Teaching Thinking: A Guide for the Perplexed Yoram Harpaz

A simple and sweeping idea Instead of teaching knowledge, teach how to deal with knowledge – to think Thinking: combining knowledge in new ways Good thinking: combining knowledge in critical, creative and effective ways

A few reasons for the acceptance of the teaching thinking idea The state of knowledge ( explosion, obsolescence, accessibility ) The picture of knowledge ( relativity ) Knowledge economy Democratic society Effective learning The cognitive science The charm of teaching thinking The savior syndrome

The result: inflation and cacophony “There are an awful lot of theories around.” ( Robert Sternberg ) “With so much controversy in the air, it’s understandable that only a few teachers and schools make the attempt.” ( David Perkins ) “Mind Workers Unite!” ( Arthur Costa )

A possible cure: conceptual map Approaches to Teaching Thinking The skills approach The dispositions approach The understanding approach

Definitions Thinking Skills: Thinking tools and efficient (fast and accurate) use of them. Thinking dispositions: Intellectual traits; Habits of mind; Motivated patterns of thought Understanding: Locating a concept in a relevant and rich context; Performing cognitive moves with a concept

Teaching thinking is… Imparting thinking skills Cultivating thinking dispositions Constructing understanding

Perkins - Understanding performances Gardner - Understanding in the disciplines Wiske - Teaching for understanding Wiggins & McTighe - Understanding by design Paul - Critical thinking in the strong sense McPeck - The reflective critical thinker Brown - Community of learners Smith - Understanding as good thinking Brooks & Brooks - Constructivist instruction Lipman - Philosophy for children Harpaz & Lefstein - Community of thinking Perkins - Dispositions theory of thinking Tishman - Thinking dispositions Costa - Habits of mind Baron -Theory of rationality Langer – Mindfulness Barrel – Thoughtfulness Facione - Critical thinking dispositions Passmore - Critical thinking as a character trait Siegel - The spirit of the critical thinker Sternberg - Successful intelligence Golman - Emotional Intelligence Lipman - Philosophy for children De Bono – CoRT Ennis - Taxonomy of critical chinking Beyer - Direct teaching of thinking Perkins - Thinking frames Perkins & Swartz - Graphic organizers Swartz & Parks – Infusion Sternberg - Intelligence implied Treffinger, Isaksen & Dorval - Creative problem polving Johnson & Blair - Informal logic Chaffee - thinking critically Whimbey & Lochhead - Problem solving Feuerstein. - Instrumental Enrichment Lipman - Philosophy for children Theories, programs, ideas - examples The Understanding ApproachThe Dispositions Approach The Skills ApproachApproaches Characteristics Theories and programs

The metaphorical aspect The skills approach: toolbox The disposition approach: deep currents The understanding approach: net

The patterns of teaching Thinking Teaching: education through knowledge The elements of teaching: Teacher + Knowledge + Students Skills: The pattern of impartation (direct) = demonstration (teacher) + taxonomy (knowledge) + practice (students) Dispositions: The pattern of cultivation (indirect) = modeling (teacher) + explicitness (knowledge) + identification and internalization (students) Understanding: The pattern of construction (semi-direct) = stimulating (teacher) + “big ideas” (knowledge) + inquiry (students)

Two Essential Questions 1. What to believe – why three? 2. What to do – which approach is best?

1. Why three? Three elements of good thinking against three components of thinking: Thinking skills Processes of thinking Thinking disposition Qualities of thinking Understanding Contents of thinking

2. Which approach is best? Understanding; The pattern of Construction Because… Good thinking is a product of understanding We teach content in school Understanding valuable ideas is a key educational objective

Understanding understanding: 1. locating in context Democracy Philosophical perspective Historical perspective Sociological perspective Cultural perspective Constitutional perspective Global perspective

Understanding understanding: 2. understanding performances To criticize and create knowledge To operate on and with knowledge To present knowledge To give reasons to knowledge To analyze knowledge To express knowledge in your own words To find contradictions or tensions in knowledge To synthesize knowledge To explain knowledge To question knowledge To imply knowledge To interpret knowledge

Understanding understanding: 2. understanding performances (continued) To criticize and create knowledge To operate on and with knowledge To present knowledge To expose the basic assumptions of knowledge To bring example, to invent metaphor, to make comparison, etc. To construct a model To formulate counter- knowledge To generalizeTo present knowledge in various ways To generate new knowledge To predict on the basis of knowledge To present knowledge from different perspectives

The dispositions approach Dispositions- thinking qualities thinking dispositions a disposition to think The understanding approach understanding - content substantive understanding reflective understanding Thinking = processes + qualities + content Good thinking = skills + dispositions + understanding The skills approach skills - processes neutral skills normative skills

Thank You! Wish you good thinking. Yoram Harpaz