From the Director of Studies K-6
Helen Maynard – Director of Studies K-6
Meet the Teacher Follow up
As mentioned at the Meet the Teacher Evening I said I would outline some of the platforms that we utilise to ensure that we are a ‘thinking school’ that is constantly striving to create a culture where thinking is visible, valued and actively promoted.
There are a number of platforms from the Harvard Graduate School of Education – most significantly Teaching for Understanding, Creating a Culture of Thinking and Making Thinking Visible – that we draw from. These are based on significant research and therefore are tried and tested as pedagogically sound.
Below is some information on the key aspects of each of the platforms.
Making Thinking Visible
We strive hard to ensure that what is in students’ heads is visible, as it provides us with valuable information about where to jump off in the learning journey, any misconceptions and items that need to be addressed.
This clip outlines the philosophy behind the thinking routines that teachers use on a regular basis in their classrooms.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKV_S5NpDdc&index=2&list=PLw02tZ1F4zEDxJTB9U64rFJcnqDgBAHMc
Teaching for Understanding
“A mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions.” Oliver Wendell Holmes
Teaching for Understanding is the framework that teachers utilise for designing, conducting and reflecting on practices that promote student understanding. In the clip below David Perkins explains Teaching for Understanding;
Creating a Culture of Thinking
At Emanuel School we use the following quote as the basis for our decisions around learning for our students, staff and the wider community.
“Schools are places in which a group’s collective, as well as individual, thinking is valued, visible and actively promoted as part of the regular, day-to-day experience of all group members.”
Ron Ritchhart and Mark Church
As a school we invest in the professional learning of our staff. All staff members meet on a fortnightly basis to discuss dilemmas in their practice, student thinking and the latest innovations in education. We provide opportunities for parents to attend educational sessions on a variety of topics.