Teaching and learning strategies for the thinking classroom

Abstract

The staff development program Teaching and Learning Strategies for the Thinking Classroom (The Thinking Classroom) came about to satisfy the need in the schools for deeper learning, life-long learning—learning that students can use and that makes them not only better students but more productive members of society. And it also came about in order to teach “the small ideas,” as one teacher called them. “The big ideas” are the lofty proclamations about how important active learning and critical thinking are. The “small ideas” are how to actually teach for active learning and critical thinking, in real classrooms.