In 2003, Jane, a middle school math teacher, struggled with a new problem-solving curriculum, revealing that traditional teaching methods kept students busy but not truly thinking. Over 15 years, working with 400 K-12 teachers, 14 key factors were identified to foster deeper student engagement and thinking. Implementing specific practices such as using vertical non-permanent surfaces (VNPSs), random grouping, and dynamic workspaces led to the development of thinking classrooms where students actively engage in meaningful learning. These innovative methods break institutional norms, creating environments that promote sustained intellectual engagement and collaboration.
The Wipebooks flipcharts allow students to not only think about and discuss their reflection questions, but also write out some of their ideas. We tend to retain more information when we’ve seen it, discussed it, and written it down than when doing one of those in isolation.
