The Rise of Thinking Classrooms

Thinking Classrooms is a teaching method that has gained popularity through word of mouth and social media. It emphasizes the importance of getting students engaged in thinking and problem-solving activities. The approach, outlined in the book 'Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K-12,' has sold over 200,000 copies and is being translated into multiple languages. The author, Peter Liljedal, conducted extensive research that revealed a lack of thinking in classrooms across various grade levels and schools. He identified five common student behaviors, such as slacking and mimicking, that hindered thinking. To promote thinking, Liljedal recommends removing furniture from the classroom, forming random student groups, using vertical whiteboards, and assigning non-curricular thinking tasks. The goal is to create an environment that fosters student engagement, knowledge sharing, and meaningful thinking.