Thinking About Thinking in IB Schools

“One of the most effective ways to increase students’ academic performance is to explicitly teach them metacognitive skills. . . . Fogarty and Pete share a thoughtful, practical, and comprehensive approach to teaching students to think about their thinking in the specific context of the International Baccalaureate.”

—MARCUS CONYERS Coauthor of Teaching Students to Drive Their Brains and Developing Growth Mindsets

“As our world rapidly changes, our students need more than the basic content and technical skills that schools have traditionally taught.

Fogarty and Pete show how . . . we can cultivate the . . . skills our students need to face those changes.”

—JEFF HEYCK-WILLIAMS Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Two Rivers Public Charter School, Washington, DC

S o l u t i o n Tr e e . c o m

Thinking About Thinking in IB Schools: How We Know What We Know uses the Theory of Knowledge and the rigorous curriculum of International Baccalaureate (IB) schools as a framework for exploring the metacognitive skills and behaviors teachers must nurture in 21st century learners. Authors Robin J. Fogarty and Brian M. Pete explain that to address the driving question of the Theory of Knowledge (“How do we know what we know?”), K–12 students must become well-rounded learners who are skilled communicators, mindfully reflective, and caring of others. In order for teachers to help students develop these qualities and enhance their learning, Fogarty and Pete structure the book around seven think links, or attributes and associated behaviors, that lead to critical, creative thinkers and problem solvers.

Readers will: • Explore the Theory of Knowledge and the IB school curriculum • Identify the higher-order-thinking processes that characterize self-aware, deep-thinking learners • Discover the seven think links that tie together metacognitive attributes and behaviors • Encounter research and real-life examples that support and illustrate the importance of the think links • Learn specific strategies to facilitate student learning in the classroom

ROBIN J. FOGARTY & BRIAN M. PETE

Copyright © 2020 by Solution Tree Press and Hawker Brownlow Education All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction of this book in whole or in part in any form.

American version published in the United States by Solution Tree Press 555 North Morton Street Bloomington, IN 47404 800.733.6786 (toll free) / 812.336.7700 FAX: 812.336.7790 email: info@SolutionTree.com SolutionTree.com Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Fogarty, Robin, author. | Pete, Brian M., author.

Title: Thinking about thinking in IB schools : how we know what we know / Robin J. Fogarty & Brian M. Pete.

Description: Bloomington : Solution Tree Press, [2020] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020009903 (print) | LCCN 2020009904 (ebook) | ISBN 9781951075378 (paperback) | ISBN 9781951075385 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: International baccalaureate. | Curriculum planning. | Thought and thinking--Study and teaching.

Classification: LCC LB2351 .F64 2020 (print) | LCC LB2351 (ebook) | DDC 378.1/61--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020009903 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020009904

Solution Tree Jeffrey C. Jones, CEO Edmund M. Ackerman, President Solution Tree Press President and Publisher: Douglas M. Rife Associate Publisher: Sarah Payne-Mills Art Director: Rian Anderson Managing Production Editor: Kendra Slayton Production Editor: Rita Carlberg Content Development Specialist: Amy Rubenstein Text and Cover Designer: Laura Cox Editorial Assistants: Sarah Ludwig and Elijah Oates

Thinking About Thinking in IB Schools: How We Know What We Know originally published in Australia

by Hawker Brownlow Education © 2018 by Hawker Brownlow Education

TABLE OF CONTENTS About the Authors.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii Foreword.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Noble Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Theory of Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Conventional Wisdom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Think Links for TOK/International Baccalaureate.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Chapter 1: Curious Minds Inquire (IB Learner Profile: Knowledgeable/Inquirers). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 A Tale: Analysis on the Brink of Genius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Research Discussion: Wonder! Question! Uncover!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Thinking Skill Rhyme: To Analyze Is to Take Apart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Strategy: Archaeology of a Wastepaper Basket.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Three-Tiered Lesson: Analysis—Do! View! Construe Meaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Transfer: Duplicates/Propagates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Closing: Curious Minds Inquire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Chapter 2: Confident Minds Risk (IB Learner Profile: Risk-Takers). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 A Tale: Here Ya Go, Doctor.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Research Discussion: Growth! Guts! Grit!.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Thinking Skill Rhyme: To Compare/Contrast Is Alike/Not Alike. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Strategy: Risky Business.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Three-Tiered Lesson: Compare/Contrast—Do! View! Construe Meaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Transfer: Replicates/Integrates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Closing: Confident Minds Risk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

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THINKING ABOUT THINKING IN IB SCHOOLS

Chapter 3: Thinking Minds Connect (IB Learner Profile: Thinkers). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 A Tale: Crafting Connections or Misconceptions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Research Discussion: Think! Link! Sync!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Thinking Skill Rhyme: To Infer Is to Read Between the Lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Strategy: Bridging Snapshots.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Three-Tiered Lesson: Inferring—Do! View! Construe Meaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Transfer: Overlooks/Innovates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Closing: Thinking Minds Connect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Chapter 4: Reasoned Minds Resolve (IB Learner Profile: Principled). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 A Tale: Fire! Fire! Pants on Fire!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Research Discussion: Impulsivity, Delay, Reason. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Thinking Skill Rhyme: To Evaluate Is to Judge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Strategy: Aristotle’s Teaching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Three-Tiered Lesson: Principled—Do! View! Construe Meaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Transfer: Replicates/Integrates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Closing: Reasoned Minds Resolve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Chapter 5: Decisive Minds Act (IB Learner Profile: Communicators). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 A Tale: Do I, or Don’t I? That Is the Question . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Research Discussion: Determine! Decide! Do!.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Thinking Skill Rhyme: To Determine Is to Consider and Confirm.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Strategy: Determining Quick Wins.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Three-Tiered Lesson: Determine—Do! View! Construe Meaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Transfer: Replicates/Innovates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Closing: Decisive Minds Act. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Chapter 6: Mindful (Mirrored) Minds Reflect (IB Learner Profile: Reflective). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 A Tale: Doing It Right, Getting It Wrong!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Research Discussion: Plan! Monitor! Evaluate!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Thinking Skill Rhyme: To Clarify Is to Simplify. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Strategy: Turning Points and Defining Moments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Three-Tiered Lesson: Reflect—Do! View! Construe Meaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Transfer: Overlooks/Innovates.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Closing: Mirrored Minds Reflect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Table of Contents

Chapter 7: Global Minds Network: Generalize (IB Learner Profile: Open-Minded/Caring) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 A Tale: “Wilbur, It’ll Never Fly.”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Research Discussion: Learn! Apply! Transfer!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Thinking Skill Rhyme: To Generalize Is to Conceptualize. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Strategy: Moving Toward Open-Mindedness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Three-Tiered Lesson: Generalize—Do! View! Construe Meaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Transfer: Replicates/Propagates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Closing: Global Minds Network: Generalize. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 References and resources.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS Robin J. Fogarty, PhD, is president of Robin Fogarty & Associates and a leading educational consultant. She works with educators throughout the world in curriculum, instruction, and assessment strategies. As an author and consultant, she works with students at all levels, from kindergarten to college. Her roles include school administrator and consultant with state departments and ministries of education in the United States, Puerto Rico, Russia, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Great Britain, Singapore, Korea, and the Netherlands.

Robin has written articles for Educational Leadership, Phi Delta Kappan, and the Journal of Staff Development. She is author of Brain-Compatible Classrooms, 10 Things New Teachers Need to Succeed, and Literacy Matters: Strategies Every Teacher Can Use. She is coauthor of How to Integrate the Curricula, The Adult Learner: Some Things We Know, A Look at Transfer: Seven Strategies That Work, Close the Achievement Gap: Simple Strategies That Work, Twelve Brain Principles That Make the Difference, Nine Best Practices That Make the Difference, Informative Assessment: When It’s Not About a Grade, Supporting Differentiated Instruction: A Professional Learning Communities Approach, Invite, Excite, Ignite: 13 Strategies for Teaching and Learning, and The Right to Be Literate: 6 Essential Literacy Skills.

Her work also includes a leadership series titled From Staff Room to Classroom: The OneMinute Professional Development Planner and School Leader’s Guide to the Common Core.

Her most recent works include Unlocking Student Talent: The New Science of Developing Expertise and the second edition of How to Teach Thinking Skills.

Robin earned a doctorate in curriculum and human resource development from Loyola University Chicago, a master’s in instructional strategies from National Louis University, and a bachelor’s in early childhood education from the State University of New York at Potsdam.

To learn more about Robin’s work, visit www.robinfogarty.com or follow @robinfogarty or @RFATeachPD on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

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Brian M. Pete is cofounder and CEO of Robin Fogarty & Associates.

He has followed a long line of educators—college professors, school superintendents, teachers, and teachers of teachers—into a career in education. He has a rich background in professional development and has worked with adult learners in districts and educational agencies throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Brian has an eye for the teachable moment and the words to describe skillful teaching. He delivers dynamic, humor-filled sessions that energize the audiences of school leaders, teachers, and teacher leaders with engaging strategies that transfer into immediate and practical on-site applications.

Brian is coauthor of How to Teach Thinking Skills Within the Common Core, From Staff Room to Classroom: A Guide for Planning and Coaching Professional Development, From Staff Room to Classroom II: The One-Minute Professional Development Planner, Twelve Brain Principles That Make the Difference, Supporting Differentiated Instruction: A Professional Learning Communities Approach, The Adult Learner: Some Things We Know, A Look at Transfer: Seven Strategies That Work, School Leader’s Guide to the Common Core, Everyday Problem-Based Learning: Quick Projects to Build Problem-Solving Fluency, Unlocking Student Talent, and The Right to Be Literate: 6 Essential Literacy Skills.

Brian earned a bachelor of science from DePaul University in Chicago. To learn more about Brian’s work, visit www.robinfogarty.com, or follow @brianpete or @RFAteachPD on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook.

To book Robin J. Fogarty or Brian M. Pete for professional development, contact pd@Solution Tree.com.

PREFACE Metacognition Finally Takes Center Stage International Baccalaureate (IB) schools represent an inspired mission in intellectual inquiry. Grounded in the Theory of Knowledge, students are afforded a rigorous and, at the same time, noble path to discover not just what they know but, more importantly, how they know it. In their ongoing quest to understand how one knows what one knows, students are afforded a rigorously intellectual anchor for all their learning experiences, as they study, reflect, and write constantly about various aspects of this enormously deep question.

Three Intersecting Observations With that said, the inspiration for this book came from several sources that seemed to intersect in our lives at about the same time. Surprisingly, each, in its own way, was pointing us in the same direction: using metacognitive behaviors to enhance student learning. It’s a logical focus for us as education writers, because we already believe that when students embrace metacognitive, reflective behaviors, and when they practice these behaviors effectively, consistently, and with fidelity over time, they will internalize certain critical life skills. We believe that when practices in metacognition develop students’ sense of agency, or control over their destinies, students become self-initiating, self-sustained, self-assessing, and self-reflective.

Theory of Knowledge . . . or Not! The first observation came about with our exposure to IB schools, and their students, in the United States and abroad. Searching for the key to how one knows what one knows calls for students to become highly reflective and, definitely, metacognitive about their academic endeavors. Anecdotal evidence suggests that these students often do well with their assignments and assessments but when asked about them will say, time after time, that they have no idea what the Theory of Knowledge means or why it is so important.

This often-repeated observation of IB students intrigued us. The Theory of Knowledge is an intense, deep, and enduring model that students are immersed into over several years, so how could they not know the hows and whys of what they were doing?

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Intellectual Disconnect The second observation involved an incident with a seventh-grade student. As the student was leaving his Theory of Knowledge class, he described the robust discussion about examining one’s thinking that he had just had as an “exercise in a vacuum of nothingness.” His sentiments surprised us because his enthusiasm was real when he was in the moment, yet with his friends after class he seemed to want to diminish his role as a debater or provocateur in the heat of an intellectual exercise.

Metacognition Finally, the third observation that influenced our interest in what became our IB mission, or what seemed to be an IB omission with students, was our revival of a past publication on metacognition. This was in response to a chart we had seen published about the highly positive impact on learning when metacognition was employed. This, in addition to the realization that the cost of such interventions was relatively low for an instructional initiative that had such high impact on student curiosity, learning, reflection, and action, affirmed our drive to do this book.

The Thinking Person This leads to a key component of the thinking person—the skill of being aware and in control of oneself. Metacognition heightens students’ real awareness and measured control over their own thinking. While IB has enormous integrity as a tried-and-true model of learning—focusing on the nature of knowledge, and the discovery process of knowing how we know what we know—students may be oblivious to the critical concept of thinking about their own thinking. It is that phase in the maturing mind when complex skills of self-initiation, self-direction, self-examination, and, above all else, self-reflection manifest themselves. These skills manifest as an authentic sense of self-agency, encompassing a true presence of self-awareness and a growing feeling of control and management of one’s life journey.

FOREWORD

By Cynthia A. Price, Esq.

My Thoughts on International Baccalaureate as a Parent of a Graduate I was never really taught to “think critically” until law school but found that my son—who was educated at an International Baccalaureate school from the age of four—was able to think critically at an early age. With so much factual information readily available at our fingertips today, I believe it is imperative that we educate our children to acutely evaluate those facts.

My son’s school also offered bilingual immersion from kindergarten, and we observed that because of this not only were his language skills impeccable in accentuation, speaking, and reading, but it seemed to have opened up new pathways in his brain. He was able to seamlessly go from French to English in all learning areas and was able to exhibit advanced reasoning.

My final note about my son’s journey to earning his International Baccalaureate diploma regards the cultural component of the program. Being taught by diverse teachers, and being surrounded by students from around the world, has enabled him to adapt to a multitude of environments and situations.

I would highly recommend that any child with a typical learner profile start with the International Baccalaureate curriculum at the youngest age possible. I believe my son’s ability to develop his own ideas when given any type of rigorous learning task comes directly from being taught critical thinking skills in his formative years. Not only has it served him well in getting into the university of his choosing, but I’m also confident that it will aid him in all of life’s difficult challenges.

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Noble Goals In a nutshell, the skeleton of this book is comprised of three specific elements: (1) the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (International Baccalaureate Organization, n.d.) as the framework curriculum, (2) the Theory of Knowledge as its philosophical base, and (3) explicit higher-order-thinking processes that support students’ abilities to think deeply, comprehensively, and creatively.

That said, our students face challenges that are both known and unknown as they navigate through their years of global changes as citizens of the 21st century. We know they will inevitably experience multiple job opportunities, perhaps as many as seven or eight, in their lifetime. We know that these may be in traditional careers and fields of study or in unknown arenas of work and play yet to be defined. And we know our students will face global issues beyond the scope of our description and definition at this time. Fortunately, much of the educational world is well aware of this, and many are already attempting to come to terms with how to best prepare students to survive and thrive within this perpetually evolving landscape.

Global education goals are amazingly similar. From the Common Core State Standards of the United States, to the expansive presence of the IB Diploma Programme and the Cambridge examination requirements, as well as state, regional, and local expectations throughout the world, education tends to value common threads. The goals circumvent, and at the same time target, the most noble and lofty outcomes for this imminent citizenry. In fact, who would not embrace the universally valued dispositions of a thinker and communicator—a principled, open-minded, caring person who is willing to take risks, one who is able to find common ground with people from different countries and cultures, yet maintains a sense of balance through mindful reflection? These are the threads that bind education in a phenomenon called the educated person.

Theory of Knowledge Yet, interestingly, there is an exceptional grounding presented explicitly in the Theory of Knowledge (TOK), notably in the IB program. The driving question is unusually philosophical and deeply profound: How do we know what we know? Being taught to question what one is told every day, and not follow blindly what others say, is at the heart of this complex and scholarly mindfulness.

The driving question is unusually philosophical and deeply profound: How do we know what we know?

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© 2020 by Solution Tree Press and Hawker Brownlow Education. All rights reserved.

INTRODUCTION

THINKING ABOUT THINKING IN IB SCHOOLS

To walk the TOK path requires a disciplined mind. One must learn how to verify one’s depth of knowledge (old and new) using ways of knowing through one’s inner and outer realms of being.

More specifically, as shown in figure I.1, these include imagination, emotion, intuition, reason, faith, sense perception, memory, and language. Thus, the role of formal education, fortunately for the learner, is to provide a guide for this path that takes many forms and continues to recur in every sector of learning and living. In fact, one’s ongoing search touches every learning area in school-based classes, as it embraces vast areas of knowledge: mathematics, natural science, human science, history, geography, the arts, religion, and indigenous knowledge systems.

Imagination

Faith

Emotion

Sense Perception

Intuition

Memory

Reason

Language

Figure I.1: TOK—Ways of knowing.

As a result of this kind of unending inquiry, a symmetrical sequence of attitudes, dispositions, and habits of mind begins to prevail. As one learns to fiercely examine all aspects of the world one lives in, certain aforementioned cognitive and affective postures are assumed to illuminate one’s journey.

When growing one’s mind, one illustrates his or her maturity as a complex thinker by demonstrating his or her abilities as a skilled communicator who is open-minded, willing to accept risks, and visibly principled. Further evidence of his or her maturing perceptions emerges as one moves along one’s pathway to profound understandings, in which the individual is one who cares about others, is balanced in his or her perspectives, and lives a life of reflective mindfulness (see figure I.2).

Quality Thinkers

Caring of Others

Skillful Communicators

Reasoned Risk-Takers

Principled Individuals

Balanced in Mind, Body, and Soul

Open-Minded Citizens

Mindfully Reflective

Figure I.2: Theory of Knowledge at work—Desired outcomes.

© 2020 by Solution Tree Press and Hawker Brownlow Education. All rights reserved.

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Conventional Wisdom Conventional wisdom tells us to rally the academic forces and expose students to more complex, more rigorous, and more relevant learning situations now. Above all else, the majority of educators are in agreement that academic excellence involves shaping students to be deep thinkers who, while principled in their affairs, are open-minded and tolerant of ambiguity; effective communicators who are caring and empathic; risk-takers who accept the possibility of failure as highly reflective, metacognitive lifelong learners; and harmonious individuals in mind, body, and soul.

With that said, teaching standards and curriculum frameworks generously represent these values in their documents and programs. So, in due course, the onus of responsibility falls to the cadres of excellent teachers to implement fully the academic programs that achieve these ends. But as that genuine and coveted effort to address the rich, complex curriculum within the programs continues, teachers note significant gaps in students’ critical thinking and acceptance of ownership of their own learning—even with extensive teacher training and ongoing professional learning support.

With that in mind, the explicit and singular goal of this book is to endow teachers with the knowledge and know-how they need to incorporate the explicit teaching of critical thinking skills within the rich curricular environments of IB schools—empowering students to meet the impending challenges of the 21st century. There is nothing more powerful in learning scenarios than coupling rich and rigorous content with the relevant and results-oriented processes of critical and creative thinking, productive problem solving, and mindful decision making.

Think Links for TOK/International Baccalaureate We have one final note about the thinking skills featured and delineated in this text to facilitate the explicit teaching of thinking skills and support the academic efforts of students: the selected vocabulary is taken directly from documents, materials, and online sources that address Theory of Knowledge explicitly in their coverage. These thinking skills are as universal as the concept of knowledge itself, and are most certainly appropriate and rigorous fodder for all levels of the IB program and multiple other standards-based curricula frameworks.

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Introduction

THINKING ABOUT THINKING IN IB SCHOOLS

The selected thinking skills are the ones used frequently in the arena of developing student effectiveness as critical and creative thinkers. As shown in figure I.3, these comprise action words that are common in academic assignments and assessments of students’ skills in collaborating and communicating ideas. Each is assigned to a separate chapter to provide opportunities for students to practice, be coached in, and apply the skills appropriately in the course of their learning and their lives.

Analyze

Generate

Analyze Point of View (POV)

Compare/Contrast

Evaluate

Generalize

Determine

Reason

Infer

Clarify

Figure I.3: Thinking skills.

As represented in the chapters of Thinking About Thinking in IB Schools: How We Know What We Know, figure I.4 represents the think links that connect the attributes of the educated student in such a way that suggests what a metacognitive behavior looks like when it manifests itself. For example, the thinker has a meaningful way of connecting ideas, thus: Thinkers—Thinking Minds Connect.

Thinkers—Thinking Minds Connect Principled—Reasoned Minds Resolve Communicators—Decisive Minds Act Knowledgeable/Inquirers—Curious Minds Inquire Risk-Takers—Confident Minds Risk Open-Minded/Caring—Global Minds Network/Generalize Reflective—Mirrored Minds Reflect Figure I.4: Think links—Thinking skills and thinking behaviors.

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In Brief In an attempt to summarize the introductory intent and purpose of this text, our focus is most definitely on teaching students how to think well, how to critique and create, and how to problem solve and make decisions. This is done with the philosophical underpinnings of student-centered learning, highly effective teaching and learning, and sound pedagogy.

The game changer is the widely acclaimed theoretical framework associated with the principles of the Theory of Knowledge and the rigor and excellence of the IB program (see figure I.5)—the goals of which are to ensure that any discussions, insights, and explorations students may conduct enhance and enrich their ability to apply specific thinking skills more effectively.

In addition, these exemplary goals are accomplished while working within global contexts—exploring significant content, developing disciplinary and interdisciplinary understandings, and encouraging students to challenge what they are told in terms oftheir local, regional, and international environments.

Ages 3–12 Primary Years Program (PYP): Developing a whole worldview Ages 11–16 Middle Years Program (MYP): Connection between studies and real world Ages 16–19 Diploma Program (DP): Breadth and depth of knowledge; furthering higher education and apprenticeships and employment; flourishing academically, physically, ethically, and emotionally Ages 16–19 Career-Related Program (CP) Figure I.5: Summary of IB programs.

So, begin your journey with this intriguing book. It is an invitation into the realm of big questions that matter, to begin the preparation of our students that can no longer wait, and to become the keepers of the intelligence legacy. It is a discussion about the difficult and good work of dedicated teachers, and the truly curious and creative work of remarkable students. It is about preparing our students for wholesome well-being and purposeful participation in the real world of their making.

The time is now. Because if not now, when? The mission is ours. Because if not us, who?

Enjoy!

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Introduction

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CURIOUS MINDS INQUIRE (IB Learner Profile: Knowledgeable/Inquirers) Curiosity killed the cat! And we’ll leave it at that.

Driving Question: How is curiosity honored, honed, and heightened?

TOK Connection: Knowledgeable/Inquirers Curious minds inquire. And that is a fact. Students, who want to know about lots of different things, are always asking questions about this, that, and the other thing. They are the epitome of Theory of Knowledge learners, following the premise that simple acceptance of knowledge is not enough. Rather, through their incessant and persistent questioning, they can discover evidence that supports the information and convinces them of its true nature.

While they certainly aren’t fully aware of it, their questioning stance is their way of inquiring and digging deeper into ideas. In the end, perhaps unaware of their mission, it inadvertently helps them to define a context and develop a more elaborate understanding of their content knowledge through facts, details, and peripheral data-driven information.

While curiosity is a known, natural human trait TOK attributes the seeking noticeably prevalent in the youngest of children, it of knowledge as an seems to temper with age and schooling, and does admirable trait that defines not always continue to provide the drive that it did in sophisticated, complex, and those early years. Imagine a two-year-old and his or deep learning. her insatiable curiosity as he or she travels around the room—touching, tasting, and toying with anything and everything within reach. TOK attributes the seeking of knowledge as an admirable trait that defines sophisticated, complex, and deep learning. One of the overriding goals of TOK is to coach and further develop this inquiry mode as part and parcel of lifelong learning, and as a grounding from which to launch one’s own take on the ideas.

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CHAPTER 1

THINKING ABOUT THINKING IN IB SCHOOLS

This leads to a key component of the thinking student, and that is the skill of metacognition.

Metacognition is the mind watching itself, reflecting on ideas under scrutiny. It heightens students’ real awareness and control over their own thinking. While IB has enormous integrity as a tried-and-true model of learning, focusing on the nature of knowledge, and discovering how we know what we know, students may, more often than not, be oblivious to the critical concept of thinking about their own thinking. As we noted previously, it is that phase in the maturing mind when complex skills of self-initiation, self-direction, selfexamination, and self-reflection manifest themselves. They appear in an authentic sense of self-agency, a true presence of self-awareness and a feeling of self-control.

A Tale: Analysis on the Brink of Genius Genius, as in the geniuses who host the Apple Genius Bar, can be defined as exceptional intellectual or Genius . . . can be defined as creative power or natural ability and expertise in exceptional intellectual or some other area. Creative genius seems to drift into creative power or natural a story Edward de Bono (1970) tells about how some ability and expertise targeted inquiry helped stakeholders delve into a in some other area. situation and reflectively ask question after question in search of an acceptable response. In this scenario, de Bono relates the conundrum of the owners of a brand-new, fully occupied high-rise office building. He describes the existing situation that has the tenants in an uproar. The occupants complain every day to the building manager that the elevators are too slow, and they are outraged about the inconveniences this is causing. The situation has gotten so bad the tenants have come together and filed a formal petition to the effect that the owners must do something to solve this problem or tenants will withhold their payments (figure 1.1, page 9).

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Questions were asked to determine what, when, and how the owners might resolve the elevator problem. As reflective questions were posed, others would supply the answers.

1.

What is the problem? Occupants are outraged about the elevators.

2.

How long has this been going on? Since the building has been fully occupied.

3.

Who are the complainants? Many, but more from the upper floors.

4.

What do they want? Faster elevators.

5.

What will appease them? The real problem seems to be the wait time.

6.

What alternatives do we have?

Designate certain elevators for different floors. More elevators (not an option).

Use stairways (promote it as an exercise program).

7.

Isn’t the real problem not the elevators but rather how long people have to wait? I have a really crazy idea that just might work.

If not, it’s so cost effective it might be worth a try anyway. Do you wanna hear it?

Yes, yes, of course. We need to address this. What’s your idea?

My idea is based on human psychology. Since they seem to get most upset by the long wait for the elevator, we could install expansive mirrors on all the walls. That way, people will be so busy looking at themselves they may not notice the long wait. What do you think?

You were right. It’s an outlandish, insane idea—but it just might work.

I say let’s go for it and see what happens. Anybody with me on this?

Figure 1.1: Tenant meeting notes.

The yeas have it. And with the meeting notes, the residents attached a petition prompting that management provide mirrored walls near all elevators.

Did it work? Indeed it did! And that is the tale of “Analysis on the Brink of Genius.”

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Curious Minds Inquire

Research Discussion: Wonder! Question! Uncover!

Digging deeper into the concept of why curious minds inquire, there are three areas of research on best practices that seem to relate well to the power that can be harnessed by fostering curiosity. The sources include Judy Willis’s (2009), as well as Judy Willis and Malana Willis’s (2020), work on the brain and the power of wonder; Art Costa’s (2001), and Costa and Bena Kallick’s (2014), premise that student thinking is fostered by compelling teacher queries; and Sir Ken Robinson’s (2006, 2017) quest to uncover the natural creativity of children (figure 1.2).

Wonder!

Judy Willis & Malana Willis: Novelty, Curiosity, Investigation, Validation

Question!

Art Costa & Bena Kallick; Robin J. Fogarty & Brian M. Pete: Three-Story Intellect Questions

Uncover!

Sir Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity? and What Is Creativity?

Figure 1.2: Research—Curious minds inquire.

Wonder There seems to be a predictable sequence of events, according to Willis and Willis (2020), about the workings of the brain in relationship to one’s natural curiosity and the evidence of learning in the classroom. As a neuroscientist turned middle school teacher, Judy Willis has observed and studied the inner and outer stimuli that affect the engagement of neurons, which are the electrical or chemical sparks that connect and grow in dendrites, indicating learning.

Judy Willis’s message, which she has adhered to as a teacher, is a simple one that visibly motivates students to act on their curiosity. Willis makes the case that one’s natural curiosity, if left untethered, leads to some sort of investigation. As a meaning-making machine, the brain wants to know more as it seeks answers— Willis makes the perhaps tentatively at first, but soon more aggressively as new case that one’s stimuli come into play. In turn, the subsequent hypothesis, no natural curiosity, matter how primitive, leads the investigative journey to a need if left untethered, for validation. The brain is wondering, “Am I right or wrong?” leads to some sort of Once the idea has been validated, the brain may let go of it and investigation. move on to something else, or it may become so focused on

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THINKING ABOUT THINKING IN IB SCHOOLS

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the findings that the student is propelled to pursue it further.

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Fascinating as it is, teachers often overlook this phenomenon and don’t take advantage of that natural inclination to want to know, explore, and understand.

Fascinating as it is, teachers often overlook this phenomenon and don’t take advantage of that natural inclination to want to know, explore, and understand. Fortunately, in the IB program, with the Theory of Knowledge as its backbone, students are encouraged to question, inquire, and explore in pursuit of deeper clarity, understanding, and insight of the academic and universal truths they encounter. Isn’t it affirming to know that the science of the brain or mind fully supports the pedagogy?

Question Costa’s (2001) and Costa and Kallick’s (2014) work on the concept of questioning and inquiry targets teacher modeling of open-ended questions that dictate expansive responses and deeper thinking from students—in hopes that they also generate their own lively questions that push them along the inquiry line. Figure 1.3 (page 12) demonstrates the construct of the Three-Story Intellect (Fogarty, 2016). Costa (2001) uses this visual to illustrate the likely flow of questions from simple knowledge-based queries (for example, those that answer who, what, when, and where) to more process-oriented questions (for example, those that ask a student to compare, predict, and elaborate). He eventually leaps forward to high-level inferential meanderings—what? why not? how?—as the student continues to persevere with the mysteries being revealed.

Uncover The third research piece that speaks to this concept of curious minds inquire is displayed visually with an amazing and engaging video presentation by Sir Ken Robinson (2006). He passionately addresses the passive, and possibly destructive, role of schools in fostering, growing, and enhancing the creativity of students in our care.

In a second video presentation on creativity, Robinson (2017) unravels the marvel of the creative mind and the absolute power, ingenuity, and genius it offers. To not unleash the power and productivity of creativity is insane, yet it is a highly neglected natural resource that has potential capabilities beyond our imaginations. Creative thinking must be placed front and center as one of the critical skills urgently needed to be developed in our students if they are to experience authentic success as 21st century citizens. At this point in time, as Robinson illustrates, creativity is a sorely neglected realm in our curriculum.

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Curious Minds Inquire

Collaboration,

Three-story minds idealize, imagine, and predict—their best illumination comes from above, through the skylight.

Two-story minds compare, reason, and generalize, using the labor of fact collectors as their own.

All fact collectors who have no aim beyond their facts are one-story minds.

There are one-story intellects, two-story intellects, and three-story intellects with skylights.

THINKING ABOUT THINKING IN IB SCHOOLS

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Figure 1.3: The Three-Story Intellect.

Source: Reprinted with permission by Robin J. Fogarty. Adapted from Holmes, 1891.

Identify, Count

Match, Name, Observe, Recite, Select,

Complete, Define, Describe, Scan, List,

Gather

Analyze, Synthesize, Analogies, Reason

Distinguish, Infer, Explain (Why), Sequence,

Compare, Contrast, Classify, Sort,

Process

Forecast, Idealize

Apply a Principle,

If–Then, Hypothesize,

Judge, Predict, Speculate,

Evaluate, Generalize, Imagine,

Apply

Synergy, Entrepreneurship

Techno-Savvy,

Innovation, Enterprise,

Communication,

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Thinking Skill Rhyme: To Analyze Is to Take Apart This little ditty is a memory cue of steps to follow when one is trying to analyze something: a problem, a decision, a novel, a riddle, a mystery, a movie, a puzzle, a project, a recipe, a map, a piece of music, a putt on the green. There is one golden rule about analyzing—you must take it apart to see the components of the whole.

Take it apart!

Look at it all!

Find the parts!

Make the call!

Description: Part by Part To analyze is to discern the parts that make the whole—and, by seeing those parts, to clarify the whole. For example, when working on a project of great complexity, it is wise to start with the end in mind—the whole picture, so to speak. But to actually execute the project you have in mind requires a close look at the distinctive parts that come together to make that whole.

Real World: Inquiry It begins with the story of four cousins. They get together every summer during school vacation and do the same thing every year—their project never varies. Every single summer they build their customized go-cart to race down the hill on the dirt road in front of the house. With a running start, they race it down the road, and then they drag it back up the hill and go again and again and again. It gives them unending joy to see the results of their efforts. When they start, they draw some messy sketches of their idea to get some image of the new go-cart and then start to list the pieces they need.

From past experience, they know they need four wheels, a steering mechanism, and a wooden or large cardboard box for a chassis. Maybe they could use a wagon as the base, as it already has wheels, or the stone boat that drags behind the tractor? But they would need to put wheels on the flat raft-like boat. Eventually, they finally get to the miscellaneous items that hold the parts together—screws, nails, tools, electrical tape—and other things like a tape measure, a neon sign, a flag, and so on. This analysis of the various parts leads to the eventual production and assembly of the whole go-cart, complete with trial and error.

They have failure after failure on the early runs, which require further analysis, until finally they are ready to begin the actual race-day rally for all the family to see.

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Curious Minds Inquire

THINKING ABOUT THINKING IN IB SCHOOLS

Academic World: Inquiry Another example of analyzing, this time in the classroom setting with explicit schoolwork, involves students learning to read with precision. To improve their critical reading skills, for evaluative critiques, and close reading skills, to help identify supporting evidence within the text, requires deep analysis of the reading, or deep understanding—what teachers call comprehension. Comprehension is talked about and talked around, but sometimes the analytics of the parts go understated. And that is the secret behind the phantom skill that is comprehension—the skill of explicit analysis in order to comprehend complex text.

In a remarkable analysis of comprehension, Keene and Zimmermann (2007) presented the component parts of that almost phantom skill, comprehension, in their seminal work, Mosaic of Thought. They delineate through careful analysis the seven components that afford deep understanding of the text. These include familiar skills, but those that were seldom intertwined under the label comprehension.

Figure 1.4 presents the seven skills that need development for deep comprehension. See what you think.

Comprehension is talked about and talked around, but sometimes the analytics of the parts go understated. And that is the secret behind the phantom skill that is comprehension.

1. Schema Theory—Background Knowledge 2. Asking Questions—Active Reading 3. Prediction—Thinking Ahead 4. Finding Themes—Generalizing Big Ideas 5. Inference—Reading Between the Lines 6. Visualization—Seeing in Your Mind’s Eye 7. Summary—In a Nutshell Figure 1.4: Mosaic of Thought.

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Innovative High School English Reading List In another instance of analysis that can be illuminating, this is a story that flew around the internet somewhat anonymously. According to Diane Ravitch (2014), a high school English teacher was instructed to reduce fiction in his classes and incorporate more informational text in order to align with the Common Core State Standards.

Here is his description of his reading list (as cited in Ravitch, 2014): I put together this list of required readings for 9–12 when I was told by our curriculum director that we could, with few exceptions, only teach “informational texts” in English class, because it was what Common Core Standards required. Here is my list with the explanation following of why it is an informational text.

High School English Reading List For close reading analysis, examine the various parts of the reading list for each year level and the selected reading resources that need scrutiny.

Ninth Grade 1. The Odyssey—A traveler’s guide to aging gracefully, with sections on parenting, building effective lifelong relationships, and finding peace with a higher power.

2. Oliver Twist—The young person’s guide to life on the streets.

3. The Sea Wolf—A guide to success in the workplace and getting along with difficult people.

4. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde—A how-to guide to getting in touch with the darker side of our nature and learning to manage it.

5. Romeo and Juliet—A guide for young people on the consequences of unhealthy relationships, with a section on community policing.

6. To Kill a Mockingbird—A handbook on effective lawyering and making the legal system work for you, with a section on making lasting friendships.

Tenth Grade 1. The Secret Life of Bees—A manual for raising bees and strong families.

2. Hamlet—A useful guide on how not to build a happy family life, with a section on mental illness in children and how it can be recognized.

3. Fahrenheit 451—A manual on how to establish an effective school curriculum and how to deal with texts that do not belong in the curriculum.

4. Catcher in the Rye—A do-it-yourself guide to recognizing sincere and insincere people, with sections on telltale signs of insincerity.

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Curious Minds Inquire

5. The House on Mango Street—A guide to building a healthy community.

6. A Separate Peace—A guide to knowing who your friends are, with a section on athletic training and perseverance.

Eleventh Grade 1. The Last of the Mohicans—A manual on cross-cultural relationships and diplomacy.

2. The Red Badge of Courage—A guide to effective soldiering.

3. Walden—For a change, a story about a man living in the woods.

4. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—A handbook on deception, parenting, and human discord.

5. The Crucible—How to recognize and treat witches, warlocks, and wizards.

6. Ethan Frome—A do-it-yourself guide to domestic tranquility.

7. The Grapes of Wrath—A how-to guide to surviving the coming economic collapse.

8. Their Eyes Were Watching God—A how-to guide to living the good life, with a section on raising capital and a gamblers’ how-to.

Twelfth Grade 1. Beowulf—A manual on leadership and crisis management.

2. The Canterbury Tales—A brief history of the rise of the middle class.

3. Le Morte d’Arthur—A manual on statecraft and creating a just society.

4. Macbeth—A guidebook on goal setting and how to execute those goals, with a novel approach to the execution of goals.

5. Gulliver’s Travels—A travelogue recounting trips to unusual places.

6. Frankenstein—A handbook on cloning and the development of artificial intelligence.

7. Great Expectations—A handbook for the quintessential gentleman.

8. Wuthering Heights—A guide on how to establishing oneself on the property ladder, with a section on effective community relationships.

9. The Importance of Being Earnest—A guide to the proper naming of children, with a section on giving them a good start on making a life of their own.

10. The Dead—A how-to guide to planning a marvelous dinner party and Christmas celebration. (Ravitch, 2014)

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THINKING ABOUT THINKING IN IB SCHOOLS

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While not the usual suspects, the teacher does indeed provide a convincing argument with evidence for his fully annotated book list of informational text nominees. It is quite clever and completely understandable if you know high school English teachers.

Strategy: Archaeology of a Wastepaper Basket (Two-Day Analysis Assignment) Students work in groups to arrange an archaeological dig in a wastepaper basket for another team to uncover and recover the story told from the evidence they find. They are to create layers of artifacts that are piled in the basket that are related and unrelated.

On the second day, teams present their dig site to another group, and all teams begin their search for the story the site holds through its contents. It is up to them to use their critical thinking skill of analysis to re-create the scenario from the various pieces of evidence. Of course, creativity also comes into play as the teams try to weave a story from the items that makes sense. Have fun with this one.

Three-Tiered Lesson: Analysis—Do! View! Construe Meaning In the three-tiered lesson design often used in the differentiated, multimodal classroom, three levels of complexity are included to target the diverse learners found in today’s classrooms. Level 1 is about incorporating an experience that requires students to do a highly concrete task (for example, manipulatives, construction, and hands-on work) that speaks to the lesson. Level 2 is about including a viewing The practical shorthand activity (for example, pictures, graphic organizers, and for the differentiated video) that makes the learning visible to the student— learning models in the knowing that a picture is definitely worth a thousand three-tiered lesson words. Level 3 is about seeking abstract learning through is simply “Do! View! language (for example, reading text, writing essays, and Construe Meaning.” conducting oral reports) to explain, clarify, or promote the discussion and deeper understanding of concepts and skills.

The practical shorthand for the differentiated learning models in the three-tiered lesson (Fogarty & Pete, 2005) is simply “Do! View! Construe Meaning.” Here are three examples of the three levels of activity appropriate for all year levels.

Level 1. Concrete Example: Do!—Concrete, Hands-On Learning Archaeology of a wastepaper basket: Students undertake an archaeological dig of a wastepaper basket, or of a car trunk, a locker, a briefcase, a purse, or a real garbage bin,

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Curious Minds Inquire

THINKING ABOUT THINKING IN IB SCHOOLS

simulating the processes of a real archaeologist. Students analyze, in a hands-on way, the contents of the container. Through their careful analysis, they then delineate a scenario describing the scene that preceded the artifacts collected at the site.

Level 2. Representative Example: View!—Represent or Symbolize Optical Illusions: In pairs, students alternate analyzing an optical illusion that appears on their computer screen. They describe the whole by naming both possible objects, and if a partner has difficulty seeing an object, the various parts of the image and how they integrate to form two entirely different objects or scenes are described, part by part. To scaffold the analysis activity, a grid can overlay the optical illusion, featuring intersecting points to assist students in seeing a particular feature that defines and helps reveal points of reference for both of the objects or scenarios.

Figure 1.5 features a well-known optical illusion, where one may see either a vase or two faces.

Figure 1.5: Optical illusion—Two faces or one vase.

Level 3. Abstract Example: Construe Meaning—Candling Technique This is a way to discern relevance and insights in identifying talents, needs, strengths, weaknesses, pros, or cons. The extraordinary reaction to this particular activity is astonishing, as administrators, teachers, students, and parents collaboratively focus intensely to determine the talents and needs of an individual. It’s much like candling an egg to look inside the opaque shell and discover the otherwise invisible properties.

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After all, each participant contributes a unique perspective and different qualities to the particular class or situation. In effect, as the discussion unfolds, a wholeness about the individual emerges to the group in much more detail than any one of the participants would know on his or her own.

To implement the strategy, the team of adults involved selects a student who is of great concern to one or several of the participants. Each person, in turn, relates impressions of the student beyond the normal data available.

According to Tomlinson (2014), basic information related about the student includes the following three areas: (1) readiness to learn (ability, effort, and aptitude); (2) interests (hobbies, sports, pastimes, and friends); and (3) a learning profile (strengths, weaknesses, and preferences). In addition, there are often stories of incidents that may uncover the need that is the root cause of the behaviors and dispositions observed. This kind of deep discussion about this one student, reported by an array of professional contacts, should and often does lead to innovative approaches in helping the student, with special attention paid to the outcomes of the alternative methods used.

In addition to using this candling technique with students, this same strategy can be used by administrators as they coach the talents and needs of new or even veteran teachers, to visit the pros and cons of a problematic situation, or even to identify the talents and needs of a character in a story or historic or contemporary figures from notable events (see figure 1.6).

Identify Student’s Talents and Needs Identify Teacher’s Strengths and Weaknesses Identify Problem/Solution Pros and Cons Identify Characters: Plus, Minus, Interesting Figure 1.6: Candling—An analysis of rich and relevant insights.

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Curious Minds Inquire

THINKING ABOUT THINKING IN IB SCHOOLS

Transfer: Duplicates/Propagates To illustrate the concept of transfer and application or, as Joyce and Showers (2002) call it, authentic implementation, each chapter features an example of how teachers might take the target idea back to their classroom. Teachers practice recognizing the six levels of transfer (Fogarty & Pete, 2017) that facilitate metacognitive reflection, and develop an emerging awareness in them and their students in terms of how they are actually using the newly learned skills or concepts.

As shown in figure 1.7, the various levels are divided into simple transfer, which is something akin to almost automatic learning (overlooking, duplicating, replicating), and complex transfer, which is more remote and mindful (integrating, propagating, innovating).

Simple Transfer Overlooks (Does Nothing) Duplicates (Copies Exactly) Replicates (Modifies to Fit)

Complex Transfer Integrates (Weaves It In) Propagates (Uses Everywhere) Innovates (Unique Adaptation) Figure 1.7: Metacognitive levels of transfer.

For each chapter, one simple transfer and one complex transfer is illustrated for the reader. Our intent is to demonstrate specific teacher applications at various grade levels as examples to study or use.

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Wonderful Wiki Writing The wonderful Wiki writing activity is modeled on the concept of Wikipedia, the online open-source encyclopedia that is dynamic, fluid, and constantly updated by its users.

The platform’s success is unparalleled in its ingenuity and integrity. While the site is selfcorrecting despite occasional troublemakers, the convenience, correctness, and constant scrutiny make Wikipedia an amazing 21st century phenomenon.

In this activity, student teams begin a passage about a topic under study, using their designated color. They pass the page to each member to read, revise, and readily contribute information, facts, and rhetoric to strengthen, deepen, and heighten the entry.

Simple Transfer: Duplicates Duplicate the wonderful Wiki writing activity by copying this activity using the same exact topic for your students. That’s simple transfer—duplicating or re-creating what you’ve learned.

Complex Transfer: Propagates Propagate the wonderful Wiki writing activity by providing students with an opportunity to use it in several different situations, such as when analyzing a character in a novel, problem solving in mathematics, or comparing types of energy in science. Students can use Wiki writing across learning areas, units, and lessons. It can even serve as a choice writing method to encourage reading for information and meaning, and contributing to team projects.

Closing: Curious Minds Inquire In a strange and intriguing way, We have one final word about the idea that curious analysis is inextricably linked minds inquire and its place in our repertoire of to curiosity, which is linked to learning priorities: it seems clear that when one inquiry. Do you agree? honors the natural curiosity of students, their instincts take over, and they will inquire, analyze, and synthesize themselves in their quest to know. In a strange and intriguing way, analysis is inextricably linked to curiosity, which is linked to inquiry (Dweck, 2017). Do you agree?

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Curious Minds Inquire

“One of the most effective ways to increase students’ academic performance is to explicitly teach them metacognitive skills. . . . Fogarty and Pete share a thoughtful, practical, and comprehensive approach to teaching students to think about their thinking in the specific context of the International Baccalaureate.”

—MARCUS CONYERS Coauthor of Teaching Students to Drive Their Brains and Developing Growth Mindsets

“As our world rapidly changes, our students need more than the basic content and technical skills that schools have traditionally taught.

Fogarty and Pete show how . . . we can cultivate the . . . skills our students need to face those changes.”

—JEFF HEYCK-WILLIAMS Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Two Rivers Public Charter School, Washington, DC

S o l u t i o n Tr e e . c o m

Thinking About Thinking in IB Schools: How We Know What We Know uses the Theory of Knowledge and the rigorous curriculum of International Baccalaureate (IB) schools as a framework for exploring the metacognitive skills and behaviors teachers must nurture in 21st century learners. Authors Robin J. Fogarty and Brian M. Pete explain that to address the driving question of the Theory of Knowledge (“How do we know what we know?”), K–12 students must become well-rounded learners who are skilled communicators, mindfully reflective, and caring of others. In order for teachers to help students develop these qualities and enhance their learning, Fogarty and Pete structure the book around seven think links, or attributes and associated behaviors, that lead to critical, creative thinkers and problem solvers.

Readers will: • Explore the Theory of Knowledge and the IB school curriculum • Identify the higher-order-thinking processes that characterize self-aware, deep-thinking learners • Discover the seven think links that tie together metacognitive attributes and behaviors • Encounter research and real-life examples that support and illustrate the importance of the think links • Learn specific strategies to facilitate student learning in the classroom

ROBIN J. FOGARTY & BRIAN M. PETE