Integrated Professional Learning
7. Professional Development

Ongoing, systematic professional learning opportunities are provided to develop and support expertise of the thinking models and to sustain their integrated use over time.

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

It was the intention of this study to examine the role of Thinking Maps® in the transformation of teacher and pupil effectiveness at St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College.

We hoped that our research would show that due to the implementation of Thinking Maps®, teacher collaboration and conversation are more focussed and that these new dispositions and skills lead to the development of common understandings, beliefs and practices about teaching for learning.

The results of our lesson observations demonstrate that the use of Thinking Maps® facilitate a greater percentage of time spent on activities that promote higher order thinking. Although 16 lessons constitute a relatively small sample, these results are encouraging and suggest that where Thinking Maps® are being used, students have more consistent access to higher order thinking skills.

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

IStaff evaluations of previous and current teaching methodologies demonstrated that existing effective pedagogical practices remain integral to the lesson. However, staff indicated that the implementation of Thinking Maps® has enhanced their effectiveness by developing: a common thinking tool used for purpose; students’ access to a more effective planning tool; the sharing and visualisation of thinking. As previously concluded, staff indicate that the use of Thinking Maps® facilitate higher order thinking skills.

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

Staff and student perceptions of Thinking Maps® were mainly positive. Results illustrate that the maps have been well received and are on the whole, considered as effective tools to develop and support higher order thinking.

 

 

Integrated Professional Learning
Thinking Maps® were introduced in September 2007 to all staff as a key strategy which will underpin the development of thinking at St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College. The purpose of this strategy was to decrease the quantity of teacher instruction and transmission of knowledge in a content driven curriculum whilst increasing the amount of time dedicated to developing learning dispositions and thinking skills through student deployment of Thinking Maps® in their learning. It is the intent of this report to examine the role of Thinking Maps® in the transformation of teacher and pupil effectiveness. The report will detail the following specific areas of interest, before and after the implementation of Thinking Maps®.

Thinking Schools
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Thinking Schools Accreditation: Case Study Composite

Integrated Professional Learning
8. Differentiation for Educators

Teacher and leader skills and practices grow across a variety of teaching and leading styles, content areas, and cultural backgrounds.

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

Following every lesson observation, staff were asked to compare and contrast their previous and current teaching methodologies since the implementation of Thinking Maps®. As demonstrated by the double-bubble map below, the analysis of these evaluations highlighted some generic similarities and differences.

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

Previous methods suggested an emphasis upon teacher-led activities, with much time devoted to note-taking in linear prose. Reassuringly, discussion, assessment for learning and a variety of thinking activities remained integral to the lesson. Since the implementation of Thinking Maps® teachers have planned opportunities for pupils to visualise and share their thinking at the higher levels and they are beginning to develop a common thinking language.

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

From the data gathered, we have proved that pupils spend less time gathering and more time processing and applying information. As the graph demonstrated, pupils spent 77% of time engaging in higher order thinking skills. It could be surmised that the implementation of Thinking Maps® has facilitated this. In order to substantiate this claim, we also analysed staff responses to a questionnaire, which compared time spent at each thinking level before the implementation of Thinking Maps®.

 

Integrated Professional Learning
9. Collaborative Inquiry

Individual and group professional learning opportunities utilize an inquiry approach, incorporate peer learning, and promote reflective decision-making.

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

A change in teacher attitudes towards the use of Thinking Maps® in aiding collaboration, communication and problem solving at St Robert’s is a long term goal. The modelling of maps not only in lessons, but in our planning, communication and coaching should become embedded in our practice. This process is in its infancy, but where it has been implemented has been effective.

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

Prior to the introduction of Thinking Maps® the de-brief of a Newly Qualified Teacher’s (NQT) classroom practice followed the traditional methodology for feeding back and setting targets for improvement.

This usually involved the observer reading form his/ her linear notes, attempting to focus in on aspects of the lesson that went well in order to encourage the NQT to continue adopting specific strategies that worked, and identifying elements of planning and delivery that did not work so well in order to generate possible strategies for improving teacher performance.

A significant barrier within this process appeared to be that the NQT does not have access to those notes and as a consequence any teacher de-brief relied on the accuracy of recall being agreed by both observer and the NQT and often a selective account of what had been captured by the observer. Furthermore, it was often difficult for the NQT to remain objective about the lesson during the feedback, often regarding comments intended to improve classroom performance in a negative manner which reduced NQT self esteem.

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

If it was possible to provide a visual map of the lesson, we hoped that the NQT would more easily understand those micro elements of teaching and learning which were required to be tweaked in order to transform teaching and learning in the classroom.



As demonstrated by the double-bubble map below, the analysis of these evaluations highlighted some generic similarities and differences.