Exploring Thinking

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Thinking skills can be developed – when we informed kids this week they were surprise ‘is thinking a skill like painting or tailoring?’.

Began with an announcement for planning ‘make anything with newspaper ( not use any other tool) and come for session’. Some learnt from others, some made what they knew, some thought new creations. And this set the stage to know that whatever we do we use thinking skills. In next session we demonstrated how even a simple activity like brushing our teeth can bring various levels of thinking. We exploredBloom Taxonomy (six levels of thinking)

  1. K – Knowledge – Used any previous knowledge like knew how to make a boat with newspaper.
  2. C – Comprehension – understand what other person is saying or what you read or what you heard.
  3. U – Using or applying. Know and understand and apply that idea or information or knowledge.
  4. A – Analyse. Analysis of what you are doing..if I do this way, this is working not working, big enough or small.
  5. S – Synthesis or creative. Thinking ahead. You don’t have anything and Take two things and create third one. For example, had paper and think about the chef that you gave seen and created a chef cap with newspaper.
  6. E – Evaluate. Evaluation thinking – or judgement. Creation is good or bad, what you made is working or not working. It can be self evaluation or seek external evaluation. In case of external evaluation, others ( the one who are evaluating you). are using their thinking skills.

This set the stage to explore thinking at various levels in our work. For planning used a dice with six sides of thinking skills, anytime anyone was stuck would go to that dice and roll. Whatever comes on top would think in that way. This helped many to move ahead.Each day we added various aspects in our planning to bring various levels of thinking and ralized we DO THINK in whateer we do. One of the days each had a bet on ‘how many times we used various thinking skills’.

Some of the resources
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bjFkrhJwRBQvwe0Em45L8ySVpSC8t7jwKuBSsTH8Slk/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000&slide=id.p4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huNCPMLHoaQ
One the reflection of a child using Bloom’s thinking skills – since kids are constructing their own understanding of how many different ways they think and apply while working, we did not correct any of their inferences. All we did was brought it in many different ways.
This week I worked on reporter, dome (window designing), system admin (WI-FI router), foot wear repair, making fire extinguisher.

Knowledge- reporter: the knowledge I had was the presentation skills. Dome: the knowledge I had was about measurement. System admin: the knowledge I has was the working of Internet and connection. Footwear repair: the knowledge I had was sewing and knowledge about material and surface. Making fire extinguisher: the knowledge I had was about chemicals and combinations and previous experience.

Comprehension porter: the understanding was trying to study the news before presenting. Dome: I was trying to understand the maths concept to design.
System admin: I was trying to understand the instructions to setup Wi-Fi router. Footwear repair: I was trying to understand the the steps to stitch.
Making fire extinguisher: I was trying to understand the procedure to make.

Analysis- reporter: I was comparing the news with different links. Dome: I wasanalyzingwhich material is good for window. System admin: I was comparing different options to setup WiFi. Footwear repair: I was comparing different materials to stitch. Making fire extinguisher: I was comparing different materials to make it user friendly.

Understandingand Applying- reporter: I used public speaking skills to work on stage fright. Dome: I used people skills toinquire. System admin: I used patience and worked.
Footwear repair: I used my hands on skill to stitch. Making fire extinguisher: I used focus to be more efficient.

Synthesis- reporter: I got new themes for reporter Dome: I got crazy ideas for window design. System admin: tried new materials laptop power button.
Footwear repair: for betting grip I used gum before stitching the strap.
Making fire extinguisher: i made many modifications to the extinguisher, which can doze the fire fast.

Evaluation- reporter: I evaluated myself to be more dedicated, sincere. Dome: I evaluated myself to be involved. System admin: I evaluated myself to be efficient. Footwear repair: i evaluated myself as working with interest. Making fire extinguisher: I evaluated myself as involved and working.

Imagine aarohi where there are no tests and exams – because we believe that children can assess themselves, can reflect on this work on an ongoing basis. Also because children do not need to learn for some external objective (marks) but for their own love for learning.


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