Improving Engagement and Performance: Key Thinking Moves All Instructional Leaders Should Look for K-8

Presented by Dr. Ron Ritchhart, Senior Research Associate (Retired) at Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Director of Worldwide Cultures of Thinking Project; and Francis Vigeant, Founder and CEO, KnowAtom

Co-Sponsored by KnowAtom & Worldwide Cultures of Thinking in Action

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Why do ideas take off in some classrooms and fall flat in others? Why do some classrooms experience more learning loss than others? View this edLeader Panel for an evidence-based discussion to learn how principals, teachers, and curriculum leaders can develop a culture of thinking to transform student performance and engagement.

Key takeaways from this session include:

• What thinking is and what it’s not
• How thinking moves form routines and mindsets
• Common curriculum and instructional barriers to student thinking
• Administrative “look-fors” that bring a culture of thinking into focus

The panelists use K-8 science as a context for discussion, exploring ties between thinking and new performance-based standards such as the Next Generation Science Standards, using elements of KnowAtom’s evidence-based core science curriculum designed for K-8 Next Generation Science Standards in adaptive and adoptive states.

This recorded edLeader Panel is of interest to K-8 curriculum administrators, principals, teachers, and instructional coaches.

About the Presenters

Dr. Ron Ritchhart is a world-renowned educator, researcher, and author. For over 25 years, Dr. Ritchhart served as a Senior Research Associate and Principal Investigator at Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education where his research focused on understanding how to develop, nurture, and sustain “cultures of thinking” for both students and teachers. After leaving Harvard in 2021, Dr. Ritchhart has continued his classroom- and school-based research and writing to further the ideas of visible thinking and the creation of schools as cultures of thinking. Dr. Ritchhart’s ability to seamlessly merge theory, research, practice, and application together in a highly accessible and engaging manner has made him a best-selling author of numerous books including Intellectual Character, Making Thinking Visible, Creating Cultures of Thinking, The Power of Making Thinking Visible, and his highly anticipated new book, Cultures of Thinking in Action.

Francis Vigeant, KnowAtom’s Founder and CEO, is a former public K-12 science, engineering, and math teacher, top-performing in New Hampshire statewide testing. Since 2006, his work at KnowAtom has focused on authentic hands-on screens-off science instruction, where instructional culture and cognitive rigor meet to support student agency and performance at scale. His work creating next generation science curricula and professional learning models for K-8 public education has successfully transformed districtwide science instruction for thousands of students through KnowAtom and has been the subject of Northeastern University studies. He served as Interim Board President of non-profit STEM Power/STEM Synergy and has been a regular contributor to STEM education workgroups including the Clinton Global Initiative. He currently serves as a strategic advisor to the School of Education at Gordon College. Francis lives in Massachusetts with his wife and son.

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More than 17 years ago, we started KnowAtom because… Teachers are important. They nurture student creativity and shape the next generation of problem solvers. But all teachers achieve more with complete resources and support. That’s where we come in. As teachers ourselves, we believe creative, evaluative, and analytical thinking skills prepare all students for any college or career choice. And STEM disciplines are the perfect venue for learning these skills hands-on. With KnowAtom, students are scientists and engineers. They investigate real-world phenomena and learn how to solve problems and answer questions for themselves. KnowAtom provides schools with K-8 curriculum and materials designed for the Next Generation Science Standards. Plus you’ll never have to shop for materials again — we deliver all the hands-on resources you need right to your classroom. So what are you waiting for? We’re here to help. Learn More About KnowAtom.

The Worldwide Cultures of Thinking Project began with two frameworks. The first was the 8 Cultural Forces, a framework that helps to illuminate the building blocks of group culture. The second was the framework, in the form of the Understanding Map, for understanding what we mean by thinking. These frameworks, and the associated tools we have developed around them, are important vehicles for teachers and schools to leverage as they embark on creating robust cultures of thinking.

Our current research in the Worldwide Cultures of Thinking Project has focused on identifying these mindsets/stances. They represent 10 guiding principles that propel the development of a culture of thinking. Thus, we call this current line of research, Cultures of Thinking in Action. We present these principles along with an accompanying theory of action that ties actions to outcomes. We also present a collection of resources, tools, actions, and practices.