This resource is a 15-minute teacher guide focused on metacognition, which is described as one of eight key Evidence-Based Learning (EBL) skills. Here’s a summary of its contents: It provides an introduction to metacognition in the context of learning and teaching. The guide explains what metacognition is, defining it as “thinking about one’s own thinking” and distinguishing it from cognition. It describes the two key components of metacognition: metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive regulation. The resource places metacognition in the context of other thinking skills, showing where it fits in relation to Bloom’s Taxonomy and other 21st century skills. It includes examples of metacognitive questions that students might ask before, during, and after a learning task. The guide provides several research-based quotes on the importance and benefits of metacognition in learning. It explains how metacognition relates to self-regulation and successful learning. This guide that can be used across multiple classrooms and can potentially inform school-wide approaches to developing students’ metacognitive skills since it research-based evidence and practical examples.

This guide, “Ten Strategies for Creating a Classroom Climate for Creative Thinking,” provides primary teachers with evidence-based, practical strategies to foster a creative and dynamic learning environment. Key Points of Value: Comprehensive and Practical: Includes ten actionable strategies, such as encouraging idea generation, group brainstorming, learning from mistakes, and using creative thinking frameworks. Supportive Learning Environment: Focuses on creating a classroom atmosphere that nurtures creativity through collaboration, acceptance of mistakes, and constructive feedback. Diverse and Flexible Approaches: Emphasizes activities like mind mapping, visualization, and “what if” questions to stimulate varied thinking. Explicit Skill Development: Highlights the importance of teaching students the aspects of creative thinking directly, fostering self-reflection and metacognition. Structured Process: Guides teachers through methods for generating, evaluating, and refining student ideas, ensuring productive and focused creative work. The Ten Strategies Covered Include: Encouraging ideas Brainstorming as a group Allowing for mistakes Teaching creative techniques Maintaining a relaxed approach Promoting a creative environment Supporting collaboration Implementing creative frameworks Teaching creative aspects explicitly Encouraging creative flow These strategies empower teachers to enrich their practices and cultivate a classroom culture that values creativity and innovation.

Teachers will find clear explanations, strategies, and examples that make it easier to integrate creative thinking practices into their teaching. This guide equips teachers with the tools to develop students’ problem-solving skills, adaptability, and innovative mindsets, making it a valuable resource for fostering essential 21st-century competencies. This guide is divided into two main sections, providing a well-rounded approach to understanding and applying creative thinking concepts. Key Highlights: Comprehensive Definitions: Clear explanations of creative thinking and how it differs from general creativity, helping teachers grasp its unique role in education. Evidence-Based Insights: A review of research-backed reasons why creative thinking is critical for today’s learners, enhancing your ability to justify its importance in your teaching practice. Attributes of Creative Thinkers: Detailed coverage of the key attributes that define creative thinkers, such as goal orientation, imagination, and self-regulation, offering you practical markers for student assessment. Practical Applications: Techniques and ideas to integrate creative thinking into your lessons, encouraging students to approach problems with fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. Support for Problem Solving: Insights on how creative thinking contributes to developing problem-solving skills, enabling students to adapt and respond effectively to new challenges. This guide is ideal for primary teachers who aim to enrich their teaching methods and promote higher-level thinking. It provides a blend of theory and actionable advice to make creative thinking a cornerstone of classroom success.

Student-Friendly Self-Assessment Whiteboard Prompts - Any Subject - Any Topic This whiteboard resource is a visual guide on self-assessment for students. It breaks down the self-assessment process into different stages and provides prompting questions for students to reflect on their learning experience at each stage. The resource covers the following stages: Before starting a task (goal setting, understanding expectations, planning approach) During the task (monitoring progress, evaluating performance, reflecting on quality) After completing the task (identifying strengths, areas for improvement, next steps, reflecting on challenges, successes, and overall learning) Reflecting on the learning process (motivation, confidence, dealing with distractions, productive strategies, effort, areas for improvement) The prompting questions are designed to encourage students to think critically about their learning strategies, progress, and areas for growth. The resource aims to promote self-awareness, self-evaluation, and metacognition, which are essential skills for effective learning. From a teacher’s perspective, this whiteboard resource can be highly useful for implementing self-assessment practices in the classroom. It provides a structured framework for students to engage in self-assessment, which can be challenging for many learners. The resource can be used as a visual aid during classroom discussions or as a handout for students to refer to during their self-assessment process. Teachers can use this resource to: Introduce the concept of self-assessment and its importance in learning. Guide students through the self-assessment process using the prompting questions. Encourage students to reflect on their learning experiences and identify areas for improvement. Foster a culture of self-awareness and self-regulation in the classroom. Adapt the prompting questions to suit specific learning tasks or subject areas. Overall, this whiteboard resource is a practical and student-friendly tool for teachers looking to incorporate self-assessment practices in their classrooms. It can help students develop essential metacognitive skills, take ownership of their learning, and ultimately become more effective and independent learners.

A set of classic thinking skills prompts for use in every classroom (24pp) This whiteboard resource titled “Thinking Skills in Action” provides an excellent overview of different types of thinking skills and how they can be applied in the classroom. As a teacher, I find this resource quite useful for the following reasons: Comprehensive coverage: The resource covers six essential thinking skills: remembering, understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating. These skills align with the cognitive domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy, a widely recognized framework for promoting higher-order thinking. Question prompts: For each thinking skill, the resource provides sample questions that teachers can use to encourage students to engage in that particular type of thinking. These question prompts are practical examples that teachers can readily adapt to their lesson plans and classroom activities. 21st-century thinking skills: The resource recognises the importance of developing 21st-century thinking skills, such as creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving, which are crucial for students to navigate the information-rich world and address complex issues. Visual representation: The information is presented in a visually appealing and organised manner, making it easy for teachers to understand and refer to during lesson planning or classroom instruction. Versatility: This resource can be used across various subject areas and grade levels. The thinking skills and question prompts are applicable to a wide range of topics and disciplines, making it a valuable tool for teachers in different subject areas. Overall, this whiteboard resource serves as a concise yet comprehensive guide for teachers looking to incorporate thinking skills into their classroom practices. By promoting different types of thinking skills and providing practical examples, this resource can help teachers design engaging and challenging learning experiences that foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and higher-order cognitive skills in students.