Thinking Classrooms

Building Thinking Classrooms is a constructivist, student-centric,  and community based approach to learning through collaborative problem solving.  It is based on these core concepts:

1. Community Building: The approach emphasizes creating a collaborative and supportive classroom environment where students feel comfortable sharing their mathematical thinking and ideas.

2. Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces: Utilizing vertical surfaces such as whiteboards or blackboards for problem-solving activities to promote student engagement and collaboration.

3. Visible Random Groupings: Randomly assigning students to groups frequently to encourage diverse perspectives and foster a culture of sharing and learning from one another.

4. Thinking Tasks: Providing students with rich, open-ended problems that require critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration to solve, rather than focusing solely on rote memorization.

5. Intentional Movement: Encouraging purposeful movement in the classroom to promote active learning, student interaction, and a dynamic learning environment.

6. Deliberate Practice: Engaging students in deliberate practice of problem-solving strategies and mathematical concepts to deepen their understanding and proficiency.

7. Reflection and Metacognition: Incorporating opportunities for students to reflect on their problem-solving processes, strategies used, and areas for growth to develop metacognitive skills.