Visit any great classroom and you will see a series of routines in action. These routines may be procedural, instructional and/or focused on getting the best thinking from the students. Routines help to minimise distractions, add to the positive classroom flow, encourage responsibility, and can boost moral in a learning environment. They also provide a […]

The Cultural Force of Interactions… In one of the most powerful educational TED talks, Rita Pierson’s ‘Every Kid Needs a Champion,’ she clearly articulates the need for teachers to develop significant positive relations with their students. She talks about the value and importance of human connection. “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like,” she […]

According to a Harvard study of communication, it only takes seven seconds to make a first impression. Your classroom environment communicates many things about your teaching style, and the learning going on in the classroom. Ron Ritchhart asserts your classroom environment sends messages to your students about what you value, how you think learning happens […]

If great thinking & learning is a part of your agenda for your students, it seems obvious, you need to give them opportunities to think & learn. Ron Ritchhart describes this as ‘Crafting the Vehicles for Learning’. He goes on to say, “Without the right vehicles, learning slows down, loses momentum and in some cases […]

According to Ron Ritchhart, seeing ourselves through our students’ eyes is the key to being a great model for thinking. He describes two types of modelling in the classroom. The first is explicit modelling. This is when you are demonstrating and showing a process or procedure that you want the student to adopt. The second […]

Learning to master time, rather than being its victim is one of the 8 cultural forces discussed by Project Zero, senior researcher Ron Ritchhart. He writes about 6 areas of time which can be harnessed and mastered to create a thinking culture in your classroom. 1 Recognise time as a statement of your values What […]

The words we use have a subtle and powerful ability to shape thinking, a sense of self and group affinity according to Ron Ritchhart in his book Creating Cultures of Thinking. He outlines 7 ways in which language shapes the culture of a classroom and school, and directs attention and action. 1. The Language of Thinking What […]

“Shoot for the moon and if you miss you’ll land amongst the stars.” Having great expectations and high standards are proven to help raise achievement in the classroom. Recognising that our beliefs also shape behaviour is a vital key to success. In his book, Creating Cultures of Thinking, Ron Ritchhart discusses the role of expectations […]