The Balance, by Dr. Catlin Tucker Building Thinking Classrooms with Peter Liljedahl: Designing Conditions for Deep Thinking, Productive Struggle, and Student
Jan 6, 2026
Peter Liljedahl, a former high school math teacher and a professor of mathematics education, dives deep into the art of creating 'Thinking Classrooms.' He shares insights on the importance of classroom layout and furniture in fostering student engagement. Peter emphasizes productive struggle, explaining how getting stuck can be normalized to enhance learning. He categorizes student questions that can either hinder or promote thinking and advocates for rebranding homework as self-check tools. Transforming traditional practices is key to developing modern thinkers.
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Parking Lot Revelation
- Peter Liljedahl watched students refuse to start a calculus problem until he left the room, which revealed they expected instruction rather than thinking.
- That parking-lot experiment launched his shift toward getting students to think independently and collaboratively.
Environment Drives Thinking
- Changing tasks alone doesn't create thinking; classroom conditions determine whether students engage cognitively.
- Building Thinking Classrooms targets variables that must be done correctly so students are compelled and supported to think.
Defront The Room
- Defront your classroom so no single front dictates student behavior and façade projection.
- Create tension between teacher desk, screen, standing position, and student seating to disrupt habitual 'studenting' behaviors.
