Ways of Teaching Thinking Thinking through Transfer	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
Action Guide for Thinking through Transfer Encourage students to connect key ideas or thinking skills to similar or analogous contexts. Practice is often a key element for internalizing knowledge and skills. Seek a broad range of occasions across the curriculum to connect and apply a relatively narrow band of new learning or skills. Be up front with students. Explain the goals and purpose of transfer to them from a learning perspective. Describe the various dimensions of transfer (e.g. near vs. far; hi-road vs. low-road) and how they impact understanding. Once students understand the language and purpose of making connections, they begin to become sensitive to occasions to seek out transfer opportunities. When planning projects and lessons, it often helps to look for and deeply explore connections that 1) stem from or to a student’s proclivities or interests, 2) stem from or to the teacher’s proclivities or interests, or 3) stem from or to some theme or concept that is central to the discipline. Look for opportunities in your curriculum where students can or should think deeply about certain topics, ideas, or concepts – a place where a decision is made, evidence is or should be evaluated, an alternative explanation is called for, or another perspective taken. Find ways to help students become sensitive to these occasions on their own. Introduce and explain the thinking skills related to Hugging and Bridging. (For more information see "Ten Tools for Teaching for Transfer") Encourage students to seek abstract kinds or non-obvious connections (far transfer). Such connections foster students’ high-level thinking skills.
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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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