Developing Critical Thinkers
Level 1
- Identify & Define Critical content terms, create lessons and materials that develop Literacy (optional use of Common Core)
- Build Schema and Cognitive Organization, create classroom lesson to facilitate Student Schema (optional use of Smarter Balanced Assessment)
- Design Daily Lesson guides that are student centered and self-directed
- Identify & Define critical content terms using Common Core Standards
- Build Schema and Cognitive Organization
- Explore different approaches to creating Student activities and learning experiences that build literacy, cognitive organization, student centered, and fully self-directed units
Developing Critical Thinkers
Common Core
Developing Critical Thinkers
Level 2
- Identify, Define, and Build an entire Quarters literacy lessons, Schemas, and Daily lesson guides
- Explore different approaches to scaffolding entire quarter towards fully self-directed curriculum (i.e. Khan Academy, Dan Meyer Problem Solving, Edmodo, Jupiter Grades, Google websites, Webme, Podcast, Voice Threads, Teacher Tube )
- Self Select and Design an entire quarter's curriculum to scaffold respective classrooms towards fully self-directed and student centered (optional 1:1 approach)
VISUALS + MIND= CONNECTED.
Here are quotes from educators who have participated in our k-12 all content State Approved Professional Development course:
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"I learned a lot from doing this workshop! I actually saw a greater connection to common core, especially considering how many vocabulary words common core has and how many of those the students do not usually know. I also gained a greater understanding of where and how my students misperceive critical content based on how their schema has organized them."
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"It has reminded me how important it is to keep in mind that there is no "right way" to learn new things. That learning takes courage to do a little risk-taking and try things out that are unfamiliar. If we as teachers do not try new things, then how can we expect the same of our students."
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"Hands down, the most relevant and effective PD class I have ever taken. I only wish I would have been exposed to these ideas when I first started to teaching."
The following quotes are from actual students in Dan and Sean's respective classes:
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“The day we are born we pick things up, learn, and we adapt. We understand things based on the ideas we have learned. Our understanding of new ideas changes based on the way we organized past experiences and ideas. If one of our experiences is a bad one then it will affect how we perceive new ideas or experiences. We can use maps to change the way we organize things in our mind to see all the possibilities in our lives.” - 3rd time Algebra I
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"Now, since I had this class, I think smart is just organized. If everyone had a mental map and organized every idea, then everyone will be as smart as the other!" - 3rd time Algebra I
DCT Professional Workshops
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TEDxHonolulu
DCT had the distinction of being selected to share our experience and approach to fostering critical thinking, creativity, and self-efficacy fostered in the classroom at TEDxHonolulu back in 2011. This opportunity truly gave us the encouragement to reflect on our practice as well as begin shaping the direction we wanted to take to share our approach with other educators around the globe.
Teacher Perspective
DCT had the opportunity to sit down and talk story with a fellow educator, David Jakahi, about implementation, impact, and implications of DCT in his classroom. David is a veteran teacher that is a true inspiration and model of how to continually grow as an educator by tapping into his passion and energy for students and their learning experience.
INNOVATION Short
Sean and Dan were selected by the Hawai'i State Teachers Association as one of the many representations of innovation created in the classrooms of Hawai'i. This project was the opportunity to share our classroom approach as well as capture our students' thoughts and experiences in a dynamic way! If your interested in contacting Kinetic Productions of Honolulu , check out their site here: Kinetic.
DCT's "THINK." short
A short clip made by DCT to highlight the critical parts of their "THINK." stage in their "THINK. ALIGN. INNOVATE." process. A short time lapse that previews the process of moving from Critical Vocabulary to Schema Mapping. This is not a how to, but more a fluid snapshot of Critical Thinking.
How We Learn Short
How we learn is a short clip showing what learning can look like from Kindergarden to High School using DCT's Methodology. In this particular clip, we used common core standards and built an organic map that a student should be building conceptually as they learn math. Please let us know your thoughts!
DCT in Singapore
DCT was asked to run a workshop at the presitigous Nanyang Girls School in Singapore. This workshop was designed to address self-directed or 1-to-1 learning as well as approaches to building critical and creative thinking with any topic. In this short, you will see time laps footage as well as student interviews from these inspiring group of young women!
As educators we are charged with the challenge of preparing our students for the 21st century work environment as well as their capacity to identify, strive, and reach their life goals. DCT believed the best way to meet this objective was to design an approach that would directly foster our students capacity to teach themselves. This simple mission raised classroom passrates from 12% to 70% with Repeating Algebra I students and increased a class average score on the Hawai'i State Assessment by more than 40% over the state's class average. DCT was able to achieve this by applying their classroom designed and refined U.S. Provisionally Patented Methodology into a student directed classroom curriculum. In our Professional Development Workshops, educators efficiently and effectively utilize their time to design this classroom curriculum that is capable of fostering the creative and critical thinkers all students have the capacity to be!