Cultures of Thinking

Take a peek into a classroom at Scotch...what do you notice? 

Collaboration. Debating. Conversations. Movement. Deep Thinking. Wondering. Questioning.  

They learn the language to make their thinking visible through accountable talk.  Accountable talk refers to talk that is meaningful, respectful, and mutually beneficial to both speaker and listener. Accountable talk stimulates higher-order thinking—helping students to learn, reflect on their learning, and communicate their knowledge and understanding.  In a learning discussion, each contributor to the conversation is held accountable to give reasons and evidence for opinions.  Some routines that foster accountable talk are Chalk Talk, See-Think-Wonder, Circle of Viewpoint, Color-Symbol-Image, and Step Inside.

As you walk through Scotch’s halls, you will notice students’ thinking on display.  The culture of our school fosters an environment that makes thinking visible, valued, and promoted.  This empowers students to take ownership of their learning. Teachers provide time for their students to activate prior knowledge, question, infer, wonder, making connections, and collaborate with their peers to deepen their understanding of the content.  As a result, students are analyzing, reflecting, and gaining new perspectives with their learning.