Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners [Paperback]

Ron Ritchhart (Author), Mark Church (Author), Karin Morrison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 3, 2011 | ISBN-10: 047091551X | ISBN-13: 978-0470915516 | Edition: 1

A proven program for enhancing students' thinking and comprehension abilities

Visible Thinking is a research-based approach to teaching thinking, begun at Harvard's Project Zero, that develops students' thinking dispositions, while at the same time deepening their understanding of the topics they study.? Rather than a set of fixed lessons, Visible Thinking is a varied collection of practices, including thinking routines?small sets of questions or a short sequence of steps?as well as the documentation of student thinking.?Using this process thinking becomes visible as the students'?different viewpoints are expressed, documented, discussed and reflected upon.

• Helps direct student thinking and structure classroom discussion
• Can be applied with students at all grade levels and in all content areas
• Includes easy-to-implement classroom strategies

The book also comes with a DVD of video clips featuring Visible Thinking in practice in different classrooms.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Over the last 12 years we have had the pleasure of working with schools, museums, and organizations all over the world.  As we shared our research and classroom tested ideas about how to make thinking visible, be it in a classroom or with a group of adult learners,  people kept asking us where they could read more about them.  How could they learn more about how others were using them?  How could they ensure that they and their students weren't just using the thinking routines as activities?  To answer those questions we put together this book with help from educators around the world.

Since its debut, the response has been overwhelming.  We've been getting emails and facebook comments (facebook.com/MakingThinkingVisible) about how people have used the book and more importantly how the ideas are transforming learning both in and out of classrooms.  As teachers have started using the ideas, parents have begun to request more information on how they too can use the routines with their children to support their thinking and learning.  This has lead to the creation of some great applications for parents.  At a time when teaching for the test is the order of the day, it is so inspiring to see the thirst from students, parents, and teachers for deep learning, critical and creative thinking, and true engagement in the learning process.

From the Back Cover

How can classrooms become places of intellectual stimulation where learning is viewed not in test scores but in the development of individuals who can think, plan, create, question, and engage independently as learners?

Making Thinking Visible offers educators research-based solutions for creating just such cultures of thinking. This innovative book unravels the mysteries of thinking and its connection to understanding and engagement. It then takes readers inside diverse learning environments to show how thinking can be made visible at any grade level and across all subject areas through the use of effective questioning, listening, documentation, and facilitative structures called thinking routines. These routines, designed by researchers at Project Zero at Harvard, scaffold and support one's thinking. By applying these processes, thinking becomes visible as learners' ideas are expressed, discussed, and reflected upon.

Making Thinking Visible includes a DVD of instructive video clips featuring visible thinking strategies being applied in a variety of classrooms.

Praise for Making Thinking Visible

"There is a worldwide movement afoot to make the development of the intellect a priority for education in the twenty-first century. This book will become a landmark in that journey."
—Arthur L. Costa, Ed.D., professor emeritus, California State University, Sacramento; coauthor, Habits of Mind series

"Making Thinking Visible is essential reading for every educator who strives to provide students with the skills they need to become thoughtful and enthusiastic directors of their own learning."
—Tina Blythe, author, The Teaching for Understanding Guide and Looking Together at Student Work

"When thinking is made visible, learning is inevitable. Making Thinking Visible invites the reader to craft a new definition of education and presents a dramatic leap forward for education."
—Adam Scher, school principal, Bloomfield Hills Schools, Michigan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (May 3, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047091551X
• ISBN-13: 978-0470915516
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.7 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,216 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Education Theory > Educational Psychology
  • #13 in Books > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Pedagogy
  • #19 in Books > Business & Investing > Reference

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Smarter Way to Learn in Schools April 15, 2011

By Adam Scher

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

In Making Thinking Visible, Ritchhart,Church and Morrison make a compelling case that eliciting the thinking of students is paramount to the best instructional practice and how it can be transformative in nature for educators at all levels. Moving beyond theory, the authors illustrate, very specifically, how opportunities for thinking can be cultivated via thinking routines.

It is very rare to find literature that proposes a fundamental change for instructional practice, but Making Thinking Visible does just that. All educators worth their salt will quickly see the value of the Visible Thinking framework for their students. Perhaps, even more importantly, they will rediscover the joyous dichotomy of being learner and teacher at the same time. Thinking will be the gold of the future. Making Thinking Visible allows all educators to start unearthing the nuggets.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A groundbreaking resource for educators interested in promoting thinking in their classrooms September 19, 2011

By Angela Salmon

Format:Paperback

A significant contribution to the literature on thinking. Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church and Karin Morrison put together groundbreaking theories connected to practice for engaging children in thinking and understanding in real classrooms . This is the book that I've been waiting for to help pre-service and in-service teachers (from all grade levels) to understand the complexity of thinking in a teacher friendly language. I use this book in my curriculum courses and highly recommend it to teachers. Many schools that I know are adopting this book as a summer reading requirement for teachers.

The authors' discussions are founded in research in classrooms with teachers from different places around the world which makes it reliable. The book provides resources for teachers to implement thinking strategies and cultivate cultures of thinking in their classrooms. After reading this book teachers don't need too much time or "training" to bring all these great ideas into practice. The book is an invitation for teachers to explore their role of teacher-researchers and lifelong learners.

I also recommend readers to get the DVD, it is really helpful since it provides videos that show how these ideas work in different classrooms involving teachers from all grade levels and disciplines including teacher study group strategies. I consider this book a "must" for any teacher and school interested in helping students develop 21st Century Skills.

27 of 32 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't buy the kindel edition, the clips on the DVD are not included May 13, 2012

By Catasmom

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a fantastic book, but don 't buy the KINDEL edition. Although the content of the DVD is digital, it has not been included, not even a link for the kindel readers to see the content online. It's a shame, 'cause all the technologie is there. When I purchased it the image on the book on the page said DVD, but NO DVD!