Thinking Routines
Some ‘direct’ thinking routines used by Harvard School of Education’s Project Zero (2005) may be used by the classroom teachers as these have not been used before. Appendix 6.
Ritchhart et al., (2006), further explain that many different routines have been developed which target different types of thinking. Thinking routines are similar to other types of routines used in the classroom in that they are explicit in nature and can easily be called to mind, they involve only are few simple steps, they are designed and used in the classroom not just as an activity but rather with the specific purpose to fulfil a goal or outcome, and they are used repeatedly so that they become core practices within the classroom as opposed to “once-off strategies”. ‘Thinking routines are unique in that they can be used across a variety of grade levels, subject areas and contexts, are modifiable so that they fit with the teacher’s goals, and can be used by both the individual student and by a group of students’ (Ritchhart et al., 2006, p. 1).
Ritchhart et al., (2006) outline strategies that can be used by teachers to engage students in deeper thinking of subject matter. These strategies are based on Tishman and Perkin’s (1993) model that focuses on building a culture of thinking in the classroom by cultivating good thinking dispositions in students. Teachers can do this by providing exemplars of the dispositions, by encouraging interaction among classroom members (students to students as well as student(s) to teacher), and by teaching culturally important thinking practices that facilitate dispositions. The strategies outlined are thinking routines that can be used by teachers in much the same way as they use “housekeeping routines” to ensure a degree of structure and order in their classroom (Ritchhart et al., 2006, p. 5). Thinking routines need to be developed, concurrent to housekeeping routines, and when time is invested in doing so earlier on, these routines, like housekeeping routines, should take place habitually later on. Thinking routines allow students to make meaningful connections between previous knowledge and the current problems being explored. When these routines are taught to students they build up a repertoire of strategies and skills that they can choose from to use in any learning situation (Ritchhart et al., 2006, p. 25).
Ritchhart et al., (2006), further explain that many different routines have been developed which target different types of thinking. Thinking routines are similar to other types of routines used in the classroom in that they are explicit in nature and can easily be called to mind, they involve only are few simple steps, they are designed and used in the classroom not just as an activity but rather with the specific purpose to fulfil a goal or outcome, and they are used repeatedly so that they become core practices within the classroom as opposed to “once-off strategies”. ‘Thinking routines are unique in that they can be used across a variety of grade levels, subject areas and contexts, are modifiable so that they fit with the teacher’s goals, and can be used by both the individual student and by a group of students’ (Ritchhart et al., 2006, p. 1).
Ritchhart et al., (2006) outline strategies that can be used by teachers to engage students in deeper thinking of subject matter. These strategies are based on Tishman and Perkin’s (1993) model that focuses on building a culture of thinking in the classroom by cultivating good thinking dispositions in students. Teachers can do this by providing exemplars of the dispositions, by encouraging interaction among classroom members (students to students as well as student(s) to teacher), and by teaching culturally important thinking practices that facilitate dispositions. The strategies outlined are thinking routines that can be used by teachers in much the same way as they use “housekeeping routines” to ensure a degree of structure and order in their classroom (Ritchhart et al., 2006, p. 5). Thinking routines need to be developed, concurrent to housekeeping routines, and when time is invested in doing so earlier on, these routines, like housekeeping routines, should take place habitually later on. Thinking routines allow students to make meaningful connections between previous knowledge and the current problems being explored. When these routines are taught to students they build up a repertoire of strategies and skills that they can choose from to use in any learning situation (Ritchhart et al., 2006, p. 25).