Building A Thinking Classroom: How and WHen I Switched From Note-Taking To Note-Making

In a post a few weeks back, following a period of struggle, disaster, and almost giving up on building a thinking classroom, I outlined how I came to the conclusion that I needed to temporarily cease certain practices while I focused on getting others in tip-top shape.  Late in the book, Liljedahl presents a diagram ordering the practices in a certain way:

I evaluated my progress, and decided to cease the third set of practices entirely while I shored up those in the second set:

For any other readers who are in the process of building a thinking classroom of their own and struggling with it, I would strongly recommend this approach.  It worked wonders for me, gave me much more peace of mind, and I really did improve my practice quickly when I was only focusing on improving one thing at a time.

My recent posts, if you follow, have been much more positive, and my progress has been rapid.  I've learned to respond only to "keep-thinking" questions (or to answer a "stop-thinking" question with a "keep-thinking" answer). 

​My task launches are now standing, verbal, and clustered.

As I mentioned, I had forgotten about that practice completely, and making the change to launching thinking tasks in this way was instant, powerful, and easy.  The energy in the room transforms entirely.

I've also eased into the mobilizing knowledge practice.  My kids don't seem to want or need that one all that often, but I really like it when I do get the chance to do so.

​My last two posts (this one and this one) both discussed the success I've had with the use hints and extensions to maintain flow practice, and that success has continued since. I'll tell you what, too, getting the hints and extensions practice down REALLY makes it feel like a thinking classroom.  The rest of the third set, I think, will augment that as well.  So my list of practices is starting to look pretty good!

I'll be honest, though, I've been dreading the next two.  My experiences with trying them before I was ready were abysmal, and both strike me as really challenging.

But it was time to start one this week.

I chose the note-making practice first because I heard a wonderful interview with Liljedahl where he outlined a bunch of new thinking on this practice that isn't in the book.

The updated advice I heard about note-making here was just what I needed to have the confidence to give it another go.  So I went back to the Emory library, studied the episode again, and made a plan.

And yet again, with the practice being my sole focus and implemented in the proper order - and now with an even better plan - getting this practice not just up and running, but flat out transformative, was easy.

The very first time I tried it, I couldn't pull the kids away from it.  They enjoyed note-making, and they had incredible conversations with their thinking groups while doing so.  

I took some notes on how to take notes.

I tell you, these third-set practices really make it feel like a thinking classroom.  The kids think (and keep thinking) if I keep them in "flow," and then the note-making practice, with this new format, makes them keep thinking for another 15 minutes.  It is incredible.  Truly.

If you're building (or improving) your own thinking classroom, I'd highly recommend the podcast episode above.  The new insight and format on the note-making strategy really pops and wasn't hard to implement.

Another week, another huge step forward.

The only bad news is - I'll shortly have no choice but to get into the practice I've long feared most - consolidation. 

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Want to read more right now?  You're in luck - this is my 70th post! You can browse past posts by category:

• ​Building A Thinking Classroom
• Leaning Into The Science and Engineering Practices
• Classroom Practices
• Classroom Stories
• Ideas and Opinions
• Pandemic-Related Issues​