Interactive Assessment
10. Assessment to Inform

Differentiated forms of both formative and summative assessment are used to inform instructional and learner decision-making.

How would you summarize your progress in this aspect of your journey toward developing as a Thinking School?

In looking out the data, prior to T.M. staff development, 68 % of teachers at McKinley School felt that they had a moderate understanding of the thinking processes during the instruction time.

What documentation (interviews, artifacts) would you include to show evidence (video, documents, photos) of yours chool's development in this area?

See examples on this page and on the following pages:

What have you learned about your school in this aspect of developing as a Thinking School?

It is apparent from the data that 95 % of teachers from McKinley School are significantly more aware of the eight thinking processes during instructional time. Out of 21 teachers, 10 of them indicated that they are continuously aware of the thinking processes during instructional time.

In what specific ways do you envision your school further developing in this area?

As seen in the walkthrough instrument, the term graphic organizers is an indicator of effective teaching practices. The McKinley team used this category explicitly to indicate the use of Thinking Maps® in classrooms.

 

Interactive Assessment
McKinley School is a community where all are welcome. We develop a climate of empathy, respect and creativity. We value intellectual, emotional, social and physical safety for all. We pledge the courage to hold ourselves and each other to our highest academic and social expectations.

We will prove that teachers have changed their instructional methodology after being trained in Thinking Maps resulting in significant improvement in quantitative as well as qualitative data. In addition, the data will confirm that the academic instructional level has risen from primarily knowledge based learning to higher order thinking skills such as application and synthesis.

Thinking Schools
Composite

Thinking Schools Accreditation: Case Study Composite

Interactive Assessment
11. Reflective Thinking

Reflective assessment of thinking is an explicit, regular dimension of everyday classroom practice.

How would you summarize your progress in this aspect of your journey toward developing as a Thinking School?

Seven years ago, McKinley’s staff was fractured philosophically and emotionally. Personal opinion regarding bilingual instruction, multiple principals and numerous programs along with very low results on California State Test (CST), divided and alienated teachers. Six years ago, Aurora Garcia became the Principal at McKinley School. She was the sixth principal in during one school year. Mrs. Garcia brought consistency and created a physically, socially and emotionally safe environment. The staff spent endless hours coming to an agreement on the school vision as well as professional and student norms. However, grade-level collaboration skills were still lacking. Using grade-level collaboration forms and Thinking Maps® created during grade level and staff meetings, we will prove that collaboration is more effective and less derogatory.

What documentation (interviews, artifacts) would you include to show evidence (video, documents, photos) of yours chool's development in this area?

See examples on this page and on the following pages:

Above: Parent Meeting

What have you learned about your school in this aspect of developing as a Thinking School?

Unexpectedly, the staff and Principal discovered that the Thinking Maps® provided a common visual language that created a “new” way to communicate during grade level and staff meetings. The Thinking Maps® provide the frame for a comprehensible, focused and professional conversation between all teachers. The Thinking Maps® effectively kept discussions during grade level meetings objective and positive.

In what specific ways do you envision your school further developing in this area?

Before Thinking Maps® training, the staff did not feel that there was effective communication across grade levels. During the course of staff development teachers have become more effective in communicating across and within grade levels.

 

Interactive Assessment
12. Interactive Assessment

Students, as well as teachers, are actively involved in the assessment processes and opportunities exist for both of them to use these processes to develop as autonomous learners and teachers.

How would you summarize your progress in this aspect of your journey toward developing as a Thinking School?

Prior to Thinking Maps®, lesson plans reflected activities for students to perform instead of developing their higher level thinking skills. By comparing the lesson plans before and after Thinking Maps® training, we will demonstrate that teachers have changed their instructional paradigm.

What documentation (interviews, artifacts) would you include to show evidence (video, documents, photos) of yours chool's development in this area?

See examples on this page and on the following pages:

What have you learned about your school in this aspect of developing as a Thinking School?

As stated previously, lesson plans were focused around activities not thinking skills. Throughout the process of learning how to implement Thinking Maps®, teachers voluntarily began to show evidence of Thinking Maps® in their lesson plans. Based on the standards needed to be taught, teachers began to indicate the thought processes that relate to each Thinking Map®.

In what specific ways do you envision your school further developing in this area?

Teachers are using meta-cognition in planning their lessons. They are thinking about their student’s thinking processes. The Thinking Maps® have given the teachers the power to acknowledge student individuality and voice by allowing each student to choose how to visually represent their thinking.


McKinley Elementary School is a K-6 school in the Franklin–McKinley School District located in San Jose, California. Eighty-seven percent of the students are English Language Learners (ELL), ninety-seven percent of the students receive free or reduced lunch, and the student annual migrancy rate is thirty-seven percent.