James A. Bellanca - How to Teach Thinking Skills Within the Common Core: 7 Key Student Proficiencies of the New National Standards

How to Teach

Thinking

Skills

Within the

Common

Core

James A. Bellanca Robin J. Fogarty Brian M. Pete

Copyright 2012 by Solution Tree Press

Materials appearing here are copyrighted. With one exception, all rights are reserved. Readers may reproduce only those pages marked Reproducible. Otherwise, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of the publisher.

555 North Morton Street

Bloomington, IN 47404

800.733.6786 (toll free) / 812.336.7700

FAX: 812.336.7790

email:

solution-tree.com

Visit go.solution-tree.com/commoncore to download the reproducibles and access live links to the websites in this book.

Printed in the United States of America

16 15 14 13 121 2 3 4 5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bellanca, James A., 1937- author.

How to teach thinking skills within the common core : 7 key student proficiencies of the new national standards / James A. Bellanca, Robin J. Fogarty, Brian M. Pete.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-936764-07-5 (perfect bound) -- ISBN 978-1-936764-08-2 (library bound) 1. Thought and thinking--Study and teaching. I. Fogarty, Robin, author. II. Pete, Brian M., author. III. Title.

LB1590.3.B45 2012

370.152--dc23

2012013920

Solution Tree

Jeffrey C. Jones, CEO

Edmund M. Ackerman, President

Solution Tree Press

President: Douglas M. Rife

Publisher: Robert D. Clouse

Vice President of Production: Gretchen Knapp

Managing Production Editor: Caroline Wise

Senior Production Editor: Lesley Bolton

Proofreader: Rachel Rosolina

Text Designer: Rian Anderson

Cover Designer: Amy Shock

To our friend and colleague from Down

Under, Elaine Brownlow

Championing thoughtful schools for over

twenty years and still working to

Catch Them Thinking!

Since publishing our first multiple-edition book together in 1987, much has transpired. With that first book, Patterns for Thinking, we wanted to provide information that enabled classroom teachers to take the ideas presented and move them right to their classrooms. We also wanted a book that could help with the emerging role of staff developers as teachers of teachers. Since then, we have collaborated on many books, always keeping in mind the value of transforming theory into practice so that classrooms might become more thoughtful places.

Although Patterns focused on thinking, it was built on the just-emerging cooperative learning research of Roger and David Johnson. Their understanding of cooperative learning as a bed for critical thinking, conflict resolution, and problem solving made a substantive foundation for creating the classroom environment supportive of the ideas we wanted to communicate.

Early on, Art Costa, David Perkins, and John Barell entered the conversation and inspired Robin to research transfer theory, especially concerning thinking skills and problem solving. Her doctoral study took on a practical tone when we used it over and over to inform our professional development work. When Robin interpreted the Oliver Wendell Holmes quote that described three-story intellects at their peak, looking through a skylight to wonder at the stars in the heavens, her descriptions of transfer in practice set us on a path that continues today.

Thus, for this book, we must acknowledge first the support staff at Skylight Professional Development, especially Mary Jane Bloethner, Donna Ramirez, Dave Stockman, Bruce Leckie, Julie Noblit, Amy Wolgemuth, Monica Phillips, and Jean Ward. To these, we add the full-time professional team of colleagues who comprised the famous think tank that Skylight nurtured and embraced: Kay Burke, Carolyn Chapman, Bruce Williams, Beth Swartz, Meir Ben Hurand the consultants who grew with us as authors and professional developers, Sue Marcus Augustine, Penny Finely, Valerie Gregory, Carol Scearce, Gayle Gregory, Terry Perry, Donna Wilson, and Eleanor Renee Rodriquez.

Like Dorothy finding many friends along the yellow brick road, we expanded our list of friends, mentors, and collaborators. In addition to the mentioned colleagues who have remained with us for so long, others have joined the list and provided voices to deepen our understanding of best practice and theory. Those voices most deserving of our thanks include Ron Brandt, Howard Gardner, Reuven Feuerstein, Bob Sternberg, Bob Garmston, Merrill Harmin, Howard Kirschenbaum, Jay McTighe, Laura Lipton, Charlotte Danielson, Elaine Brownlow, and Faye Hauwai.

In this publication, you may hear these many voices speaking here and there. Equally important, you will see the model we have refined over and over to transfer what we have learned over the years into more practical professional learning experiences that move easily into classroom practice. In essence, we see this book as a funnel for not only the best practices for improving achievement and advancing students 21st century skills, especially the core skill of critical thinking, but also the best practices of professional learning that are most likely to empower teachers and administrators to make good sense of the Common Core State Standards.

Finally, we must acknowledge our publication team at Solution Tree. We start with Jeff Jones, CEO extraordinaire, and his best practice of treating authors with a unique respect and providing the support and expertise of an unsurpassed publication staff. To Solution Tree Press President Douglas Rife and renowned publisher Robb Clouse, who together have the eyes and ears for just the right titles; Gretchen Knapp and Lesley Bolton, who drive the book to its conclusion; and Claudia Wheatley, who supports the work with passion and panache, we extend our heartfelt gratitude. We humbly acknowledge the role each plays in transferring the ethereal words that percolate in our heads to everlasting words on paper for others.

Jim, Robin, and Brian

Chicago, Illinois

2012

Solution Tree Press would like to thank the following reviewers:

Kristina Blair

Third- and Fourth-Grade Teacher

Franklin Elementary

Massillon, Ohio

Patricia A. Paxton

Fifth-Grade Teacher

Krause Later Elementary

Armada, Michigan

Rebecca Stinson

Principal

Claremont Math, Science, and Technology Academy

Chicago, Illinois

Lindi Wilson

Fifth-Grade Teacher

Princeton Elementary

Birmingham, Alabama

Visitgo.solution-tree.com/commoncore

to download the reproducibles and access live

links to the websites in this book.