THE

FEATURES OF
A THINKING
CLASSROOM
“Learning without thinking
is labor lost; Thinking
without learning is
perilous,” said Confucius.
A good classroom should therefore have
features that not only promote thinking,
but also the quality of thinking. A well-
prepared teacher designs and
incorporates elements and strategies
that would help learners to think
effectively and constructively.
 1. Fear free environment
A classroom that encourages thinking should be
founded on a fear free environment. Oftentimes,
the learners who have developed fear for the
teacher, fear for the learning environment, fear of
peer impressions, fear for authority and the like,
flee from opportunities for thinking.
 2. Stress free environment
Apart from fear, there are several other concerns
that cause stress to the learners in the classroom,
some of them may be due to socio-cultural factors,
poor financial infrastructures from which they
come, language related issues, health concerns and
other types of learning stress.
3. Freedom to question
The ability to question is both
directly and indirectly suggestive of
the fact that the person who asks
the question is indeed thinking.
 4. Scope for thinking
pathways
It is said that the human brain has a fascination for
pattern making. It tends to fall into a pattern often as a
convenient strategy. However, the brain is also
blessed with the capacity of creating, using, and
working with multiple pathways about the same
subject of study.
 5. Encouraging Disruptive Thinking
Disruptive thinking is an expression of an active,
engaging, and conscious mind. Disruptive thinking
often questions the credibility and validity of
existing thoughts and ideas. It paves way for
creative thinking through critical appreciation of
the existing structures and processes.
 6. Encouraging Critical Appreciation
Critical review and critical appreciation of ideas, thoughts,
concepts, perceptions, practices, and procedures is a vital to a
thinking classroom. Giving space and opportunity for them will
help learners to celebrate their self-esteem without any
reservation and come forth with dynamic and powerful
suggestions both for critical analysis and creative enterprises.
14 PRACTICES
OF A
THINKING
CLASSROOM
 1. Classroom Culture Of Thinking
Create a classroom culture that values thinking,
learning, and intellectual development. Start with
thinking tasks that are separate from your curriculum.
This eases the transition to everyday thinking
classroom activities. It’s hard for students to think
deeper and for longer periods, so this transition should
be gradual. You can start with non-curricular tasks as
an ice breaker at the beginning of the school year.
 2. Opportunities To Think In Groups
Provide opportunities for students to think and
engage in meaningful group learning
experiences. The Thinking Classroom practices
emphasize “visibly random groups” that change
frequently. This reduces social anxiety in the
group and decreases communication barriers.
 3. Vertical And Non-Permanent
Workspaces
Recent research has shown that students are
more engaged and productive when standing
and working on vertical non-permanent
surfaces (VNPSs) like whiteboards,
blackboards, or windows.
 4. Room Layout
a more flexible, de-fronted setup—
where students are free to face any
direction—can be much more
effective in promoting active
thinking and engagement.
 5. Answer Questions That Promote
Thinking

Keep-thinking questions: Questions that help

them along, so they can continue working
through a task.
Answer only questions that keep students
thinking
 6. Give Tasks In The Right Manner
Give tasks early in class while students are
standing around a teacher. Give verbal tasks,
and avoid visual cues that promote passive
learning. This differs from the traditional
manner of giving examples from the
textbook or a worksheet.
 7. Homework
Stop giving homework and instead
give students opportunities to
check their understanding. Make it
optional so students can freely
engage with authentic practice.
 8. Promote Student Autonomy
Let them struggle so they build confidence
in their independence. This may mean
asking a peer for help or looking around the
room for a hint. When students are on their
own, they take ownership of their learning.
 9. Give Support So Students Can Learn At
Their Own Pace
Encourage students to learn at their own pace by
creating hints, extensions, and practice that
meets them where they are in their learning.
This is different from the typical guided practice
that occurs in most classrooms.
 10. Consolidate Lessons

In a thinking classroom, consolidation takes a

different approach. Instead of relying on teacher-
led instruction, consolidation works upward from
the basic foundation of a concept. By drawing on
the student work produced during their thinking
on a common set of tasks, teachers can help
students develop a deeper understanding of the
concept.
 11. Give Students Autonomy Over Notes
Only one in five students review their notes
again after taking them in class. Give
students the option of choosing which notes
to take while learning. They are more likely
to refer back to notes later.
 12. Evaluate Values That Matter Most
If you want your students to participate, take
risks, and persevere in the classroom, you
should incorporate these values into
evaluations. Assessment should go beyond
curriculum knowledge.
 13. Bring Students Into Formative
Assessment
Your students need to understand where they
are and where they need to be with their
learning. This means that they need to be a
partner in formative assessment.
.
 14. Assessment Needs To Connect To An
Outcome
Use assessments that measure and value thinking
and understanding, not just rote memorization. This
may look like standards-based grading. Students
need to understand what they know and don’t know
after they complete an assessment.
FOR LISTENING!