspects

Children understand role of groups.

Groups dissolve and reform to share findings and help achieve a single coherent picture.

Using ICT for learning
Reflective practices evident in all learning.

Appendix 1

What Kinds of Thinking?

The model we use at Christ the King Primary School is a mixture of DELL’s and Carol Mc Guiness’ model with metacognition at the centre. (see below)

The types of thinking are interwoven- not separate and metacognition is fundamental.

Thinking metacognitively--Thinking about thinking- Reflection

Children must be shown how to use a shared language to enable them to recognize the type of thinking engaged in & its appropriateness and efficacy.

Metacognition is at the centre of thinking. Developing these skills continues throughout our curriculum, over is intrinsic to all our approaches eg

How:

Pupils can describe their plan or strategy before a task and review .( WALT/WILF. Children determining success criteria)
- Comparing different approaches to same task ( evaluating)
- Asking pupils to evaluate plans and skills used and suggest improvements.(reflection & evaluating)
- Reflecting on their use of maps as a tool for learning.
- Asking good questions, (teacher and pupil: fat/skinny questions, no hands up, Bloom’s)
- Developing Higher order thinking. eg (using Bloom’s taxonomy)
- Making connections-transfer( across domains)
- Using different strategies eg Mrs Potter’s Questions, PMI etc ( see Appendix 10 and 11)
- Planning, monitoring, evaluation,

How do I know?- labelling

How can I use?- Applying

Best alternative?- Evaluating

What would happen if?- speculating

So what do I think of this?- drawing conclusions

How can I explain this-Hypothesising

Developing positive dispositions to learning:.( Guy Claxton 4 R’s Learning Power now superseded by Costa’s Habits of Mind)

Critical Thinking- across the curriculum includes:

Searching for meaning and understanding

sequencing, ordering information; sorting, classifying, grouping; analysing -part/whole relationships, compare/contrast; noting similarities and differences Finding patterns and relationships Comparing and contrasting.

Problem solving identifying and clarifying until problem is clear Generating alternatives, Selecting and implementing a solution .Evaluating and checking how well solution is solving original problem.
Decision making Identify why decision is necessary Generating options Predicting likely consequences Deciding on course of action Reviewing consequences.
Thinking critically: making predictions, hypothesising; drawing conclusions, giving reasons for conclusions; distinguishing fact from opinion; determining bias, checking the reliability of evidence; relating causes and effects, designing a fair test;

*Thinking Caringly/ Affective learning (attitudes)

Thinking interdependently- collaboratively
Thinking caringly: Empathy
Thinking for excellence- self-esteem/ personal standards

Thinking Creatively

Thinking creatively : generating new ideas, brainstorming; Building and combining new ideas Formulating points of view Taking different perspectives

Appendix 2 Our approach at Dove Green Private School:

We believe that children can be taught to think more clearly using a variety of approaches from:

Embedding specific approaches within an overall teaching and learning strategy at school level.
Developing thinking skills that are already implicit in the curriculum by using a variety of strategies to focus on their development.Skills infused across the curriculum using different strategies ie ‘to introduce into one thing a second thing which gives it extra life, vigour and a new significance.’ (Webster’s Dictionary) – Using Carol Mc Guiness, David Hyerle’s Visual maps & DELLS approach
Using specifically designed programmes ( Using PC4 Saphere approach, CAME)
Developing positive dispositions to learning ( HOM Art Costa)

By this multi approach we hope to overcome the problems inherent in adherence to one.

eg If on the one hand we chose to use just PC4 approach how can we ensure that our pupils can apply skills learnt in one context to other situations? Alternatively, if teaching thinking is embedded in a particular curricular area such as CAME , there is no guarantee that learners can isolate it from its context and apply it more generally to other situations.

Philosophy for Children P4C Approach

P4C is a structured thinking skills programme based around the principles of Socratic Dialogue, drawing out ideas, thoughts and opinions, stimulating and challenging these in turn.

P4C is an approach that aims to improve the quality of :

Reflective Thinking: where we examine the grounds and consequences of our beliefs in order to solve a problem that has unsettled us.
Critical Thinking: having a questioning approach and giving reasons for everything you say.
Creative thinking: identifying difficulties and deficiencies and valuing the search for new ideas, seeking viewpoints of others etc.
Thinking about thinking- metacognitive awareness.

How we teach Philosophy for children.

Initially small groups of children in Year 4 are led by Mrs Hulme (Senco) over a period of two terms to build a community of enquiry. In the summer term the Senco works with the whole class and the classroom teacher to enable the children to use the skills they have learnt in a wider forum. This approach is followed up by teachers in Year 5 and 6 when discussing in groups or as a class.

Generalised Approaches

Using David Hyerle’s Maps- Visual Maps:

The eight visual maps are used to :

Help put our thoughts into a linear schema- ( from random thoughts) and thus gives a platform to verbalise.
- Enable us to identify and categorise our thinking. Breaks down the process- thinking not a single act but a process. Tools can visually sequence the internal process. In this way they bring success for all pupils- accessible to all- breaks down steps of the thinking process.
- Give us a methodology that transfers to all curriculum subjects.
- Give the teacher a real insight into their pupil’s understanding.- Assessment for learning- assessment as learning. Able to pinpoint where pupils may get stuck. Mediates pupils’ thinking.
- Encourage self-assessment. Motivating and helps to develop positive learning dispositions- encouraging responsibility for own learning
- Develop Meta cognition- frames around all maps,
- Develop assessment-as an assessment tool- beginning /end of unit. Plenaries
- Show thinking- enable talk about thinking and increasing awareness of appropriate strategies.
- Aid teacher explanation- modelling effective strategies.
- Stretch thinking
- Show the big picture.
- Hold thoughts fast
- Focus thinking
- Encourage children- expressing connections is harder than identifying them. Barrier to learning removed
- Stimulate speaking and writing
- Enable access text-by providing :

pupils focus on text structure as they read;

pupils s with tools they can use to examine

visually represent relationships in a text;

pupils write well-organized summaries of a text.

All visual tools are not the same;

Brainstorming- open ended, clustering. Basically categorising & informal groupings (difficult to go from mind maps to verbalisation)
Talk specific Graphics- Story boards, Timelines( analytical) Lack dynamic quality of maps.
Thinking process maps- system diagrams

How we use these visual tools

Children are progressively introduced to the maps across the curriculum.
- Teachers use them to explain concepts
- Teachers suggest which map the children should use.
- As the child becomes increasingly confident in the use of the maps, to be fluent with the tools they will be able to to self-mediate- not just teacher led.
- As pupils internalise ,maps – clarity is given to their learning.

b)Brain gym,

An exercise-based programme, is used as a way of stimulating children’s thinking at the beginning of each teaching session and of specific sessions.

These excercises have been shown to improve the whole brain function that can result from use of the Brain Gym® movements such as:

academic skills – for example, reading, writing, spelling and maths

memory, concentration and focus
physical co-ordination and balance
communication skills and language development
self-development and personal stress management
the achievement of goals, both professional and personal .

c) Developing Questioning Techniques

We are developing our skills in the questions we ask. We try to optimise the interaction between staff and pupils by ensuring that our questioning is as effective as possible. Questioning, either by the teacher or between pupils is a crucial part of review following guided practice or at the end of the lesson. Q. Matrix is a useful too for pupils and staff to monitor and support questioning.

d) Using Bloom’s( Anderson) Taxonomy to develop Higher order skills

Blooms:-using different strategies eg whiteboards, giving thinking time, partner talk,, pupil asking questions, enquiry approach.

Planning for Higher order skills- Questions to ask.

What are my goals?
What thinking do I want them to use? Develop?
What tools if any are relevant?
What activities will help them to create more meaning from the context?
At which level-Bloom’s- am I directing this?
What starter questions shall I ask?
What differentiation strategies shall I use?
How am I going to help them reflect on their learning?
What language do I need to use to help them understand the type of thinking they used?

Trigger Questions

Do you want someone to recall information?
To understand the information?
Or do you want to analyse a situation?
What previous strategies do I want them to use?
Does someone need to make comparisons?
Should you speculate or make an inference?
Is it time to help someone judge or evaluate

e) The Class & School Ethos & Environment

We understand that the learning climate we create is crucial. We know that children are affected not only by the physical environment which surrounds them, but also by our own expectations and attitudes.

f)Thinking through Assessment (see assessment for learning policy.)

Thinking Through Assessment is an approach to teaching thinking that aims to set standards for the specific thinking and understanding we want pupils to make, and then make those standards crystal clear to pupils.

Traditional assessments often do not promote significant or meaningful thinking or understanding. They rarely tell us anything about our pupils’ thinking skills, dispositions, or inclinations. Recognizing that what we test often drives what we teach, the Thinking Classroom begins to broaden the assessment spectrum to include thinking-centred tools and techniques that function as an integral part of shaping students’ inclinations and abilities.

g) Using Plenaries at end & mini reflections during lessons.

We also use plenaries part way through a lesson; staging posts when the teacher draws the class together, it crystallises understanding and directs the class to the next phase of work.

Mrs Potter’s Questions is a tool used throughout.

TASC : (Thinking Actively in a Social Context.

This framework encourages all pupils to take part in thinking through problems, to review what they already know and to plan what they want to find out next.

The TASC Wheel represents a series of thinking skills that an expert thinker uses. An expert has automatised these processes and uses them flexibly, flipping forwards and backwards as the task demands.

Prior to using TASC, teachers were using these processes in their planning and delivery, but they did not usually share their thinking processes with the pupils. TASC has enabled teacher & Pupils to articulate and make evident the investigative/ explorative process.

Pupils learn these expert thinking skills and gradually become more like expert thinkers. They use the TASC Wheel to guide the stages of their thinking. TASC provides a model for Inclusion and Personalised Learning: more able pupils can fly with it: children with special learning needs can use it as a thinking support.

i.Learning Style Analysis

“People of all ages can learn virtually anything if allowed to do it through their own unique styles, their own personal strengths.” Barbara Prashnig.

We believe that although people may have underlying traits, these are not fixed and we do not restrict pupils in their learning, our aim is to develop learning flexibility. However, when approaching new concepts, when a child is under stress we ensure that teaching strategies deliberately engage with a variety of learning styles to ensure a child is not prejudiced in his learning.

Children in Year 4 have their learning style analysed using the model developed by Barbara Prashnig. The children work with the teacher to understand how they can help themselves in developing their learning. The class teachers have print outs detailing the learning preferences of their class. This informs their planning and teaching style. Parents are involved to enhance learning at home. At the end of Year 6 the child’s learning style is again assessed, comparisons made. This is then given to the high school as part of the transition projects.

j) Developing Collaborative work

Group work does not replace other strategies, but that it should be used for appropriate activities.

When pupils undertake group work, the purpose of the group and their individual roles were made highly explicit. For example, pupils are identified as the leader, recorder, reporter, encourager or timekeeper. As a result, pupils were nearly always busy and teachers rarely remind pupils to stay on task.

K) Teaching Strategies– no hands up, thinking time, collaborative learning, using learning styles, multiple intelligences ( Appendix 9) Strategies that are activity based (Appendix 9) (trategy in which every teacher asks questions for pupils to answer at the beginning of every lesson to remind them of what they had learned yesterday, last week, 3–4 months or even a year ago.
‘Thinking time’ when teachers posed oral questions was increased.
Thinking skills incorporated into the Personal and Social Education (PSE) programme.

Brain gym, an exercise-based programme, is used as a way of stimulating children’s thinking at the beginning of each teaching session and os specific sessions. (Appendix 10)

L) Developing Positive Dispositions to Learning Art Costa’s 16 Habits of Mind

Persisting Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision Managing impulsivity Gathering data through all senses Listening with understanding and empathy Creating, imagining, innovating Thinking flexibly Responding with wonderment and awe Thinking about thinking (metacognition) Taking responsible risks Striving for accuracy Finding humour Questioning and posing problems Thinking interdependently Applying past knowledge to new situations Remaining open to continuous

M) Circle Time

These sessions provide opportunities for children to discuss issues freely and reflect on attitudes and values. The sessions encourage independent and collaborative learning linked to attempts to improve pupils’ self esteem. Evident as part of PSE and RE curriculum but also used in all curriculum areas where appropriate.

N) SEAL

This is a structured progressive approach that develops Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning. It uses circle time and a range of activities to help develop children’s social, emotional and behavioural skills: a whole-curriculum.
The knowledge, skills and understanding developed by the SEAL resource
Self-awareness
Self-awareness enables children to have some understanding of themselves. They know how they learn, how they relate to others, what they are thinking and what they are feeling.
They use this understanding to organise themselves and plan their learning.
Managing feelings
In managing feelings, children use a range of strategies to recognise and accept their
feelings. They can use this to regulate their learning and behaviour – for example managing anxiety or anger, or demonstrating resilience in the face of difficulty.
Empathy Being able to empathise involves understanding others; anticipating and predicting their likely thoughts, feelings and perceptions. It involves seeing things from another’s point of view and modifying one’s own response, if appropriate, in the light of this understanding.
Social skills
Social skills enable children to relate to others, take an active part in a group, communicate with different audiences, negotiate, resolve differences and support the learning of other

Using Subject Specific Programmes

Cognitive Acceleration through Maths Education (CAME) in Years 5 and 6.

The CAME project aims to contribute to the teaching of mathematics in the years 5 and 6 and provide pupils with rapid intellectual development in the context of mathematics. This development is to be achieved through cognitive stimulation using carefully selected challenging classroom tasks over a two-year period.

The emphasis in these tasks is on ‘big’ ideas rather than on procedures and algorithms. The CAME approach helps to underpin the notations and algorithms stipulated in the mathematics SOW with real understanding through pupils effectively reconstructing the underlying concepts for themselves.

This complements the other ingredients in a pupils’ mathematical experience: instruction and practice and investigations.

This balanced diet of mathematical experience, delivered with forethought and co-ordination,

significantly raises the whole of the thinking capacity of the pupils, with a lasting effect that creates a stable basis for higher achievement in later school years, whether for exam or for further learning. The aim, therefore, is cognitive development, permanent and general, as well as meaningful learning of mathematics here and now.

Monitoring the implementation of the policy

As are all policies implementation is monitored by the HT, SMT, Governors and subject leaders through observation, learning walks, book sampling, talking to children & the scrutiny of planning., the :

Class environment

What do we Hear?

Instruction

Socratic dialogue

Busy noise

Pupil self-evaluation

Rubrics, checklists

Collaborative hum

Pupil learning

Awareness of the language of thinking & HOM

Pupils eager to share ideas

Pupils offering different ideas

Elaborated answers supported by evidence

Culture & Environment

Humour & laughter

The results of all monitoring is ten fed into quality assurance procedures and the SIP. Further training and development of teachers including individuals is then planned.

Monitoring and Evaluating Pupil Progress- Impact on learning

Whilst is it is inherently difficult for our school to ‘prove’ that any educational intervention is associated with a specific set of outcomes as we all know just how complex learning is and the many factors which affect pupils’ performance, baselines are used particularly in the :

Quantative Data

P4C programme ( Ipsative using prior learning behaviours)

CAME programme to monitor the pupil’s disposition to thinking. ( MA1 + Summative results)

SEAL Programme ( Attitudes start & end of Year)

LSA Programme ( Pupil attitudes)

HYERLE’S MAPS ( Development of knowledge and understanding of maps)

Dispositions to Learning (PASS June 2008 start)

Staff will use the DELLS progression of thinking in their planning and monitoring.

Staff will use the ‘CAC’ method of assessing creativity thinking.

Qualitative Data

Observations

Pupils were responding confidently and positively to these approaches.
Pupils who are mature learners, mature happy and confident learners.
Pupils are clear about their goals and methods- clear about what they had to do and how they were going about it. They are keen to talk about their work and to explain why they were doing it. They can explain how they feel about this information.
Pupils have high self esteem as learners
There is s little if any ‘fear of failure’ though pupils were quite prepared to try things and put themselves forward.
Pupils are confident about their interests, capacities and choices and are keen to take part in groups and after school clubs.
Know what to do next
Can extend their thinking themselves- think more deeply
Can reason and argue logically- Saphere
Pupils can talk about the skills they were using and make explicit references to thinking skills when they were working together.
Pupils develop good autonomy as learners and completers of tasks
There is a strong culture of promoting, responding to and celebrating high performance and pupils respond to this enthusiastically
Pupils respond confidently and positively to these approaches.
Pupils are clear about their goals and methods- clear about what they had to do and how they were going about it. They are keen to talk about their work and to explain why they were doing it
Pupils have high self esteem as learners
There is s little if any ‘fear of failure’ though pupils were quite prepared to try things and put themselves forward.
Pupils are confident about their interests, capacities and choices and are keen to take part in groups and after school clubs.
Know what to do next
Can extend their thinking themselves- think more deeply
Can reason and argue logically-

Policy written in 2005

Reviewed : Summer 2005/ April 2007/2008

Last reviewed: Sept 2011

Next Review: Summer 2014

Signed Headteacher Chair of Governors

Date………………………………

Thinking Skills Policy

Thinking skills help our pupils to

1. Philosophy for Children P4C Approach ( appendix 2)

Building a Community of Enquiry

2. Infusion Methods

Generalised Approaches

De Bono’s Thinking Hats-Parallel Thinking with De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats (Appendix 4)

· Bloom’s Taxonomy: An Overview

· Q Matrix- a grid to support the development of questioning.

– SEAL (Appendix 7)

Using Learning Preferences (Appendix 8)

Philosophy for Children P4C Approach

Generalised Approaches

g) Using Plenaries at end & mini reflections during lessons.

Using Subject Specific Programmes

Monitoring the implementation of the policy