Visible Thinking

While the state of Michigan controls the curriculum for all public schools, we control something much more important: our educational approach. Way Elementary and Eastover Elementary are highly progressive schools, from the teachers to the materials. After a great amount of research on what makes best practice in teaching, Way and Eastover Elementaries chose to implement the instructional initiative generated by Harvard University's Project Zero research team, known as Visible Thinking.

The pacing and delivery of lessons in the classroom looks different than in most schools. At Way Elementary and Eastover Elementary, time is purposely provided for deeper thinking and understanding.

Our teachers model strategies and share their own thinking right along with their students. Opportunities created in the classroom are intentional and connect to a year-long story of learning. Bulletin boards and walls throughout the room are filled with students' thoughts and questions. Classroom conversations promote rich dialogue and provide avenues for reflecting and making connections while strengthening respectful and collaborative relationships.

Thinking routines are the tools our teachers use to unearth each child's thoughts and interests with subject matter. There are over forty thinking routines that are used at all grade levels and across all areas of curriculum. Example of a Student Practicing Visible Thinking

Connect "I already knew that lightning is static electricity. I also knew that electrons surround an atom." The purposes of the connect component of this thinking routine are to: activate prior knowledge inform the teacher engage the learner establish common ground from which to grow

Extend "I didn't know that air is an insulator. I also didn't know that acid is a conductor." The purpose of the extend component of this thinking routine is to: uncover evidence of new understandings, and for the teacher to look for extensions of learning as well as misconceptions or inaccuracies in their thinking.

Challenge "I wonder how nuclear energy produces electricity. In turbine engines, I wonder why they show the water tube higher than the steam tube?" The purpose of the challenge component of this thinking routine is to uncover new questions and new puzzles that our learners might want to further investigate and explore. One of our goals is for students to help shape questions that might take a lifetime to investigate.