Think Thank Thunk

Enter to win a free set of Wipebook Flipcharts for your Thinking Classroom: ⁠www.wipebook.com/TTT⁠ In this episode, Kyle and Dean chat with Jerrold Wiebe (@Jerroldwiebe), a Numeracy & Mathematics Consultant and a part of the Building Thinking Classrooms Canadian team. A "legacy" teacher with over 35 years of experience in education, ranging from classroom teaching to district math lead, Jerrold shares his journey from being introduced to Building Thinking Classrooms and how it has revolutionized his approach to teaching and learning. We discuss the profound impact of Thinking Classrooms, highlighting stories of student transformation, the importance of fostering a culture of lifelong learning among educators, and the strategic shifts that educators can make to enhance student engagement and understanding. Jerrold's reflections on professional development, alongside his vibrant anecdotes, offer invaluable insights into fostering educational environments that challenge and inspire both students and teachers alike.

Enter to win a free set of Wipebook Flipcharts for your Thinking Classroom: ⁠www.wipebook.com/TTT⁠ In this episode, Kyle has a conversation with Judy Larson (@JudytaLarsen), Associate Professor at University of Fraser Valley and longtime Building Thinking Classrooms teacher. Deeply entrenched in math education and an unwavering advocate for innovative teaching, Judy shares her captivating journey alongside Peter Liljedahl. From the initial shock of abandoning traditional teaching to adopting Thinking Classroom practices, Judy recollects her transformative experiences both as a learner and an educator. We explore the roots of Building Thinking Classrooms, including practices like visibly random groups, vertical non-permanent surfaces, and the pivotal role of meaningful notes in shaping students' and teachers' approaches to learning. We also touch on the impact of social media in fostering a vibrant community of educators dedicated to revolutionizing math education. Tune in as we venture into discussions about decolonization, the dynamics of group work, and the perpetual evolution of Thinking Classrooms.

Trauma-Informed Practices and the Power of Thinking Classrooms Enter to win a free set of Wipebook Flipcharts for your Thinking Classroom: www.wipebook.com/TTT In this episode, we take you back to a pivotal conversation from 2022 between Kyle, Dean, and the Sophie Bresciani (@soph_bresciani), a champion of trauma-informed teaching and Thinking Classrooms. Sophie offers deep insights into creating classroom environments that are not only safe and supportive but also nurturing, paving the way for holistic student development. Exploring the unique blend of trauma-informed practices and Thinking Classrooms, we unpack how these strategies not only elevate learning outcomes but also attentively support the emotional and psychological well-being of students. This episode is a treasure trove of strategies for educators aiming to foster a safe and inclusive classroom culture that nurtures confidence and facilitates impressive academic growth among students. Whether you're an educator keen on integrating trauma-informed practices into your pedagogy or seeking dynamic ways to evolve your Thinking Classroom, this episode has something for you. Tune in to hear about the intersection of these two approaches and their profound impact on both students and teachers alike.

This episode has a portion where Tim & Melisa screenshared the tool mentioned, you can watch the video recording here. Join hosts Dean and Kyle as they chat with Tim Brzezinski (@TimBrzezinski) and Melisa McCain (@mccainm), advocates for Building Thinking Classrooms and improving assessment practices. Their conversation is focused on a grading tool, crafted by Tim, Melisa, and their colleagues. This tool, deeply rooted in the principles of Building Thinking Classrooms, provides teachers a tool to actualize the assessment practices laid out by Peter Liljedahl around student assessment. Discover how this innovative rubric, available at http://tinyurl.com/BTCrubric, was designed not just to evaluate, but to enhance students’ understanding and learning experiences. The episode delves into the tool’s development, design, and its transformative impact on both teaching and learning. This discussion is not just theoretical; it’s a practical guide for educators looking to adopt a more effective and empathetic approach to assessment. Tune in to learn how you can implement this game-changing tool in your classroom and foster deeper understanding in your students.

In this episode, hosts Kyle and Dean have a conversation with Brian Jackson. With over three decades of teaching experience, Brian offers unique insights into the transformative power of the Thinking Classrooms methodology. Listeners are given a front-row seat to Brian's journey into Thinking Classrooms, starting with his initial reluctance to explore something new, to his deliberate exploration, and finally his resounding endorsement based on his students’ experiences. During the conversation, Brian shares valuable anecdotes and practical examples from his classroom, shedding light on how student choice and tiered challenges can drastically enhance the learning experience. His experiences make a compelling case for the impact of the Thinking Classrooms approach on both students and teachers. Whether you are a novice in the world of Thinking Classrooms or an experienced advocate, this episode promises rich learning perspectives and welcomes you to join the conversation about reimagining education.

In this episode Jared Sliger (@jared_sliger) is back to chat with Kyle and Dean. Their discussion revolves around practical tips for engaging parents and involving them in the process of the Thinking Classroom. Jared shares his experience with a successful 'family night' held at his school intended to give parents a first-hand experience with Thinking Classrooms. He stresses the importance of open communication with parents, dispelling fears of 'new math', and encouraging fellow teachers not to shy away from trying something new with their students. Jared's Family Night Invitation Video: https://youtu.be/gGpSaTOgqb8?si=1DqoBNKU--P6Z0xY Jared's Consulting Commercial: https://youtu.be/TypVFW4ymCc?si=IFPE5I8sIEesLJS3

In this episode, join Kyle, Dean, and Maegan as they share the latest insights gleaned from Peter Liljedahl on the new ideas taking hold in Thinking Classrooms. They take a deep dive into the art of crafting a Thinking Classroom lesson, dissecting the distinct phases of launch, body, and close. Explore how the nature of your task, be it divergent or convergent, shapes the optimal approach to concluding your lesson. Discover three new methods for wrapping up sessions: delve into the power of notice and name consolidation, embrace the collaborative notes strategy, and spice up your check for understanding with the mild-medium-spicy approach. Tune in for practical tips on seamlessly incorporating these freshly-developed closing techniques into your own Thinking Classroom. Elevate your teaching game with this enriching episode! To see images of each of these closing methods, visit: https://thinkthankthunk.kylewebb.ca/ep-10/ At the end, Dean mentions Tim Brzesinski's (⁠@TimBrzezinski⁠) BTC rubric which you can find here: ⁠http://tinyurl.com/BTCrubric

In this episode of the podcast, Kyle and Dean are joined by Lana Steiner (@LanaSteiner4), a math teacher, coach, and administrator from Saskatchewan. Lana shares her insights on how she employs rich tasks and mixes in other teaching methods with Thinking Classrooms to make math more meaningful for students. She also talks about the importance of growth mindset and math mindset in learning math, and how to address learning gaps. Lana shares expertise on documenting observations and conversations, and how she uses student-led conferences and connections to familiar literacy terms to make sense of math learning for parents. They also chat about setting up students for success beyond math class, and the incredible community of math teachers in Saskatchewan. Resources mentioned in this episode: Table of Rich Tasks: http://bit.ly/SKmathtasks Baby Beats - 3 Act Math Task (tapintoteenminds.com) The Detention Buy-Out - 3 Act Math Task (tapintoteenminds.com) MathUP Tap into Teen Minds - Real World Maths Lessons, 3 Act Math Tasks and Resources Berkeley Everett – Visualize the math you teach. Steve Wyborney's Blog: I'm on a Learning Mission. Saskatchewan Mathematics Teachers' Society - (smts.ca)

Join Kyle, Dean, and Maegan as they candidly discuss the early days of the school year in Building Thinking Classrooms. They share their experiences and provide insights for educators at any stage of their journey into this innovative teaching approach. In this episode, our hosts also reveal their aspirations for the upcoming year, largely focused on meaningful notes and improving assessment practices. Their enthusiasm for transformative math education is sure to ignite your own passion for bringing Building Thinking Classrooms principles into your teaching practice. Plus, they offer practical advice for fostering a growth mindset in math, building a supportive classroom culture, and engaging all students in math class. Tune in and get ready to revamp your math classroom for a year of growth and inspiration!

Join Kyle as he sits down with Maegan for an enlightening discussion on mathematics education through the lens of decolonization. In this episode, Maegan unveils her 4R's of Decolonizing Mathematics Education: Respect, Responsibility, Relevance, and Reciprocity. Dive into an exploration of a powerful framework designed for personal reflection, aimed at dismantling colonial constructs within math classrooms. While drawing direct inspiration from the principles of Thinking Classrooms, Maegan takes it a step further by introducing ideas that challenges teachers to transcend the boundaries of traditional pedagogies. Discover how this innovative framework not only complements the 14 practices of a Thinking Classroom but propels educators to embark on a journey of reshaping their teaching methods. Maegan blends theory with practice by offering invaluable tips and ideas that empower teachers to embrace a new perspective and embark on the path of decolonizing their educational spaces. If you're an educator, a student, or anyone passionate about fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments, this episode will undoubtedly spark your curiosity and drive to make a difference. Tune in to gain fresh insights, be inspired to push the boundaries, and join the movement to create a brighter, more inclusive future through decolonized mathematics education. Contact Maegan on Twitter/X (@MaeganGiroux) or by email: m.giroux@rcsd.ca View the framework here: https://thinkthankthunk.kylewebb.ca/ep-7/ References shared here: https://bit.ly/4Rs-references

Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 15 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl. They address the big question surrounding how teacher can realistically implement all of the Thinking Classroom practices without overwhelming themselves and their students. They get into the four toolkits laid out in the book and share some tips and ideas on how to best implement each toolkit. Additionally, they briefly address the challenges presented when we see students being really successful in groups, but struggling on individual assessments and discuss the alternate pseudosequence provided for teachers who are already comfortable teaching in a Thinking Classroom. Image of the 4 Toolkits: https://bit.ly/BTC-framework Image of the 2 Toolkits for already experienced Thinking Classroom teachers: https://bit.ly/reBTC-framework This episode is the final in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.

Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 14 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl. They discuss the big question most teachers have about Thinking Classrooms: how do we grade our students? By utilizing the navigation instruments as grading tools, they share how teachers can shift from a points-gathering paradigm towards a data-gathering paradigm and better reflect the achievement of learners in a Thinking Classroom. A large portion of this episode discusses questions addressed in the FAQ and builds on Maegan and Kyle's classroom experience. The Myth of Objectivity in Mathematics Assessment by Lew Romagnano (PDF) Image of the 3 different parachute packers: https://bit.ly/BTCparachutepackers Image of a navigation instrument used to determine a grade: https://bit.ly/BTCnavgrade This episode is the fifteenth in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.

Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 13 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl. They discuss how all assessment should be formative assessment, and some of it will end up being summative. We dive into how to use the navigation instruments suggested in the book and explore how they can better support students in better understanding where they are in their learning journey. In the second half of the episode, you'll hear them dive into the FAQ's and share some of their experiences implementing these in the classroom. Tune in to hear how these simple navigation instruments can become a game-changer in your Thinking Classroom for you and your students. Image of a navigation instrument for Repeating Patterns: https://bit.ly/RPnavinstrument Maegan's Marching Band example: https://bit.ly/MGmarchingband This episode is the fourteenth in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.

Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 12 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl. They discuss the idea of evaluating what we value in our Thinking Classroom. If we value perserverence, risk-taking, and collaboration we need to evaluate these in order to develop these competencies in our students. Listen in for a simple, but effective, way of remixing traditional rubrics into something that connects better with how our students learn. This chapter is essential for fostering effective thinkers in our classrooms. An example of one of these rubrics. This episode is the thirteenth in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.

Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 11 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl. They discuss the idea of shifting note taking to note making for students by having students write notes to their future-forgetful-selves. Listen in for some simple shifts to make in how you approach notes that will result in making notes a thinking activity, rather than a mindless activity. 5 Steps into Notes: https://bit.ly/BTCnotes Facebook Webinar Recording: https://youtu.be/fWFzLrRWsys?t=480 Ep 5 with Peter Liljedahl, where he discusses the quadrant notemaking method. This episode is the twelfth in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.

Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 10 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl. They discuss the importance of consolidation in a Thinking Classroom and share some of the different ways teachers can consolidate. Listen in for some tips and tricks that they've learned through trial-and-error to help you refine your consolidation practices. This episode is the eleventh in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.

It's summer break for us and in this episode, we take a different direction by revisiting and resharing a recording from our previous podcast. Listen in as we talk directly to students in Thinking Classrooms from a few of our schools. You'll hear from students in a wide range of grades as they share how math has been different this year, what they've liked and disliked, and what they hope for the future of math class. Enjoy! Make sure to subscribe in your favorite podcast app and share with a teaching friend if you find our episodes helpful. Follow us on Twitter: @ThinkThankPod

Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 9 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl. They discuss the concept of flow and why we need to be so aware of the states our students are in during Thinking Classroom tasks. They also discuss thin-slicing, the banner method and Maegan shares a fun way she incorporates a joker card into her deck for random groups. This episode is all about how we can get through the content we need to teach while remaining true to the Thinking Classroom practices. Graph illustrating Flow This episode is the tenth in the ⁠⁠series⁠ ⁠where we go through each chapter of ⁠⁠Building Thinking Classrooms⁠⁠ by Peter Liljedahl.

Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 8 from ⁠Building Thinking Classrooms⁠ by Peter Liljedahl. They discuss ways we can build student autonomy by allowing students to think for themselves and manage their own learning. They also share some teacher moves to help build student autonomy and get into some of the benefits of leaning into this practice. This episode is the ninth in the ⁠series ⁠where we go through each chapter of ⁠Building Thinking Classrooms⁠ by Peter Liljedahl.

In this episode, Dean, Maegan and Kyle interview Peter Liljedahl (@pgliljedahl), author of Building Thinking Classrooms and lead researcher behind the transformational teaching practices. We discuss the popularity of the book and how it has become a game-changer for educators worldwide. Explore new and innovative methods for consolidation and notemaking that empower students to become active thinkers and problem solvers in the classroom. Uncover the power of making subtle yet impactful tweaks to teaching practices, resulting in significant improvements in student engagement and achievement. We delve into the fascinating concept of recognizing and supporting productive struggle among student groups. Peter also sheds light on the issue of students being burdened by an excess of algorithmic knowledge that inhibits their creativity. We also discuss the emergence of AI like ChatGPT, how it impacts Thinking Classrooms, and how educators can harness this technology to support student thinking. Peter shares his thoughts on why behavior rubrics may not be having their desired impact and shares a personal source of inspiration in the field of math education. Finally, we explore what lies ahead in the realm of Thinking Classrooms including where the research is heading and a few new books to look forward to. Book: Choosing to See: A Framework for Equity in the Math Classroom