Thinking for Learning

Ken Brechin

Deputy Headteacher

Cramlington Learning Village

Our Core Purpose at Cramlington

Developing

Successful

Independent

Learners

and

Thinkers

Together

“To develop successful, independent learners and thinkers - together”

Thinking for Learning at Cramlington

• For a number of years Thinking for Learning has been one of the touchstones of our model of teaching and learning.
• There have been a lot of national thinking initiatives that we have tried to infuse into teaching and learning at Cramlington - with varying success.

CASE, CAME, PLTS…

• CASE and CAME both had its strengths but did not facilitate transfer
• National Strategy, PLTS – lots of good ideas and advice. Again, transfer of skills from subject to subject – didn’t stick
• In the elusive search for transfer and development of metacognition – what do we choose that will be effective and used universally in the school?

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Hyerle’s Thinking maps

• To make the development and transfer of Thinking skills as effective and efficient as possible, we have adopted Hyerles thinking maps to make our conversations around thinking as consistent as possible.
• Thinking Maps, developed by Dr. David Hyerle, are visual teaching tools that foster and encourage lifelong learning.

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Hyerle’s Thinking maps

We often ask children to give answers in a very linear form, writing in sentences and paragraphs.

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How often is there an apparent gap between a student’s ability to verbalise their thoughts and their written results?

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Thinking maps can really help students to organise their thoughts, producing their own thinking in a unique and valuable way.

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The eight maps

Circle Map -�(with frame of reference)�for defining context.

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Bubble Map -�for describing�with adjectives

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Flow Map - for sequencing� and ordering.�

Brace Map -�for identifying part/whole relationships

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Tree Map -�for classifying/ grouping

Double Bubble Map -�for comparing and contrasting

Multi-Flow Map - for analyzing causes and effects.

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Bridge Map -�for seeing analogies.

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The Bridge Map�

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The Bridge Map gives students a tool for applying the process of seeing analogies.

The Bridge Map�

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The Bridge Map gives students a tool for applying the process of seeing analogies.

AS

Mr Kipling

Crisps

Cakes

The Bridge Map�

The Bridge Map gives students a tool for applying the process of seeing analogies and relationships.

Relating Factor: Capital of..

London

Paris

England

Peru

The Bridge Map�

The Bridge Map gives students a tool for applying the process of seeing analogies.

Represents..

The american flag is an analogy - relating factor: represents

White

Stars

The story of ET is about Jesus?!?! - relating factor: represents

Bubble Map�The Bubble Map is used for describing using adjectives (and adjective phrases). Unlike the Circle Map which is used for brainstorming, The Bubble Map is a tool for enriching students' abilities to identify qualities and use descriptive words

Task:

Use as many adjectives to describe Andy Murray and his qualities.

Task (advanced):

Use as many adjectives to describe a garlic press and its qualities.

Double Bubble Map�The Double Bubble Map is a tool for comparing and contrasting things.

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Task:

Use the double bubble to compare and contrast Heavy Metal and Classical Music

Flow Map �The Flow Map is used by students for sequencing and ordering information.

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Task – listen to the song ‘late for school’ and put the sequence of little Steve Martin’s journey to get to school on time

Multi-Flow Map�The Multi-Flow Map is used by students for showing and analyzing cause and effect relationships. In the center rectangle is an important event. On the left side of the event is the causes, and on the right side of the event the effects.

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Multi-Flow Map�

Task:

Use the multi flow map to describe the causes and effects of global warming

Or

The causes and effects of tooth decay

Tree Map �The Tree Map is used by students for classifying things and ideas.

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Tree Map �The Tree Map is used by students for classifying things and ideas.

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Task:

Classify the London Philharmonic orchestra using a Tree Map

The Brace Map

�The Brace Map is used by students to analyze physical objects.

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On the line to the left is the name or image of the whole object. On the lines within the first brace to the right are the major parts.

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Task: Use the Brace map to map out ‘The Americas’

Circle Map with Frame of Reference�The Circle Map is used for brainstorming ideas and for showing prior knowledge about a topic by providing context information.

Circle Map with Frame of Reference�The Circle Map is used for brainstorming ideas and for showing prior knowledge about a topic by providing context information.

Task: Use the circle map to brainstorm what you know about golf