StepinUp 08 Conference 8th August 2008 Tony Ryan Thinking About Thinking

Encouraging self- reflective processes Advancing the intellectual rigour Creating solutions In this session

20 specific strategies that can be sequenced to perform a wide range of thinking tasks Earlier version; and recent version Two stages of application: 1. Teach some / all of the Keys in the context of the learning 2. Use the Keys in sequences that best support / resolve a learning task Thinkers Keys

1. The Question Key2. The Brainstorming Key 3. The Perspectives Key4. The Graphics Key 5. The Matrix Key6. The Decision Key 7. The Info Key8. The Commonality Key 9. The Improvements Key10. The Rubrics Key

11. The Action Key12. The Reverse Key 13. The Brick Wall Key14. The BAR Key 15. The Prediction Key16. The Ridiculous Key 17. The Three Whys Key18. The Inventions Key 19. The Personal Key20. The Ripples Key

The Rubrics Key for YOU Use the Rubrics Key to assess the quality of your own thinking in this workshop Can you clarify some descriptors for Poor; and Sensational

Your thinking over the next hour? Poor effortSensational Creativity No creative juices flowing Contributing lots of innovative ideas Quality of reflection No analysis whatsoever Always in a meta-state

Encouraging Self- Reflective Processes

Self-talk The most critical thinking lesson you will ever teach Use words such as I’m a legend School is cool Reinforce this self-talk every day with good modelling

Self-reflective practices Introduce a Learning Journal Use a 2Q What did I do well? What could I have done differently? Encourage some quiet reflection time at the end of a lesson (!!?)

Practical strategies for managing self Get them onto the ‘success spiral’ Don’t just praise students. Give constructive feedback. Set learning goals Help students to understand how they learn Use on-task training

On-task training Step 1. What IS the task? Step 2. Am I on task? Step 3. Ignore distractions Step 4. Stick with it, and complete the task

PROMOTING INTELLECTUAL RIGOUR

Intel question framework for Food Essential Question How can I stay healthy? Unit Questions How do my eating habits affect my health and growth? How do I plan a healthy, nutritious diet? What factors influence my food choices? Content Questions What is the food pyramid? What is the right number of calories for me?

Curriculum-framing questions for Fairy Tales Essential Question Does happily ever after really exist? Unit Questions Of all the fairy tales ever written, why has the story of Cinderella been the one to capture the hearts of so many generations and cultures? How would the Cinderella fairy tale change if a different character told the story? What would happen in a modern day Cinderella story? Content Questions What are the elements of a fairy tale? What is point of view? In what ways are all of the Cinderella stories from around the world similar?

Choose a specific study eg 2008 Olympics, or an issue within your specialization Brainstorm a key question about that study that would even ‘stretch’ an adult It must be a thinking challenge It must be relevant to the topic It must be (one of) the most important possible question(s) about this topic Rewrite the question so that it can be used with your class or group Use this process consistently during all planning and teaching The intellectual rubberband

Intellectually rigourous assessment tasks?? Technology: Constructing an Internet café in an aged care home, and monitoring its longterm worth Science: Developing a recycling program for the local area Math: Analysing school sports team performances, and offering recommendations for improvement Integrative: Developing a Brain Policy for your school English: Developing podcasts about a novel study, and challenging adults’ thinking with your presentations

CREATING SOLUTIONS

Guidelines for the Brainstorming Key 1. Generate lots of ideas 2. Suspend all judgement 3. Create some ridiculous ideas 4. Tag onto other people’s ideas

A sequence for solution-finding 1. The Info Key 2. The Question Key 3. The Brainstorming Key 4. The Decision Key 5. The Action Key

Boosting the thinking in your Term 3 units 1. Include as much reflective practice as you can 2. Intellectually stretch the Unit Question 3. Develop an assessment task that is intellectually rigourous

Wrapping Up Your rubric What 3 ideas / concepts are you most likely to take further? Thank you