Making Thinking Visible: Using

Thinking Routines in the Classroom

Maria McCoymmccoy@leisd.ws

Three Ways to Look at Thinking Routines

Simple Tools, used inone’s learning to supportspecific thinking moves.

Structures and scaffoldsthrough which we explore,discuss, document, anddirect our thinking andlearning.

Patterns of behavior thatwe adopt to help us useour minds well in newsituations.

CHALK TALK

Identifying Thinking

Recall a lesson or activity you’ve seen that you feel really

engaged students in developing understanding.

What kinds of thinking did you observe the students engaging in during that activity or

lesson?

• Generating ideas • Analyzing• Reasoning with evidence • Making connections• Summarizing • Interpreting & forming • Posing questions conjectures about things• Observing closely • Identifying and exploring • Building explanations multiple perspectives• Synthesizing information • Looking below the • Predicting surface of things• Evaluating • Looking for patterns• Visualizing • Clarifying

Identifying the Thinking We Value

...and so on.

What Kinds of Thinking Do We Value? What does this remind you of? Where else have you seen something like this? How does this connect to the topic you’ve been

studying? Where does this fit within the grand scheme of

things? What is it like? What is it not like? If you were to group these things, what would

go together? What’s a metaphor that might fit this?

Routines Sampler

• See-Think-Wonder• Zoom In• Chalk Talk• Headlines• Circle of Viewpoints

SEE-THINK-WONDER

Looking at an image or object:• What do you see?• What do you think is going on?• What does it make you wonder?

SEE-THINK-WONDER

Steps:• Set up• See• Think• Wonder• Share The Thinking

ZOOM INLook closely at the small bit of image that is revealed:• What do you see or notice?• What is your hypothesis or interpretation of what this might be

based on what you are seeing?Reveal More of the Image• What new things do you see?• How does this change your hypothesis or interpretation? Has the

new information answered any of your wonders or changed your previous ideas?

• What new things are you wondering about?Repeat the Reveal and Questioning Until the Whole Image Has Been Revealed• What lingering questions remain for you about this image?

ZOOM IN

Steps:• Set up• Reveal• Repeat • Share The Thinking

CHALK TALKLooking at the topic or question written on the chart paper:• What ideas come to mind when you

consider this idea, question, or problem?

• What connections can you make to others’ responses?

• What questions arise as you think about the ideas and consider the responses and comments of others?

CHALK TALK

Steps:• Set up • Present the Chalk Talk Prompt• Circulate• Facilitate• Share the thinking

HEADLINES

Think of the big ideas and important themes in what you have been learning.• Write a headline for this topic or

issue that summarizes and captures a key aspect that you feel is significant and important.

HEADLINES

Steps:• Set up • Write a headline• Share the thinking• Invite further sharing

CIRCLE OF VIEWPOINTSIdentify the different perspectives that could be present in or affected by what you have just read, seen, or heard. Record these in a circle with the issue or event at the center. Choose one of these perspectives to explore further, using the following prompts as a starting place:• I am thinking of [name the event/ issue] from the

point of view…• I think….[describe the topic from your viewpoint. Be

an actor – take on the character of your viewpoint]. Because…[explain your reason]

• A question/ concern I have from this viewpoint is …

CIRCLE OF VIEWPOINTSSteps:• Set up • Identify viewpoints• Select a viewpoint to explore• Respond to the “I think…” prompt• Respond to the “A question I have

from this viewpoint...” prompt• Share the thinking

1. Have great expectations. Students surprise us daily with their connections, ideas, and the multiple languages they use to make their thinking visible.

2. Do the routines pretty much as is initially. It may feel uncomfortable but wait to see what you learn from using them before adapting them.

3. Match the routines with topics and projects that are significant to students. The routines aren’t the content, they are vehicles for exploring the content.

10 Suggestions for Getting Started with Thinking Routines

4. Model the language for younger and less language able students. Build up the language over time and by modeling your own thinking.

5. Use the language of thinking as often as you can. Name children’s actions like “you made a connection” or “I find your point of view very interesting,” and so on.

6. Document students’ thinking. It send a clear message of how much we value students, their thoughts, and work; and it allows revisiting, reflecting on and re-enforcing the topics later.

10 Suggestions for Getting Started with Thinking Routines

7. Give yourself permission to be a learner and experiment with the routines in a variety of ways.

8. Understand this is a process that takes time. Be patient, consistent and a risk taker.

9. Focus on the thinking you want to promote and why it is important. This will help you attend to students‘ thinking as it emerges.

10. Include parents in the process, they are your allies and it is amazing how they become the first advocates for the use of thinking language at home.

10 Suggestions for Getting Started with Thinking Routines

“At the core of Visible Thinking are practices that help make thinking visible: Thinking Routines loosely guide learners’ thought processes and encourage active processing. They are short, easy-to-learn mini-strategies that extend and deepen students’ thinking and become part of the fabric of everyday classroom life.”

(pzweb.harvard.edu)

RESOURCES

• Project Zero http://www.pz.harvard.edu/

• Making Learning Visible www.mlvpz.org

• Visible Thinking www.visiblethinkingpz.org