Educators Embrace the Power of Thinking Classrooms

DoDEA Americas Secondary Math ISS Team recently concluded a groundbreaking professional development course, Building Thinking Classrooms, that brought together 114 pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade educators across all three DoDEA regions. Designed to foster deeper student engagement and critical thinking, the course introduced educators to a set of strategies developed by Peter Liljedahl in his book Building Thinking Classrooms. The 14-week course aimed to shift learning environments from teacher-centered to student-centered, inspiring a wave of change in classrooms across DoDEA.

The course drew teachers from multiple disciplines, each eager to explore innovative ways of encouraging students to think more deeply and independently. Through a combination of book study and live discussions, participants analyzed Liljedahl's 14 strategies, which emphasize active student participation, collaboration, and problem-solving.

Teachers were encouraged to try new classroom strategies and share their experiences throughout the course. This collective learning experience was a powerful tool, with educators sharing their successes and challenges. Key to this transformation was the emphasis on moving from teacher-driven instruction to fostering environments where students take ownership of their learning.

Educators like Jennifer Castiglione, an 8th-grade teacher from Brewster Middle School, quickly saw the course's value. "Thank you for a fantastic, collaborative, and educationally-altering class! I cannot wait to hear how others are using these strategies and how the students respond in years to come!" she remarked.

Krista Husman and Christina Nevitt, Quantico Middle High School co-teachers, echoed this sentiment. "This class has taught us invaluable strategies to promote thinking in our classrooms. Week by week, dissecting each chapter allowed us to implement the strategies, provide feedback, and learn how to start our classroom off on the right foot for the new year."

One hallmark of the Building Thinking Classrooms approach is Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces (VNPS)—tools such as whiteboards, windows, or any writable surface that students can use to work through problems visually. These strategies encourage standing and active participation and have proven highly effective in getting students to think more deeply and collaborate in real-time.

Students have also been quick to embrace these changes. A 6th grader from Shughart Middle School at Fort Liberty, Brooklyn Decker, noted the benefit of using VNPS: "Working on the vertical boards is easier because you can see the work and can help each other." Her classmate, Jeremiah Spillman, agreed, "It is a lot better than working by yourself because we discuss the work and find solutions to difficult problems."

For example, at Ft. Knox Middle High School, students in Julie Brubaker's class engaged in problem-solving using VNPS, leading to more dynamic and spontaneous collaboration. Similarly, Paul McDonald's students at Dahlgren Unit School used classroom windows as creative VNPS, fostering excitement and critical thinking.

The success of this course underscores a broader trend within DoDEA toward student-centered learning. Teachers like Susan Fitzpatrick, Assistant Principal at Lucas Elementary, marveled at how quickly the strategies took hold. "During the course when my heart said, 'No way this will work, but I'm going to try it,' and it did work, extraordinarily well."

Kimberly Sandy, a teacher at Heroes Elementary School, Camp Lejeune, shared that her students were so engaged with the VNPS strategies that they "want to continuously use them in random groups" for various thinking activities.

With such enthusiastic feedback, the Americas Secondary Math ISS Team is committed to offering more opportunities for educators to continue learning about and implementing these strategies. "The 14 practices have invigorated learning in my classroom!" Sandy said.

As educators across the DoDEA system continue to embrace this approach, the ripple effect on students is expected to grow. "We are challenging learning as we move through 'The Learning Pit,'" said Dannette Jackson from Bitz Intermediate School. "Truly building great thinkers. This course brings back the power of students learning as they lead."

With more teachers eager to take Building Thinking Classrooms Part 2 and further embed these practices in their classrooms, the future looks bright for student-driven learning within DoDEA. The power of collaborative, reflective learning has opened new doors, allowing educators and students to think more, think longer, and think together.