1. Stop Learning, and Go Think! Strategies to Challenge Students’ Minds Gem Thomerson, Ed.D. gthomerson@dorchester2.k12.sc.us

2. SEED-y Thinking  Higher-order thinking requires students to manipulate information and ideas in ways that transform their meaning and implications.  State - define  Elaborate- using your own words, explain  Exemplify- synonyms, antonyms  Demonstrate - metaphor, analogy, visual metaphor, charts, graphs (Paul & Elder, 2008)

3. ADVANCED CONTENT Pre-assess to measure student knowledge of content Delivered at a level of depth and pace appropriate for learners Centered around a concept(s) HIGH LEVEL PROCESSES Ask questions to check for student understanding of content and to challenge thinking Design learning tasks related to content and to measure how students are mastering and manipulating content & concepts Connected CHALLENGING PRODUCTS Post-assess Students show mastery of advanced content and scholarly thinking. Concept(s) represented Repeat process with new content and learning goals Content, Process & Product: Where Can We Create Spaces for Higher-Level Thinking? Related

4. Creating Spaces for Higher-Level Thinking  Assess what students already know and streamline the curriculum to ensure that students will have the opportunity to learn something new and apply it to their ever evolving schema and knowledge base  Various Methods of Pre-assessment/Data Gathering  THEN: Acceleration via Curriculum Compacting  OR THEN: Accelerate via - Depth, Complexity, and Abstractness  OR: Reteach  Appraise student interests and favored styles of learning and use this data to inform instructional decisions and motivate their learning growth after readiness has been assessed.

5. Creating Spaces for Higher-Level Thinking  Create an environment where using diverse and expansive body of vocabulary is expected.  Help students connect their learning to a larger context beyond the classroom  Concepts – organize material around big ideas  Relevancy  Encourage and provide learning opportunities for inquiry, problem solving and reasoned thinking.  Emphasize critical thinking that allows students to analyze, synthesize, evaluate and create.  Teach and model cognitive and meta-cognitive thinking skills so that students understand how they learn and have the language to describe how they learn. Allow students to practice regularly in the context of every content area.  Be the KING/QUEEN of wait time.  It’s all about the QUESTIONS WE ASK!

6. Ways to Implement Higher- Level Questioning  Essential or Over-arching Questions  Connected to standards  Talk Moves  Paraphrasing  Examples/Non-examples  Scaffolding Questions  Move from concrete to abstract levels of thinking  Jacob’s Ladder  Socratic Questions & Socratic Method  Paul’s Reasoning

7. Elements of Reasoning (Paul, 1992) Issue/ Problem Evidence/ Data Point of View Implications/ Consequences Inferences Concepts/ Ideas Purpose/ Goal Assumptions

8. Question Tree based on Reasoning Model  What is the question or issue of interest? Why?  What is the purpose of _____________? How do you know?  What points of view or perspectives are important to  understanding __________________? Provide evidence.  What assumptions underlie each perspective on ________?  What data/evidence support a given perspective on _____?  What inference can be made about ______________, based on the evidence?  What are the implications and consequences of __________?

9. Metaphorical Thinking Is thinking a rock or a feather? Justify your reasoning.

10. #A-has  This is a quick and easy strategy that gives the students the space to synthesize their understanding of content using a relevant medium to communicate their thinking.  Students are asked to create a hashtag to summarize their learning for the day. Gem Thomerson, Ed.D. gthomerson@dorchester2.k12.sc.us

11. Websites & Resources to Assist You in Creating Spaces for Higher-Level Thinking  Foundation for Critical Thinking – www.criticalthinking.orgwww.criticalthinking.org  The Critical Thinking Company – www.criticalthinking.comwww.criticalthinking.com  Copeland, M. (2005). Socratic circles: Fostering critical and creative thinking in middle and highschool. Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.  Elder, L. & Paul, R. (2005). The Nature & Functions of Critical & Creative Thinking. Dillon Beach: Foundation for Critical Thinking.  Paul, R. & Elder, L. (2007). The art of Socratic questioning. Dillon Beach: The Foundation for Critical Thinking.  Richards, S. (2006). Academic rigor or rigor mortis. Gifted Education Communicator, 37(4), 23-25.  VanTassel-Baska, J. L. & Stambaugh, T. (2009). Jacob’s Ladder: Reading Comprehension Program. Waco: Prufrock Press Inc.