20. Harnessing Higher-Order Thinking

In today's (slightly longer than usual) episode, we’re breaking down key strategies from the 'Great Teaching Toolkit' to help you promote deeper learning and critical thinking in your classroom. We guide you through six core elements—Structuring, Explaining, Questioning, Interacting, Embedding, and Activating—giving you practical tips and examples that you can start using right away.You’ll learn how to simplify complex ideas without overwhelming your students, ask the right questions to encourage critical thinking, and help your students become more independent learners. Whether you’re an experienced educator or just starting out, this episode offers actionable insights to help you foster more meaningful learning experiences in your classroom.TL;DR Overview of the Great Teaching Toolkit’s four dimensions Six elements to deepen student thinking How to structure lessons to engage and challenge students Managing cognitive load while simplifying explanations Asking better questions and using feedback to drive deeper thinking Encouraging students to take ownership of their learningHelpful Links 💡 ⁠Great Teaching Toolkit Evidence Review⁠⁠Project Zero Thinking Routines Toolbox⁠⁠Understanding How We Learn - Book⁠Recording this as PD? Here are the relevant APSTs: Focus Area 1.2 - Understand how students learn Focus Area 3.3 - Use teaching strategies Focus Area 4.1 - Support student participation Focus Area 5.1 - Assess student learning If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and share it with your colleagues! Stay tuned for more strategies to support your students' learning.