Hello Houston!
Landing on the moon is one thing, but actually improving reading comprehension both quantitatively (reading test scores) and qualitatively (daily classroom performance) is like going on a journey to the center of the brain!
This shout out goes to principal Dr. Sharonda Newby for her excellent mixed method doctoral research through the University of Houston. I have enclosed the summary for you, but please link to the dissertation for an amazing read. Yes, I know that wading through research can be dull, but not this gold standard research that shows the statistically significant effectiveness of Thinking Maps®. Thanks Dr. Newby!
By the way, the Houston school system has piloted and is implementing Thinking Maps® in many schools. Dr. Newby’s research offers powerful evidence from teachers, students and administrators about applying Thinking Maps to reading comprehension.Â
I hope to visit Houston in this next school year to see how the work is going and also to see how our Pre-school Thinking Friends program may support Thinking Maps® along the way.