Think- Pair - Share: lead up to inquiry

I like to introduce think-pair-share early in the year. It's simple for the students to use and they become familiar with the routine very quickly. You need to explain expectations and model appropriate behaviour; however, once the students have the hang of it, the routine helps them to think out loud and communicate with their peers.

Think-pair-share is pretty self-explanatory. The teacher presents a concept or question, each student takes time to think, they discuss their thinking with a partner, and then they share their ideas developed during partner-discussion with a small group, or as a whole class.

I recently used the routine as an introduction to an inquiry-based learning engagement. Throughout Sharing the planet, we have been studying rocks and minerals. As part of the unit, I posed the question: what are the uses for rocks and minerals in our world?

Students were given time to think. They paired up with a partner to discuss their ideas. Then, they shared with a small group and following, the class.

The routine worked great to get the ideas rolling! Each student wrote down one idea and we created a class chart.

The inquiry wasn't done just yet (as the students didn't know for sure if their ideas were accuratley answering the question). The next step was to research on iPads.

After our research, we had some additional class disscusion. The final step was ecouraging each student to bring in a picture showing the use of rocks and minderals in our world. We created a class collage to show what we learned.

What was so great about this project is that students came to their understanding completely on their own. It became a perfect example of the teacher acting as a learning facilitor as opposed to a direct instructor. This turned out to be a great opportunity to use a visible thinking routine to jump-start inquiry!

The Importance of Visible Thinking

To discuss the importance of making thinking visible, first consider all of the invisible thinking that goes on in the classroom. Students are composing ideas, making observations, and asking questions every single day, silently in their minds. The aim of visible thinking is to make student thoughts visible to the individual student, the teacher and the class, as a whole.

The Top Five Reasons Why Visible Thinking is Important

1. Visible thinking teaches students how to think and ask questions
Take a moment to consider how much we learn from watching, imitating, and adapting certain ideas to fit our own style. Imagine learning basketball for the first time without watching any players play basketball. Imagine being asked to knit a sweater without first being taught how to knit. Like these, thinking is a skill that students develop over time.  If they witness their peers thinking aloud, they will start to imitate. If they are able to see student questions around the classroom, they will better develop their ability to ask questions. By making thinking visible, teachers can encourage students to become deeper, more thoughtful thinkers.


2. Visible thinking helps students unclutter their thoughts
Often, students have so many thoughts that it becomes difficult for them to focus on their best ideas. Encouraging students to write down observations, ideas, and questions, helps them to release everything that is sitting in their mind. Once students have made their thinking visible, they can start to critique their own ideas. This helps students self-regulate to actively engage in their learning and develop their own metacognitive skills.


3. Visible thinking encourages students to collaborate 
One of the toughest challenges for some students is to collaborate with their peers. Some students are shy and feel overwhelmed in a group, while others experience difficulty communicating their ideas to the group. Visible thinking strategies and routines encourage collaboration among students as they are encouraged to release the thoughts and questions that may be hidden in their minds.  


4. Visible thinking encourages critical-thinking
Making thinking visible shows students how many amazing thoughts and questions happen in their brains every day. Students can look at their ideas and questions with a critical eye and evaluate their thoughts. Visible thinking encourages students to see that some of their thoughts are amazing, while others should be developed or changed. This critical-thinking skill is invaluable.


And finally...


5. Visible thinking helps teachers with formative assessment
Many of the ideas that students think and questions they wonder can go un-noticed if thinking is left invisible. As a teacher, I don't want to miss any of this! Visible thinking allows teachers to evaluate their students' thinking and understanding on a daily basis.