In APS, we strive to create cultures of thinking in every school, classroom, department and division. Cultures of thinking are places in which a group's collective as well as individual thinking is valued, visible and actively promoted as part of the day to day experience of all group members. (Definition from Ron Ritchhart)
Ron Ritchhart is a Senior Research Associate at Harvard Project Zero and Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Australia. His current research focuses on developing intellectual character, making thinking visible, and enhancing school and classroom culture to promote deep learning. In his most recent book, Creating Cultures of Thinking, Ron couples the real classroom practice of teachers with whom he has worked with recent educational research on learning to illuminate how schools and classrooms can be transformed to develop the learners and thinkers we need for the 21st century.
These are the forces which shape a group's culture. We want to leverage these forces to create thinking spaces that empower.