Building: Vassar Road School
Team Members:

Frank Annis Principal Andrew Nikola 3rd Grade Teacher
Jodi Beck 3rd Grade Teacher Mary Ann Politi Coordinator
Lisa Books 1st Grade Teacher Jean Rauschenbach Kinder. Teacher
Therese Coyne Media Specialist Jennifer Rich Literacy Specialist
Erin Hawkes Parent Kathleen Skidgell 3rd Grade Teacher
Brenda Maiolo 2nd Grade Teacher Kelley Sullivan 2nd Grade Teacher
Doug Maset Ass’t. Principal

Assessment of the Current Level of Implementation in All Subject Areas:

Where are we? How do we find out? (Be specific)

Although our teachers routinely use critical thinking skills as part of their everyday instructional program, this is the first time we have actively involved all members of our school staff and students in the design and implementation of a critical thinking skills approach all curricular areas.

To this end, a committee was formed in December, 2007 to investigate how Vassar Road School could ensure that critical thinking skills were integrated into instruction across grade levels, curriculums and special areas.

The original committee consisted of representatives from each grade level, plus the school media specialist, and three administrators. However, the list of committee members was then expanded to include other interested staff members. The purpose of adding new members was primarily because of the growing emphasis on and participation in critical thinking activities throughout the school district

The committee has brainstormed and come up with examples of critical thinking activities already in evidence at Vassar Road Elementary. The committee will focus on expanding these nuggets of excellence into the entire Vassar Road environment.

Areas Identified for Growth:

What more do we need to know in order to infuse critical thinking? How will we get/learn what we need to know? (Be specific)

Thinking maps have been pivotal to the introduction of applying critical thinking skills. As teachers and students become more proficient in their use, then we should hopefully expect students to be better able to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate their work choices.

Students need to be able to judge, critique, and interpret processes, materials, and methods using the standards and criteria teachers give them. Using language appropriate to the infusion of critical thinking into the curriculum is a valuable strategy. Even at the primary level teachers and students can select the appropriate terminology and use ‘power’ verbs to assist them to think critically.

Students can learn to make informed judgments about the value of ideas through routine practice. This can be done if teachers ask questions that students can answer in their own words by stating facts and important details or by identifying the main ideas, using problem solving techniques, and applying known information to new situations.

Professional Growth Methods:

How will critical thinking be applied in the instruction of all subject areas? (Be specific)

A. Activities for Students:

2008-09 2009-2010 2010-2011

Critical Critters – Weekly Questions for Students

Question, picture, quote, puzzle, analogy, illusion, etc. for that week will be posted in the main lobby. Using a ProScope, print out a highly magnified picture of a common object. Ask students what it is. Give a different clue or puzzle piece each day until puzzle is finished
Teachers will assist students in generating critical; thinking questions.
Critical Thinking Committee will collate student responses to critical thinking questions & activities. One correct response will be selected each week from each grade level to be read at dismissal on Friday afternoons
Music – play a song each day for a week and ask students what is the common thread. Could be a type of instrument, etc.
The enrichment teacher will be instrumental in assisting students. The Socratic Method of inquiry and problem solving will be utilized.
Teachers will be given a photocopy to post in their Lucite frames in each classroom. Clues will be given each day if the question/activity requires that.
Analogies – Bridge Map. Suggestion: Goal post is to football as home plate is to what?
Students will generate their own thinking maps to problem solve, given critical thinking questions.

Students submit their answers (one per student per week) in a box in the main office. Answers will be put on specific on yellow sheets with the enlarged critical critter logo w/ blank lines in the middle.

The principal will draw one correct answer from each grade level each Friday and award a prize. The PTA will help fund prizes. The 1st week’s activity will be to draw a “Critical Critter” logo. Third grade students will become involved in the process of sorting, classifying, counting, and selecting winners of the Critical Critter contest each week.

The third graders will eventually become turnkey trainers for second graders in April, so that the second graders are prepared to organize the weekly contest the following year.
The plan here is to extend the Leo the Lightbulb Critical Critters Thinking Program and include students in first grade. How and when this plan will be implemented will depend on the success with 2nd graders the year before.

Timeline for Student Activities:

How do we move forward?

During the week of March 3rd to 7th, teachers will introduce students to the concepts of critical thinking. Students will be asked to think about creating a ‘critical critter’ logo. On March 10th students will be asked to submit their logos to the principal. The critical thinking committee will select a winning logo by Thursday, March 14th.

Monday, March 17th is the ‘kickoff’ with the first critical thinking question posed to the students who submit their answers in a critical thinking box located in the main office.

Each Monday for the rest of the school year, a critical thinking question will be posed to students and we will follow the same process and select a winner on Friday.

In year two and year three of this project it is hoped to begin incorporating student generated weekly questions and activities. In addition, the enrichment teacher will help the committee and students to increase building-wide activities.

B. Activities for Teachers:

2008-09 2009-2010 2010-2011
10 minute sharing and discussion will take place at each faculty meeting.

At subsequent meetings, 5 minutes will be open for anyone to share how they used the previous month’s tip. The next 5 minutes will be open to share a new tip, mini-lesson using critical thinking, or brief presentation. The principal will limit each staff member to 5 minutes’ time each.

Each grade level and special area will take a month and share a critical thinking activity that has been successful for them, an
article or idea they had read about, etc.
Ongoing professional learning opportunities could be but are not limited to:

Learning communities (using a district release or in-service workshop format,)

Professional speakers, attending conferences or conventions.

Reading and then sharing information from professional texts on critical thinking

Turnkey training for staff members involved in a particular aspect of critical thinking and train other staff members

Visitations to sites where critical thinking is infused across the curriculum

Model lessons for other staff members

Timeline for Teacher Activities:

How do we move forward?

This activity will begin at the first faculty meeting in March, 2008. Therese Coyne, School Media Specials has volunteered to present at the next faculty meeting in March.

Seven teachers are planning to attend this summer’s week-long training called the “Critical Thinking Institute.” The Critical Thinking Team expects to rely heavily on input received from these teachers to move forward with the 2nd and 3rd year implementation of our school’s plan.

Year 2: September 2008 – June 2009

Continue 10-minute faculty meeting share

Add three 2-hour Learning Community Sessions on critical thinking topics that teacher select. Presenters will be Vassar staff members using either an in-service (before or after school) format. One person will act a scribe and keep track of what was discussed.

Critical Thinking Activity Center – new section in the library with books giving classroom teachers ideas on logic games and many other activities to help imbed critical thinking in their instruction

Year 3: September 2009 – June 2010

Continue and expand the above activities.

Budget:

What will it cost to implement this plan? (Be specific)

Prizes for weekly participants, larger Lucite frames for year two and professional materials for the Critical Thinking Activity Center will need funding. Mr. Annis will incorporate these into his budget.

Evaluation:

How will we know if our plan has been effective? (Be specific)

Committee will meet at least once each quarter to share feedback from teachers and students on the proposed activities. Feedback from the faculty share time will also be recorded.

Participation by students in the building-wide activity will be tracked week to week and month to month. In addition, the committee will track whether the amount of correct answers begins increase over time. The committee will make changes to the plan as needed.

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