A Conscious Connection

Why are thinking routines and questions so important? For any educator, thinking routines and questions are a natural part of the equation of imparting knowledge--however I have often found it takes conscious effort to slow down and think about what I'm really asking students to reflect upon. Am I asking them yes/no questions? Or are my questions expecting one dimensional answers without the beauty and creativity of diverse thinking. I believe especially now in our current world happenings, it is especially critical for our students to feel like they belong in our classroom--I observe my students self-confidence building by how we set up routines for thinking critically and engaging in an inquiry rich environment. I teach that I am too a learner, and that they are teachers too. How are thinking routines & questioning connected to "good teaching" practices? I believe that our language creates worlds for students to step into--and children (and yes, even a...

What are procedures and why are they important?  Procedures are all around us--it is simply categorized as a series of steps taken to accomplish a certain task. Procedures are utilized to enable efficiency. In the context of a classroom, procedures enable students to be guided by the practice of steps to reach a desired outcome--practiced procedures become routines. Procedures are more than simply stating a goal, it is the laid out steps to achieve it.  For students as well as teachers, procedures create a safe space and a sense of belonging. I would also argue the need to make procedures transparent, to share why we do what we do--and what we're trying to achieve together. Otherwise procedures can become manufactured and based on compliance.   Developing successful, understandable procedures is an important element of an effective classroom and creates a space in which individuals can be connected to working together harmoniously. How are procedures connect...