I was thrilled to hear from Mrs Lynsey May (Head Teacher of St Patrick’s Primary School) recently about her success in using Making Thinking Visible Thinking Routines with her staff.

Mrs May attended our Introductory MTV sessions in March 2021 and saw the potential for Making Thinking Visible to be a valuable tool during a recent inservice day.

Here are some examples of St Patrick’s Primary School staff using Compass Points in action as part of a reflection and planning tool.

 

MTV Compass Points Worksheet STAFF TASK 1

MTV Compass Points Worksheet literacy and numeracy STAFF TASK

MTV COMPASS POINTS STAFF TASK 3

MTV COMPASS POINTS STAFF TASK 4

 

Red Light Yellow Light was also used to identify areas that stopped staff in their tracks or made them wonder

Red Light Yellow Light STAFF TASK

 

“Very pleased that staff said it was the most productive in-service they have had and they really enjoyed it and now feel empowered to move our school forward.”

Mrs May

(May, 2021)

Eight South Ayrshire Making Thinking Visible Ambassadors delivered four Introductory support sessions using Microsoft Teams to approximately 75 staff each week in March 2021 over Tuesday and Wednesday twilight sessions.

Feedback from participants was extremely positive with many requesting additional training opportunities to learn more about MTV.

“Thank you to all involved, this course was really helpful and I have loved using the routines so far in the classroom!”

“I thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to learn about MTV thinking routines. It has opened my eyes to a different way of teaching”

“Such a useful set of Support Sessions which has given me much to build on in my practice.”

“Thank you all very much. I thoroughly enjoyed your inputs and found it all to be really clearly communicated, concisely put and enjoyable to be a part of. I’m so glad I decided to sign up!”

 

The South Ayrshire MTV Ambassadors hope to run further training for staff in the near future. Keep an eye on the CLPL events emails and @SACMTV on Twitter for information.

 

 

Our South Ayrshire Making Thinking Visible Ambassadors have kindly shared some examples of Thinking Routines in action with their classes.

• Circle of Viewpoints – LesleyAnn MacLeod

Circle of Viewpoints Overview and Ambassador Tips

Circle of Viewpoints – PUPIL WORK

 

• Generate Sort Connect Elaborate Concept Map – Laura MacMillan

Generate Sort Connect Elaborate Concept Map Overview, Ambassador Tips, Templates and Pupil Work

 

• Sentence Phrase Word – Maureen MacLeod

Sentence – Phrase – Word Overview and Ambassador Tips

Sentence Phrase Word PUPIL WORK

 

• Colour Symbol Image – Susan Fulton

Colour Symbol Image Overview and Ambassador Tips

Colour Symbol Image PUPIL WORK

 

• Claim Support Question – Laura MacMillan

Claim Support Question Overview and Ambassador Tips

Claim Support Question PUPIL WORK

 

• I used to think…Now I think… – Natalie Stevenson

I used to think Now I think Overview and Ambassador Tips

I used to think Now I think TEMPLATE FOR PUPILS

 

• My Favourite No, I used to think…Now I think… and IF – Elaine McEwan 

BLOG MTV CLPL for Staff – Mrs McEwan

My Favourite No Overview and Ambassador Tips

My Favourite No – English RUAE PUPIL TASKS

 

• See/Hear Think Wonder – David Moore

See Think Wonder – Modified by teacher to suit subject overview

See:Hear Think Wonder Teaching Example

 

• MicroLab Protocol – Laura MacMillan 

MicroLab Protocol Overview and Ambassador Tips

Meet your South Ayrshire MTV Ambassadors

 

 

 

PICTURE TO BE ADDED

Julie Christie – Kincaidston Primary School

PICTURE TO BE ADDED

Julie Clyne – Girvan Primary School

 

 

Susan Fulton – Kingcase Primary School

 

Elaine McEwan – Girvan Academy

 

 

 

 

PICTURE TO BE ADDED

Lesley Ann MacLeod – Barassie Primary School

 

 

Maureen MacLeod – Grammar Primary School

 

 

Laura MacMillan – Belmont Academy

 

David Moore – Belmont Academy

 

PICTURE TO BE ADDED

Nicola Rainey – Alloway Primary School

 

PICTURE TO BE ADDED

Natalie Stevenson – Prestwick Academy

 

 

PICTURE TO BE ADDED

Caryn Taylor – Holmston Primary School

 

 

PICTURE TO BE ADDED

Ian Watson – Girvan Academy

 

 

Follow us on Twitter! @SACMTV 

Routines for Digging Deeper into Ideas

• What Makes You Say That?
• Circle of Viewpoints
• Step Inside
• Red Light, Yellow Light
• Claim-Support-Question
• Tug-Of-War
• Sentence-Phrase-Word

Routines for Synthesizing & Organising Ideas 

• Headlines
• CSI – Colour Symbol Image
• Generate-Sort-Connect-Elaborate Concept Maps
• Connect-Extend-Challenge
• The 4Cs
• The Micro Lab Protocol
• I used to think…Now I think…

Routines for Introducing & Exploring Ideas 

• See-Think-Wonder
• Zoom In
• Think-Puzzle-Explore
• Chalk Talk
• 3-2-1 Bridge
• Compass Points
• The Explanation Game

 

 

 

‘Making Thinking Visible’ emerged from work at Harvard University called Project Zero, executed by Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church and Karin Morrison (2011).

The research-based project focused on shifting the balance in education from simple curriculum delivery to ensuring students understood what they were learning, and the type of thinking required to execute it.

Making Thinking Visible is a pedagogical approach that promotes the use of 21 Thinking Routines which places value on the time to think/ process rather than only celebrating the correct answer​/end product.

“…have confidence in every learner’s ability to think and your capacity to nurture that thinking. The results will amaze and energise you.” (Ritchhart)

The Thinking Routines are split into three categories

• Introducing and Exploring Ideas
• Synthesizing and organising ideas
• Digging deeper into ideas

 

Meet your South Ayrshire MTV Ambassadors

MTV Thinking Routine Examples

South Ayrshire MTV Training Sessions

South Ayrshire Head Teacher shares how MTV Thinking Routines was used in a recent in-service day

Official Making Thinking Visible YouTube Channel