Bringing it all Together in Thinking Schools

HELLO to all of our friends and followers of Thinking Foundation !

Back in 2008, just as I was thinking about how to follow Dr. Art Costa’s vision of “School as a Home for the Mind” I was asked by Art to write a chapter for a new book, “Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind.”

I saw this as an opportunity to bring together that which seems so natural: cognitive processes and dispositions. I had developed Thinking Maps as tools based on fundamental cognitive processes and Art had initially developed a model of dispositions, or Habits of Mind. It also gave me an chance to focus on ‘essential questions’ that facilitate students’ thinking and drive curriculum design, and inquiry teaching. These are the 3 pillars of Thinking Schools: cognitive/thinking skills, dispositions, and inquiry.

Below are the links to the chapter.

The inspiration for this chapter was a visit to a school (Friendship Valley in Maryland, USA) that had systematically implemented Thinking Maps and Habits of Mind lead by a visionary principal, Thommie DePinto, PhD. I visited many classrooms, but one caught my eye (and my video camera!). A first grade teacher had brought her students to fluency with Thinking Maps and Habits of Mind. And she used essential questions and facilitation .... brilliantly!

Here are the links to both the video of the classroom and the chapter

It is a model for any classroom, anywhere in the world!