Engendering a Thinking Culture by Bukit Timah Primary School Admin

sharmini_jaya_kumaran — 2025-04-08 08:35:41 UTC

A thinking culture is when

It is not passive learning throughout the duration of lesson but there should be students challenging the process by clarifying, sharing of their perspectives/understanding, asking qns etc.
Basically there should be learning taking place two ways

2025-04-08 08:36:07 UTC

Students learning through experiments and experiences.

Teachers trying out new ideas and strategies, sharing with peers through professional conversations

2025-04-08 08:36:56 UTC

Thinking out of the box.

Step up and provide the opportunities to showcase leadership skills beyond classroom. To be a problem solver.

Eg. SASCO/VIA/P5 Camp

2025-04-08 08:36:57 UTC

A thinking school is a 21CC school.

How do we observe the culture? We need to have the definition of thinking, the words the explain thinking, the checkpoints of promoting thinking. The school VMV aligns to e21CC.

2025-04-08 08:37:39 UTC

We do the thinking routines but do we think? I wonder… what is evidence that we are thinking? Are PSLE results sufficient?

2025-04-08 08:38:04 UTC

When students ask questions that generate deeper conversations.. When students are reflective and are open to feedback, able to identify own gaps and take action to improve on themselves.

chua_peng_swee — 2025-04-08 08:38:18 UTC

Thinking is Embedded in Daily Learning
Classroom Norms Encourage Curiosity and Exploration
Thinking is Collaborative, Not Just Individual
Teachers Plan for Depth, Not Just Coverage
Leadership and School Culture Support Thinking

ho_boon_huat — 2025-04-08 08:38:36 UTC

Adaptive learners

Students are curious and they ask questions

Students are able to apply TRs to help them analyze and explore possibilities and evaluate solutions

2025-04-08 08:39:11 UTC

We sort of can say that we are a thinking school but do we have a common language or specific vocabulary to describe what we are striving for? Are these words from e21CC? What is the point of IBL-Tr? Is it as a frame to actualise e21cc? Why are we focused on student management? Is it not the values in e21CC as well. As such, it's making clear that e21CC is the way forward.

2025-04-08 08:40:07 UTC

Thinking routines are still being used in the classroom but the purpose of them have been 'diluted' over the years. It is more like a 'ritual' now.

Ongoing efforts need to continue to further enhance students' self-efficacy in creative endeavors, ensuring they are well-equipped to thrive in an ever-evolving global landscape.

2025-04-08 08:40:34 UTC

LP students are able to elaborate using TR.

UP students have difficulty elaborating on the Wonder/Questioning part in TR.

2025-04-08 08:40:52 UTC

Gap - To move from knowledge of e21CC to depth of understanding. More sense making of what a thinking culture is like. This leads to mass customisation. Then apply and also see its alignment in the VMV, and programmes that the school has. Teachers can also focus more on being facilitators of e21CC rather than being a subject teacher. For example, instead of being called an English teacher, we should be Communication facilitators in the subject area of English. In short, restructure the role of a teacher. Less - one size fits all methods.

sharmini_jaya_kumaran — 2025-04-08 08:42:03 UTC

When we listened to Jonas sharing about his memories in BTPS, it sounded positive and he mentioned about how the thinking framework helped him in his secondary and tertiary education but when he shared about his brother who is a current student of BTPS, he did not share any examples similar to his and instead wished that the brother would go through what he had gone through. However with the change of MOE directives, there should be alignment/improvement so it makes us wonder, has our culture of thinking diluted?

2025-04-08 08:42:26 UTC

We use Making Thinking Visible as a school-wide approach. Most teachers are trained, but how are we ensuring that everyone uses it?

2025-04-08 08:42:32 UTC

Pervasiveness of thinking routine across subjects, classes, academic and non-academic aspects?

ho_boon_huat — 2025-04-08 08:42:53 UTC

Teachers do engage students using TRs but we may not have being explicit in explaining the purpose of the different TRs

2025-04-08 08:54:53 UTC

Comsistency and progressive across level.

Level up the competency of the trs.

chua_peng_swee — 2025-04-08 08:55:06 UTC

Competency of the teachers