BEYOND THE RIGHT ANSWER: NURTURING CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKERS Teaching That Works: Learning that Matters SCDSB, June 2012 Joan Green

Students can hit any target that they can see and that holds still for them. Stiggins

Students who have to perform or exhibit their knowledge and skills get learning in their bones; active learners become life-long learners. Rexford Brown

Metacognition is like “standing outside one’s head and directing how one is going about executing a thinking task.” Costa, Arthur L.

“A completely different level of assessment takes place in the individual student, who is constantly assessing her own work, deciding what is right and wrong, what fits and what does not, what is a ‘good enough’ job. This self-appraisal is the ultimate locus of all standards.” Berger

Accurate self-assessment, self- adjustment and self-monitoring are only possible when students know what is expected of them and what ‘quality’ looks like.

Research and It’s Implications for Instruction/Assessment

Research says: “Knowledge is constructed. Learning is a process of creating personal meaning from new information and prior knowledge.” Implications for Instruction/Assessment Encourage discussion of new ideas Encourage divergent thinking, multiple links and solutions, not just one right answer Emphasize critical thinking skills: analyze, compare, generalize, predict, hypothesize Relate new information to personal experience, prior knowledge Apply information to a new situation

Research says: “There is great variety in learning styles, attention spans, memory, developmental paces and intelligences.” Implications for Instruction/Assessment Provide choices in tasks Provide choices in how to show mastery/competence Provide time to think about and do assignments Provide opportunities for reflection Recognize and respect multiple ways of doing things

Research says: “People perform better when they know the expectation, see models, know how their performance compares to the standard.” Implications for Instruction/Assessment Provide a range of samples of student work; discuss characteristics Provide students with opportunities for self-evaluation and peer review Discuss criteria for judging performance Direct students to be improvement-focused Allow students to clearly define the standard

Research says: “Motivation, effort and self-esteem affect learning and performance. Success breeds success.” Implications for Instruction/Assessment Motivate students with real-life tasks and connections to personal experiences Encourage students to see connections between effort and results Encourage students to monitor their own growth and learning

Invitations to Learn 5 Needs Teachers Must Address to Make Learning Irresistible Carol Ann Tomlinson Educational Leadership, ASCD 2002

Affirmation I am accepted and acceptable here just as I am. I am safe here – physically, emotionally, and intellectually People here care about me People here listen to me People know how I’m doing, and it matters to them that I do well People acknowledge my interests and perspectives and act upon them

Contribution I make a difference in this place I bring unique and valuable perspectives and abilities to this place I help other students and the entire class to succeed I am connected to others through mutual work o common goals

Purpose I understand what we do here I see significance in what we do What we do reflects me and my world The work we do makes a difference in the world The work absorbs me

Power What I learn is useful to me now I make choices that contribute to my success I know what quality looks like and how to create quality work here Dependable support for my journey exists in this classroom

Challenge The work here complements my ability The work stretches me I work hard in this classroom When I work hard, I generally succeed I am accountable for my own growth, and I contribute to the growth of others I accomplish things here that I didn’t believe were possible

A person who has ceased to learn ought not to be allowed to wander around loose in these dangerous days.