Ways of Teaching Thinking Thinking through Dispositions	Ways of Thinking Contents Introduction Thinking through Thinkpoints     - Big Ideas     - Practical Profile     - Action Guide Thinking through Dispositions     - Big Ideas     - Practical Profile     - Action Guide Thinking through Transfer     - Big Ideas     - Practical Profile     - Action Guide Thinking through Assessment     - Big Ideas     - Practical Profile     - Action Guide
Practical Profile of Thinking through Dispositions General Goals and Expectations Thinking dispositions can be thought of as intellectual patterns of behavior exhibited consistently over time. Of course, students exhibit both positive and negative thinking dispositions when it comes to understanding in class. Attending to thinking dispositions through instruction involves cultivating the positive dispositions that deepen understanding and minimizing the negative dispositions or thinking behaviors that inhibit deep understanding. Good Uses To introduce and infuse a wide range of thinking skills into the curriculum To encourage students to become reflective, self-regulated learners To give students a way to activate knowledge To attend to the affective side of good thinking (e.g. students' habits of mind, attitudes, values about learning and thinking Age Range Works well for elementary ages and up. Special attention needs to be given at K-5 levels. K-5, students often do not have a clear sense of what good thinking "looks" like in action. Teachers should provide lots of pro-thinking models and direct explanation for this age group. Subject Matters All subject matters. Materials Needed No special materials needed. Teachers will need simple, everyday classroom materials. Preparation Time Needed Teachers will need to familiarize themselves with the three components of a thinking disposition (sensitivity, inclination, & ability). The key to cultivating students' thinking dispositions is to figure out how to consistently attend to the three components in the lessons you create across the curriculum. Once familiar with the concepts, very little preparation time is necessary. Classtime Needed One dispositions-centered lesson could take anywhere from 5 to 50 minutes, to a few days or weeks depending upon how long and how deeply teachers and students decide to explore and cultivate a particular thinking dispositions. (e.g. seeking and evaluating reasons & evidence supporting the design of a science project) Homework Uses Unlimted. Finding ways for students to connect and/or apply the dispositions cultivated in class to homework can provide rich and diverse learning opportunities. Workability Thinking dispositions fits easily into the regular classroom curriculum. It is highly workable and helps cultivate a process-oriented approach to learning and understanding.
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More on Thinking Through Dispositions Action Guide for Dispositions Ways of Thinking Contents Introduction Thinking through Thinkpoints     - Big Ideas     - Practical Profile     - Action Guide Thinking through Dispositions     - Big Ideas     - Practical Profile     - Action Guide Thinking through Transfer     - Big Ideas     - Practical Profile     - Action Guide Thinking through Assessment     - Big Ideas     - Practical Profile     - Action Guide The Thinking Classroom Quick Menu - select a destination - The Thinking Classroom Home Page Introducing the Thinking Classroom >Ways of Thinking     Thinking through Thinkpoints     Thinking through Dispositions     Thinking through Transfer     Thinking through Assessment >Information & Resources     Pictures of Practice     Articles >Curriculum Design Tools     Design Tools     Classroom Resources >Communication & Community     News Notes     Forum >Reflect & Connect     Reflection Activities     Reflection Journal

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