Thinking Routines
Ron Ritchhart states that there are three ways to look at thinking routines: as Tools, Structures and Patterns of Behavior. Below is a brief description and some links to access some of the routines. For a more detailed understanding of thinking routines, we recommend reading Making Thinking Visible by Ron Ritchhart.
They are tools that are used over and over again in the classroom, that support specific thinking moves as:
They are tools that are used over and over again in the classroom, that support specific thinking moves as:
- Making connections
- Describing what's there
- Building explanations
- Considering different viewpoints and perspectives
- Capturing the heart and forming conclusions
- Reasoning with evidence
- Uncovering complexity
- Wondering
These are the tools that promote thinking. "Just like any tool, it is important to choose the right tool for the job" (p. 45, MTV). Teachers must first ask themselves, "What kind of thinking are we trying to elicit from our students?" Then the teacher must select the right routine for the job. We use the thinking routines matrix on pages 51 and 52 of Making Thinking Visible to help guide us to use the right tool.
They are structures through which students collectively, as well as individually, initiate, explore, discuss, document, and manage their thinking. These structures are:
They are patterns of behavior adopted to help one use the mind to form thoughts, reason, or reflect. We see these patterns emerging as the routines:
Source: www.ronritchhart.com
- Explicit: they have names to identify them
- Instrumental: they are goal directed and purposeful
- A few steps: easy to learn, and easy to remember
- Individual, as well as, group practices
- useful across a variety of contexts
- Help to reveal students' thinking and make more visible
They are patterns of behavior adopted to help one use the mind to form thoughts, reason, or reflect. We see these patterns emerging as the routines:
- Are used over and over
- Become engrained in us both teachers and students
- Flexibility emerges.
Source: www.ronritchhart.com
