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Pewaukee teachers show ‘Building Thinking Classrooms’ approach at Asa Clark Middle School
Summary
Teachers and coaches from Asa Clark Middle School described a two‑year district book study using Building Thinking Classrooms strategies — random student groupings, vertical workspaces and low‑floor/high‑ceiling tasks — and reported early gains in student engagement and teacher practice.
Asa Clark Middle School staff presented the Pewaukee School District board with classroom examples of Building Thinking Classrooms on Nov. 1, saying the approach has increased student engagement and given teachers new tools for in‑the‑moment differentiation. "The building thinking teaching practices empower educators with a repertoire of effective strategies that promote active participation," said Melissa Schultz, a district learning coach who co‑facilitates the book study.
District principal Katie Spadoni introduced the team and noted the program has spread beyond a single classroom: "We've got a wonderful team of educators here who are excited to talk to you about our work in our math department," she said. Presenters described a three‑tiered implementation: toolkit 1 focuses on thinking tasks, visibly random groups and vertical non‑permanent surfaces; toolkit 2 'de‑fronts' instruction and raises the cognitive demand; toolkit 3 introduces asynchronous supports and extensions.
Teachers gave concrete examples. Jess Weiss, a seventh‑grade teacher, said she began by moving students to vertical boards and adapting one thinking task per lesson; a student survey in her coaching cycle showed 93% of respondents reported the same or higher levels of engagement. She also reported that in her seventh‑grade classes the percentage of students proficient on the first assessment rose from 39% last year to 76% this year in her classes, while acknowledging other factors may play a role: "Of course, there are other factors, I'm sure," she said.
Jeff Patzer, an eighth‑grade teacher, described using the site Flippity to randomize groups and credited district and PTO support for classroom manipulative purchases that make frequent vertical work practical. Presenters and board members highlighted resource needs, including additional whiteboards and manipulatives, as a practical barrier for scaling the approach across classrooms.
Why it matters: the Building Thinking Classrooms framework emphasizes collaboration and problem solving rather than teacher‑led, seat‑work instruction. District leaders said the approach aligns with ongoing professional development and coaching models and could support equity goals by offering low‑floor, high‑ceiling tasks that all students can access.
Next steps: board members requested learning‑walk visits to see the strategies in action during classroom observation days, and district staff said they will coordinate those visits and continue coaching cycles and data collection to monitor effects over time.
