Critical Thinking Routines and Questions


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 adults) crave affirmative direct language to identify themselves within. Therefore I often begin my group directed questions and directions with "Learners" and provide positive feedback by stating an affirmative quality: "That was very observant, you are being a great communicator," or "I appreciate that you are being an inquirer, that shows me you are listening and reflecting on what is being said." We must remember that the qualities we wish are children to develop are those we must speak to.

Looking into research specifically around the tools & techniques of developing thinking routines, I found much inspiration from a plethora of sources. First from the Project Zero site, I recognized my desire for my students to think "critically, creatively and deeply" is also a research-based approach to teaching thinking habits. There are many discoveries amongst the Project Zero's fifty year collection of work and references. One of those references being my Residency coursework text Making Thinking Visible, which details various visible thinking strategies that can be made routine. After reading the Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, and pursuing to develop more positive habits in my own life, I knew that developing habits of thinking would be beneficial to my class. As Project Zero reports, sticking to one thinking routine will help develop a culture of inquiry in the classroom and invite students to continually observe, analyze and question. Consequently I have been trying on keeping it simple (especially with beginning of the year Kindergarteners!) and have been using the routine See, Think, Wonder: What do see, what do you think, what do you wonder? Through prompting these simple questions I hope to invite a culture of thinking that creates connections and the habit of reflection.

If you care to see this demonstrated, below is a short clip from a Second Step Lesson in which I purposefully prompt questions to spark reflective and empathic thought. You can also connect to my linked lesson plan if you wish to utilize this lesson. 




In the video you can hear how students engage in emotive questions: "How do you think he feels? What could you do if you didn't know what to do (empathic reflection)." Emotional intelligence is a critical skill to foster amongst our students. 

Teaching to reflect and name emotions can empower all students to really engage with themselves and others in a safe learning environment. Fundamentally we all need to feel like we belong in order to participate, what questions will you ask to ensure that every voice is heard?

For final thoughts, I wonder... what's one thing that you would like to try? What are you wondering about? How can I serve you in your teaching journey? Please post :-)....


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