Purpose: The purpose of implementing Visible Thinking Routines (VTR) into the classrooms at Leonard Elementary School is to nurture

higher level thinking into the daily lives of learners while making their thinking visible. When thinking becomes visible, teachers and parents can better facilitate deeper thinking in our students. Supporting a culture of thinking develops college and career ready students.
Engages in and held responsible for his/her learning

Our mission is to make sure all students learn. January 2013: Volume 2

Making YOUR Childs Thinking Visible

Student

Going BEYOND the facts to stretch our learning ulizes mulple modes of teaching. Students learn how to apply and implement their knowledge with support at school and home.

TEAMWORK!
Working together provides a solid foundaon toward student success.

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

Parent

Teacher

Acvely connects and supports student learning

Provides tools and strategies to expand student learning

How to Connect at Home: Connecting to your child at home is an integral part of your childs success. Showing interest by asking questions about what happened in your childs school day is a great start! You can assist further by:
asking open ended questions (questions that require more than a yes or no answer). trying a VTR at home. (Start simple and refer to the samples provided in our quarterly brochures.)

providing a platform for your child to be heard. (This is where you can dispel any misunderstandings or misconceptions in his/her learning.) modeling how to problem solve and work through a problem together!

D o y o u R E A L L Y k n o w w h a t y o u r c h ild is t h in k in g ?
Whether your child is at school or at home, Visible Thinking Routines (VTR) may be used to access his/her knowledge and bring out his/her voice! Just by changing the way you ask questions can bring your family discussions to a deeper level!

NOTE: We will be looking for parent feedback through an online survey in May. We appreciate your willingness to support our endeavors and try the VISIBLE THINKING techniques at home.

Read on to Discover how YOU can further support your child!

SEE - THINK - WONDER

This can be used after watching a show, going to the park, grocery shopping, any family outing, and absolutely anything you may do with your little one.

This routine stresses the importance of observation as the basis for student thinking. Close observation provides the opportunity to think about what your child may see and then ultimately wonder.

5th Grade example students recorded thoughts while watching a science video

PARENT GUIDE This VTR can be used virtually with any acvity in which you and your child engage! This roune is easy to implement when students are learning something new! This roune is versale because anything that can be observed, interpreted, and wondered about is the FOCUS of this lesson.

This VTR may be adapted to something you may hear as well; for example, a guest speaker, radio news arcle, books on CD, and much, much more! ALL LEVELS of learners gain from this exercise!

1st Grade example students observed an object found within our school

HOW MIGHT YOU USE THIS VTR?

Ask your child: Ritchhart, Ron, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison. Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2011. Print.
You can also check out a website by our District Differentiation Specialist, Ellen Cale, at http://acultureofthinking.weebly.com .

What do you see? What do you think is going on? What does it make you wonder? or What are you curious about?

Leonard Principal Jerry Cottone, 1st Grade Teacher Nadeen Brown, and 5th Grade Teacher Lisa Carruthers