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Norwalk teachers say 'Building Thinking Classrooms' boosted engagement, showed early assessment gains
Summary
Teachers and district coaches told the Norwalk Board of Education curriculum committee that a pedagogy called Building Thinking Classrooms — using vertical whiteboards, randomized triads and metacognitive routines — increased student engagement and showed early Smarter Balanced growth in three pilot schools.
Norwalk School District educators told the Board of Education curriculum committee on Dec. 28 that a set of classroom practices known as Building Thinking Classrooms has increased student engagement and produced early evidence of academic growth in elementary classrooms.
Misty Hofer, who leads district math training and supports coaches, said the approach "are practices that support your students and allow you as a teacher to shift into a different mode, which is really all about fostering, monitoring, and promoting higher order thinking." Hofer told the committee the district began summer trainings and outside workshops after the pedagogy's 2020 publications and has expanded professional development this year.
Amy Tobin, math coach at Fox Run Elementary, described concrete classroom routines: "Because it's a whiteboard, students are much more keen to try unfamiliar strategies because they can erase it," she said, explaining that vertical whiteboards…
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