To: Wappingers Junior High
School Community
From: Kathryn
Polumbo, District Coordinator
Cheryl Musante,
Principal - Wappingers Junior High
School
Eric Seipp,
Assistant Principal – Wappingers Junior High
School
Re: Critical Thinking
at WJHS
1.
Committee:
Administrators: Cheryl L. Musante,
Principal Wappingers Junior High School, Kate Polumbo, Coordinator of Physical
educations, Health, Career and Life Science and Athletic Director, Eric Seipp, Assistant
Principal Wappingers Junior High School
Teachers: Robin Rose, Special Education,
Jennifer Smith, Special Education,
Catherine Riecker, Special Education,
Amy Sturomski, English Language Arts,
Ceris Valesey, Math, Beth Green,
Librarian, Cara Speirs, Social Studies, Amanda Mack, English Language Arts
Teaching Assistants: Nancy Thomas, Learning Center
Parent: Ruth Zoodsma, PTA
2. Committee met
and determined strategies for infusing critical thinking over the next two
years:
o
Make the book “The Miniature Guide to Critical
Thinking; Concepts and Tools” by Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder,
available to all faculty and staff.
o
Critical thinking components of lessons shared
during each team meeting – “WOW” exceptional Critical Thinking instruction
presented at monthly faculty meetings.
o
Addition of Critical Thinking Template, (adapted
from “The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking; Concepts and Tools by Dr.
Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder), in faculty handbook.
o
Develop a parent night to target CT skills and
strategies.
o
CT posters in every classroom (adapted from “The
Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking; Concepts and Tools by Dr. Richard Paul
and Dr. Linda Elder).
3. Committee met
and determined a plan for literacy in the content area:
o
Six traits of writing to all teachers for use in
content areas.
o
Have a group of teachers present the “Unit
Organizer” and its implementation to WJH staff at a faculty meeting.
o
Infuse the templates from Literacy in the Content
Area into In School Restriction, the Learning Center, and Support
Classes.
o
Ensure all teachers are trained in Literacy in the
Content Area.
4. The committee suggests that Tri-States, Literacy in the
Content Areas, and Critical Thinking are all incorporated into New Teacher School.
Building
Level Plan for
Infusing
Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum
Building: Wappingers Junior High
School
Team Members: Kate Polumbo, Cheryl Musante,
Eric Seipp, Robin Rose, Jennifer Smith, Catherine Riecker, Laura Baldwin, Ceris
Valesey, Beth Green
1.
Assessment of the Current
level of Implementation in all Subject Areas
Where are we? How do we find out? (Be
specific)
Discuss critical thinking at team meetings and
faculty meetings. Have teachers share critical
thinking components of their teaching and lessons shared during each team
meeting – “WOW” CT strategies presented at monthly faculty meetings.
2.
Areas Identified for Growth
What more do we need to know in order to infuse
critical thinking? How will we get/learn what we need to know? (Be specific)
-
Teacher surveys and feedback at team and faculty
meetings.
3.
Professional Growth Methods
How
will critical thinking be applied in the instruction of all subject areas? (Be
specific)
-
Make the book “The Miniature Guide to Critical
Thinking; Concepts and Tools” by Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder,
available to all faculty and staff.
-
Develop a parent night to target CT skills and
strategies.
-
Offer more extracurricular activities that focus
on CT skills.
-
CT posters in every classroom (adapted from “The
Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking; Concepts and Tools by Dr. Richard Paul
and Dr. Linda Elder).
-
Addition of Critical Thinking Template, (adapted
from “The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking; Concepts and Tools by Dr.
Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder), to the students planner and faculty
handbooks.
-
Use of Bloom’s Taxonomy in each classroom
4.
Timeline
How do we move forward? (Be specific)
-
Planners
September ‘08
-
Books
September ‘08
-
Parent
Night 2008-2009
-
Activities
2009-2010
-
Posters
2008-2009
5.
Budget
What will it cost to implement this plan? (Be
specific)
-
Activities
would be the addition of a stipend
-
Books
approximately $6/each for each teacher who does not have them.
6.
Evaluation
How will we know if our plan has been effective?
(Be specific)
-
Continuous
evaluation of conversations on the topic during faculty meetings and team
meetings.
-
3
Minute Walkthroughs, lesson plans, unit organizer and monthly summary for
unsuccessful students will naturally see more critical thinking.
-
Students
will use the models and diagrams on the posters to help them with their thought
process.
CRITICAL
THINKING CONCEPTS & TOOLS
Template for Analyzing the Logic
of an Article
Take
an article that you have been assigned to read for class, completing the
“logic” of it using the template below.
This template can be modified for analyzing the logic of a chapter in a
textbook.
The Logic of “(name of the article)”
- The main purpose
of this article is _____________________________________________________.
(State as accurately as possible the
author’s purpose for writing the article.)
- The key question
that the author is addressing is _________________________________________.
(Figure out the key question I the mind of the author when
she/he wrote the article.)
- The most
important information in this article is
_________________________________________.
(Figure out the facts, experiences, data the author is
using to support her/his conclusions.)
- The main
inferences/conclusions in this article are
________________________________________.
(Identify the key conclusions the author comes to and
presents in the article.)
- The key
concept(s) we need to understand in this article is (are)
_____________________________.
By these concepts the author means
____________________________________________.
(Figure out the most important ideas you would have to
understand in order to understand the author’s line of reasoning.)
- The main
assumption(s) underlying the author’s thinking is (are)
___________________________.
(Figure out what the author is taking for granted (that
might be questioned.)
- a) If we take
this line of reasoning seriously, the implications are
____________________________.
(What
consequences are likely to follow if people take the author’s line of reasoning
seriously?)
b)
If we fail to take this line of reasoning seriously, the implications are
______________________.
(What consequences are likely to follow if
people ignore the author’s reasoning?)
- The main
point(s) of view presented in this article is (are)
__________________________________.
(What is the author looking at, and how is she/he seeing
it?)
Clarity Could you elaborate further? Breadth Do we need to look at this
from another perspective?
Could
you give me an example? Do
we need to consider another point of view?
Could
you illustrate what you mean? Do
we need to look at this in other ways?
Accuracy How could we check on that? Logic Does
all this make sense together?
How
could we find out if that is true? Does
your first paragraph fit in with your last?
How could we
verify or test that? Does
what you say follow from the evidence?
Precision Could you be more specific? Significance Is this the most important problem to consider?
Could
you give me more details? Is
this the central idea to focus on?
Could you be
more exact? Which
of these facts are most important?
Relevance How does that relate to the problem? Fairness Do I have any vested interest
in this issue?
How
does that bear on the question? Am
I sympathetically representing the viewpoints
How
does that help us with the issue? of others?
Depth What factors make this a difficult problem?
What
are some of the complexities of this question? What
are some of the difficulties we need to deal wit
Monthly
Topics for Critical Thinking
September:
Clarity
-
Could
you elaborate further?
-
Could
you give me an example?
-
Could
you illustrate what you mean?
October:
Accuracy
-
How
could we check on that?
-
How
could we find out if that is true?
-
How
could we verify or test that?
November:
Precision
-
Could
you be more specific?
-
Could
you give me more details?
-
Could
you be more exact?
December:
Relevance
-
How
does that relate to the problem?
-
How
does that bear on the question?
-
How
doe that help us with the issue?
January:
Depth
-
What
factors make this a difficult problem?
-
What
are some of the complexities of this question?
-
What
are some of the difficulties we need to deal with?
February:
Breadth
-
Do
we need to lood at this from another perspective?
-
Do
we need to consider another point of view?
-
Do
we need to look at this in other ways?
March:
Logic
-
Does
all this make sense together?
-
Does
your first paragraph fit with your last?
-
Does
what you say follow from the evidence?
April
Significance
-
Is
this the most important problem to consider?
-
Is
this the central idea to focus on?
-
Which
of these facts are most important?
May
Fairness
-
Do
I have any vested interest in this issue?
-
Am
I sympathetically representing the viewpoints of others?
Taken
from: The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools by Dr.
Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder
The Role of the Teacher in
Teaching Critical Thinking
-
The
teacher should help to break big questions or tasks into smaller, more
manageable parts.
-
The
teacher should create meaningful contexts in which learning is valued by the
students.
-
Teachers
should help students clarify their thoughts by rephrasing or asking questions.
-
The
teacher should pose thought-provoking questions.
-
The
teacher should encourage the students to explain things to each other.
-
The
teacher should help students find what they need to know by suggesting and
showing students how to use resources.
Adapted
from Critical Thinking Handbook: 6th – 9th Grades: A
Guide for Remodelling Lesson Plans in Language Arts,
Social Studies and Science by Richard Paul, A.J.A, Douglas Martin, Chris
Vetrano and Heidi Kreklau
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking involves logical
thinking and reasoning including skills such as comparison, classification,
sequencing, cause/effect, patterning, webbing, analogies, deductive and
inductive reasoning, forecasting, planning, hypothesizing, and critiquing.
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Knowledge
collect
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describe
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identify
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list
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show
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tell
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tabulate
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define
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examine
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label
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name
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retell
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state
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quote
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enumerate
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match
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read
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record
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reproduce
|
copy
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select
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Examples: dates, events, places, vocabulary, key ideas, parts of diagram, 5Ws
Comprehension
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associate
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compare
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distinguish
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extend
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interpret
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predict
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differentiate
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contrast
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describe
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discuss
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estimate
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group
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summarize
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order
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cite
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convert
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explain
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paraphrase
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restate
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trace
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Examples: find meaning,
transfer, interpret facts, and infer cause & consequence, examples
Application
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apply
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classify
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change
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illustrate
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solve
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demonstrate
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calculate
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complete
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solve
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modify
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show
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experiment
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relate
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discover
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act
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administer
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articulate
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chart
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collect
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compute
|
construct
|
determine
|
develop
|
establish
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prepare
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produce
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report
|
teach
|
transfer
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use
|
Examples: use information in
new situations, solve problems
Analysis
|
analyze
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arrange
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connect
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divide
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infer
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separate
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classify
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compare
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contrast
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explain
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select
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order
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breakdown
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correlate
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diagram
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discriminate
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focus
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illustrate
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infer
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outline
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prioritize
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subdivide
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points out
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prioritize
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Examples: recognize and
explain patterns and meaning, see parts and wholes
Synthesis
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combine
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compose
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generalize
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modify
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invent
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plan
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substitute
|
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create
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formulate
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integrate
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rearrange
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design
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speculate
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rewrite
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adapt
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anticipate
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collaborate
|
compile
|
devise
|
express
|
facilitate
|
|
reinforce
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structure
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substitute
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intervene
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negotiate
|
reorganize
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validate
|
Examples: discuss "what
if" situations, create new ideas, predict and draw conclusions
Evaluation
|
assess
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compare
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decide
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discriminate
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measure
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rank
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test
|
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convince
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conclude
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explain
|
grade
|
judge
|
summarize
|
support
|
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appraise
|
criticize
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defend
|
persuade
|
justify
|
reframe
|
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Examples: make
recommendations, assess value and make choices, critique ideas
Affective Domain
Domain Attributes: interpersonal relations, emotions, attitudes, appreciations,
and values
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accepts
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attempts
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challenges
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defends
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disputes
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joins
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judges
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contributes
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praises
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questions
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shares
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supports
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volunteers
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Inductive Learning
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The Inductive Learning Strategy is built on the natural processes of
inductive thinking. The strategy helps students connect new content with
their prior knowledge. Students generate or examine seemingly unrelated data.
They group and label the data and draw conclusions or make predictions based
on their analysis of the data. Through these processes the students learn by
discovery which heightens not only their motivation to learn but also their
ability to retain and to apply what they have learned
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Metaphorical Expression
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The Metaphorical Expression Strategy uses direct analogies, personal analogies,
and compressed conflicts to teach new concepts or to deepen students'
understanding of already known concepts. Using these three types of
metaphors to look at content simply gives students a new and/or different
perspective on the material.
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Decision Making
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Decision Making is a strategy that requires students to practice sound decision-making
skills by having student make decisions about content or to evaluate
decisions made by historical figures or characters. Students study background
information, examine decision-making data, establish alternatives, and
analyze consequences before making a decision. Students then communicate
their decision, provide support for this decision, and analyze the decisions
of others as well as practicing consensus building and debating skills.
Finally, students predict long-term effects of decisions and form and test
hypotheses.
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Concept Attainment
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Concept Attainment is a strategy designed to teach concepts through the
presentation of examples and non-examples. Students form, test, and refine
hypotheses about the concept as examples and non-examples are presented.
Then, they determine the critical attributes of the concepts - the
characteristics that make the concept different from all others. Finally,
students demonstrate that they have attained the concept by generating their
own examples and non-examples.
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Student-centered Integrated Learning
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Student-centered Integrated Learning integrates learning styles, interests,
needs, and abilities of students with strategies and tools. Teachers become
familiar with the different learning styles, assess their own learning
styles, and learn a process called Task Rotation in which content is
presented in ways designed to reach students with different learning styles
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Circle of Knowledge
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Circle of Knowledge is a strategy that acts as a framework for effective discussions.
The strategy involves posing a question to the whole class, then moving into
cooperative learning groups for additional examination of the issues, then
back to the whole class for further discussion. This traditional teaching
strategy engages all students in an interactive model.
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Compare and Contrast
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The Compare and Contrast Strategy focuses students' attention on the analysis
of similarities and differences. Data are collected on two or more items
based on given criteria. The items are then carefully analyzed for
similarities and differences using a graphic organizer. Students are then
asked to draw conclusions, make predictions, and synthesize the information.
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Inquiry/Mystery
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Inquiry and Mystery are two strategies based on inquiry teaching. The process
engages students by presenting new content in the form of a discrepant event,
question, riddle, or mystery that piques curiosity. Students then collect
data and form hypotheses to explain the discrepant event. In the Mystery
Strategy, students examine clues either given by the teacher or collected
through research. In the Inquiry Strategy, students gather data by asking yes
or no questions of the teacher.
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Assessing Thinking and Learning
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Assessing Thinking and Learning is a model that links curriculum, instruction,
and assessment by teaching teachers to design appropriate assessment tasks
congruent with instructional goals and objectives. Teachers learn how to
design and use assessment techniques such as rubrics, observation checklists,
and portfolios.
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Strategic Interdisciplinary Teaching
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Strategic Interdisciplinary Teaching presents three models for designing interdisciplinary
curriculum - Curriculum Alignment, Curriculum Enhancement, and Curriculum
Integration. Strategic Interdisciplinary Teaching integrates content from
different disciplines, thinking skills, strategies, assessments, the real
world, and different styles of learning.
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