Creating Active Thinkers: 9 Strategies for a Thoughtful Classroom

Offering much more than the usual collection of lesson plans, this resource provides teachers with the tools to transform their students into complex thinkers equipped to meet the challenges of the future. The nine strategies provided are not simple add-ons to the basic curriculum; rather, they are designed to be integrated into existing content-based lessons. Teachers are encouraged to use strategies such as asking open-ended questions while avoiding their own opinions and value judgments to create a classroom where thinking is valued and thoughtful conversation occurs regularly. Each strategy is developed with helpful scenarios of thoughtful classrooms, discussion of possible problems, and suggestions for implementation. Strategies, recommendations, student thinking behaviors, and notes are summarized in chart form for easy reference.