The Missing Skill: Critical Thinking

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The Missing Skill Critical Thinking

• Developing Higher Level Thinking Skills in
  Elementary Through High School Classrooms

A proposal for a professional staff development
program for critical thinking skills Presented
by Marilyn Greenfield Jackie Miller Terrah
Myers Angela Olson Lynne West
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Group activity

• Find the critical thinking quote.

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And the quote?

• The problems that exist today cannot be solved
  by the level of thinking that created them.
• -Albert Einstein

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I. Description of the School District
Knoxville District 202

• Strong academic programs evidenced
• by high test scores
• Full complement of curriculum offerings
• Programs exists for students
• of all ability levels

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II. Determination of Need

• Mission Statement We are dedicated to enabling
  each student to reach his/her full potential
  within his/her aptitudes and interests.
• Caring and understanding staff
• Nurtures students
• Allows students to progress to full potential

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Weakness in higher-order thinking skills

• Students in the district show a marked
• weakness when asked to analyze, evaluate,
• interpret, and assimilate ideas.

• Students do not think critically.

• Evidence of the problem
• Teacher and student journal entries
• Written assignments that are evaluated
• Tests that reflect the students understanding

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III. Description of the Project
Proposal a design for staff development in the
area of strengthening critical thinking
skills. A base group of experience faculty with
research experience in critical thinking in the
classroom will design and implement the staff
development plan. Implementation covers a
three-year period 1st year Developing the
plan 2nd year Implementation of the plan 3rd
year Continue implementation Further staff
training Evaluate the results
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• Who will provide the training?
• A base group of five who have completed an
  action research thesis on improving critical
  thinking skills at grade levels K-12 will design
  and implement the staff development plan.
• When and where will the training take place?
• Training will utilize School Improvement Plan
  (SIP) days
• The first and last days of school
• Four workshop training days
• Training will take place on site and at a
  conference

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• VI. What staff will be involved?
• Base group of five
• Committee of eight staff members
• Eventually, all staff will be included
• What is the goal of the project?
• To improve critical thinking skills at all levels
  throughout the district.

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• How will student learning be affected?
• Students will demonstrate a higher level of
  critical thinking skills
• Evidenced by
• Improvement on standardized tests
• Observations of classroom discussions
• Evaluations of student products
• What will keep the project from becoming
  successful?
• Lack of staff interest
• Ineffective presentation by base group
• Lack of desired funding

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• X. Implementation of the Project
• Year One

Summer 2003 Presentation August 2003 Faculty /
staff presentation September 2003 Committee
training December 2003 Identify CT
weaknesses February 2004 Prepare lesson
plans April 2004 Prepare district materials May
2004 District tools developed June 2004 Faculty
/ staff presentation July 2004 CNECT Conference
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• X. Implementation of the Project
• Year Two

August 2004 Two-day workshop for base group and
selected committee Staff development
workshop September 2004 Critical thinking project
initiated October 2004 Knowledge-level
thinking November 2004 Comprehension-level
thinking December 2004 Application-level
thinking January 2005 Analysis-level
thinking February 2005 Synthesis-level
thinking March 2005 Evaluation-level
thinking April 2005 Integration of all levels of
thinking May 2005 Evaluate project offer
improvements June 2005 Present building
augmentations
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• X. Implementation of the Project
• Year Three

August 2005 Application school-wide Staff
development workshop September 2005 CT project
initiated in classrooms October
2005 Knowledge-level thinking November
2005 Comprehension-level thinking December
2005 Application-level thinking January
2006 Analysis-level thinking February
2006 Synthesis-level thinking March
2006 Evaluation-level thinking April
2006 Integrate all levels of thinking May
2006 Evaluate program for following year June
2006 Integrate analysis and improvements into CT
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XI. Rationale and Alignment to Illinois Learning
Standards (Blooms Taxonomy)
Knowledge Analysis Comprehension Synthesis Ap
plication Evaluation
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(No Transcript)
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XII. Funding and Expenses
Projected Expenses 2003-2004
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XII. Funding and Expenses
Projected Expenses 2004-2005
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XII. Funding and Expenses
Projected Expenses 2005-2006
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XIII. Funding Sources
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XIV Evaluation

• Documentation through staff anecdotal record and
  student journals
• Increase in student scores on standardized tests
• Classroom evaluations through existing curriculum

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Dirt dessert is like critical thinking because?
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• Thank you for your consideration of this proposal.

Presented by Marilyn Greenfield Jackie
Miller Terrah Myers Angela Olson Lynne West