Changes

Jennifer Hollander, LMSW shares about the I Used to Think Routine on growth reflection.

The beginning of any new school year is often a time of reflection. What did I do last year that I want to change? (Stop procrastinating writing my IEP goals.) What worked for me last year? (Turning the radio off in the car for the last 5 minutes of my commute to and from school.) Reflection gives us insight and helps to shape our future. As social workers we often want our students and colleagues to reflect on school concerns. We guide discussions at staff meeting that address challenging issues, and we help students see their role in the event that lead them to a seat in your office. The language of social work and our active listening builds skills and bridges to assist staff, parents, and students maneuver successfully through life. But at the end of our time together, whether brief or on-going, we want the staff member, parent or student to reflect on the conversation.

Text box: "I used to think Cultures of Thinking was just for teachers, and now I think it fits perfect into my social work practice."

The thinking routine I used to think….and now I think….was created to help individuals reflect on their thinking and examine how and why their thinking has changed. Different than the other routines that we have discussed on the previous pages, this routine requires no lesson plans or pre-planning. It is a quick and easy routine that can be put into place whenever you determine the moment is right.

Here’s how it works:

• Introduce the routine.

Let the individuals know that this routine is designed to help them examine their thoughts, determine if their thinking has changed, and reflect on the reasons behind the changes. This routine can be used at the end of an individual lesson or after a few weeks focusing on a topic with one student, a small group, or whole classroom.

• Pass out sheets.

I created ¼ sheets of paper that are ready to go sitting next to my desk for when I want students to complete the reflection. At the end of the lesson, I grab the number of sheets I need and pass them out the students. The students take a few minutes to write down their thoughts about how their thinking has changed. For instance, in my communication groups for ASD students we were using the SuperFlex books to look at expected and unexpected behavior. The students wrote down “expected and unexpected behavior” as the topic for this routine. Then they shared how their thinking has evolved over the past month of our lessons:

Photo has two columns. First is titled, "I used to think" and second is titled, "Now I think". The content is: "I used to think that I was doing the same as everyone else. Now I think that I'm not being part of the class. I used to think that it was okay to put my head down in my group. NOw Ithink that I need to look up and be part of the group."

• Share Out.

Finally, after the writing is completed, it is time to share their reflections and give information to explain their shift in thinking. This explanation can be a challenge for some, but as you use this routine more often, students become more comfortable and able to share this observation. I usually let everyone know up front that we will be sharing our thoughts out loud as a whole group or in smaller groups.


This routine is so easy to use and gives me a lot of information. It lets me know if my lessons hit the target, and it also gives me awareness into the thinking of my students. Often what is shared is very insightful, and I am amazing at the deep level of thinking that my students and staff member are able to share. Of course, not all of the answers are beautifully written with a deeper meaning, but enough are connected to my intentions that I use this routine on a regular basis. Because the students participate in this routine regularly with me and in class, it needs no explanation when I pass out the papers. That is the beauty of thinking routines. If you use them on a routine basis, your students will grow to anticipate them, look forward to expressing their thinking, and discover that thinking routines are a safe place to share their thoughts.

Examples of how thinking has been changed after attending social skills classes on anger, learning differences and substance use. Two columns with I used to think and Now I think. I used to think that being angry was a bad thing, now I think it’s just the way I feel sometimes. I used to think that anger is horrible and I may never control it, now I think anger is okay and I can control it. (Especially with my meds.) I used to think students with learning differences were not smart, now I think that they just learn differently than me. I used to think that drug addicts were only in Detroit, now I think that many people become addicted to drugs. I used to think that all drugs were bad, now I think there is a difference between drugs and medicine.

Examples of how thinking has been changed after attending social skills classes on anger, learning differences and substance use.