Project Zero strategies enrich, deepen instruction
T. H. Rogers teachers discuss the 'see-think-wonder' learning routine
Creating a sense of community in a class full of unfamiliar students is one challenge every teacher faces at the start of a new school year.
At T.H. Rogers, third- and fourth-grade teachers are using strategies they learned over the summer at Harvard University’s Project Zero Classroom Institute to do just that.
Teacher Jeremy Martin broke the ice with his students on Monday using the “See-Think-Wonder” thinking routine.
“This allows them to view a subject and just write about what they see on the surface,” said Martin. “Then, they are asked to write down what thoughts they have, and finally, to write any questions they wonder about. My classroom is decorated in an underwater theme, so I gave them time to write about whatever they saw as they looked around, then what they thought about when they saw the decorations or me (or even reflections from their prior knowledge of what they have heard about fourth grade). Finally, they were asked to write down any questions that they had. The kids really seemed to like it because it was engaging, but it really made them think and reflect on how fourth grade was going to be this year.”
The idea is “to encourage students to think critically and creatively, and to assess student work in ways that deepen learning,” added teacher Jessica Willie. “We have committed to using the visible thinking and learning routines developed by Ron Richhart and his team of researchers in the book, Making Thinking Visible. These enrich instruction and increase student engagement by showing what a thoughtful classroom looks like.”
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We have great teachers in all levels at T.H Rogers and this group is among the best!
They communicate and work together well.
Glad they are getting recognition for creative thinking and teaching.