Explicit thinking empowers students
THE explicit teaching of thinking skills is an effective way of empowering pupils to become responsible citizens in an increasingly uncertain and complex world, says head of Thinking Skills and Technology at Roedean School, Dr Sonja Vandeleur. The school implemented a campus-wide cognitive education programme in 2011. (Vandeleur is a member of the board of Thinking Schools SA, a nonprofit organisation that empowers schools to develop a culture of explicit thinking through workshops and meetings.)
“The results of our cognitive education programme deserve celebration,” she says. “Roedean Junior School and Roedean Lower Senior School were accredited as Thinking Schools by the University of Exeter (UK) in 2015 and 2016 respectively. In 2017, we hope to obtain accreditation for the senior section (Grade 10 to Grade 12) of the Senior School. Roedean will be the first senior South African school to achieve this status.”
The overarching strategy of the programme is based on the 16 Habits of Mind, developed by Art Costa and Bena Kallick. These are described by Costa as follows: “Habits of Mind are dispositions that are skilfully and mindfully employed by characteristically intelligent, successful people when they are confronted by problems, the solutions to which are not immediately apparent. When we draw upon these mental resources, the results are more powerful, of higher quality and of greater significance than if we fail to employ those habits.”
The “habits”, says Vandeleur, have been integrated into lessons and assessments in all classes at the school.
“Based on the premise that digital thinkers require a new mind-set and habit of mind that recognises the opportunities and constraints offered by these new cognitive technologies, information technology (IT) teacher, Dorian Love developed a 17th Habit of Mind to coincide with the introduction of the IT strategy and to enable pupils to use digital devices effectively in lessons in 2016,” she explains.
To sustain the cognitive education programme, new teachers are trained in thinking skill strategies and Grade 8 pupils attend a two-day Habits of Mind workshop at the beginning of each year. Pupils from grades 0 to 9 have explicit thinking strategy lessons, while Grade 10s have lessons on critical thinking and problem solving to prepare them for the Thinking Skills examination that is written in October.