The initial response to the theme, The Thinking Classroom, is frequently…..”but aren’t all classrooms such?”. Regardless of age, students learn to think in thoughtful classrooms rich in opportunities to experience pertinent and meaningful issues, and to be able to examine relevant topics from different perspectives. Effective classrooms support students in acquiring and refining skills, developing informed opinions and being able to communicate new learning to others.
Effective thinking skills need to be taught. Creating safe learning environments which promote enquiry, risk taking and learning from occasional failure are challenges for every teacher. A critical skill for both teacher and learner is being able to ask questions that promote deeper thinking. But good questions themselves are not enough as these must be accompanied by effective feedback, ongoing assessment, and timely instruction.
The 2018 LCEEQ Conference, The Thinking Classroom
Keynote Speakers
Garfield Gini-Newman
Garfield Gini-Newman explores how to teach through wonder-based learning while nurturing deep conceptual understanding and genuine competence. As an associate professor at OISE/University of Toronto and the senior national consultant with The Critical Thinking Consortium, Garfield has worked with thousands of teachers across grades and subjects, helping them to frame learning around engaging and provocative activities and authentic assessments. Requests for Garfield’s services have taken him from Asia to the Middle East, Europe, the Caribbean and across North America. His interest in effective teaching and learning has led him to actively explore the challenges and opportunities presented by teaching and learning in the digital age. In addition to his work at the University of Toronto and delivering workshops, Garfield has also authored several articles, chapters in books and seven textbooks and has taught in the faculties of education at York University and the University of British Columbia. His most recent book co-authored with Roland Case, Creating Thinking Classrooms, has received widespread praise from leading educators across Canada and internationally |
Barrie Bennett
Barrie Bennett is professor emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto (OISE/UT). His research work focuses primarily on the design of powerful learning environments for students and teachers through the process of systemic change. He is currently working in districts in three countries on long-term projects related to instructional intelligence and systemic change (Australia, Ireland and Canada). Barrie has taught at the elementary and secondary levels, as well as having worked in group homes, prisons, and security units for juvenile offenders. He has written six books, his latest two books, being published in 2017, are Effective Group Work: Beyond Cooperative Learning and Instructional Expertise: Conversations With Myself and Others. |
Featured Speakers
Laura Gini-Newman
Laura Gini-Newman is a consultant, facilitator and Math Coordinator with The Critical Thinking Consortium. She has worked with teachers of all subject areas in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, the USA, the Caribbean, the Middle East, China, Europe. She has helped to develop many resources in support of critical thinking in mathematics, social studies and curriculum planning and assessment in support of effective instruction at elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels. In support of excellence in learning for all, Laura also does volunteer consulting for other charitable institutions including Alma to support learning in remote villages in Central and Latin America. Laura has taught at the Faculties of Education at both the University of Toronto and York University for almost a decade. Recently retired from the Peel District School Board, she served in various capacities including Mathematical Literacy Resource Teacher and Math Coach, Literacy Resource Teacher, and Instructional Coordinator for the area of Assessment Literacy. Laura has enjoyed being a classroom teacher of economics, mathematics, history, geography, philosophy, civics and politics for over 20 years. She has co-authored a high school philosophy textbook and has contributed to and authored several additional publications on classroom pedagogy for primary, secondary and post-secondary education. Previous to her career as an educator, Laura practiced as an economist, an accountant and taught Economics, Statistics and Accounting at the University of Toronto and York University. |
Jessica Ross
Jessica Ross is a Project Manager and researcher on the Agency by Design initiative at Project Zero, a research center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Agency by Design is a multiyear research project investigating the promises, practices, and pedagogies of maker-centered learning experiences. Prior to this role, Jessica taught grades 5-8 humanities for over a decade. Working with teachers, schools, and districts, Jessica has facilitated professional learning opportunities, both internationally and throughout the U.S., sharing Project Zero frameworks like Visible and Artful Thinking in addition to interdisciplinary-focused content courses in the Humanities. Along with these professional facilitation opportunities, her interest in working with educators has been fulfilled through her roles as education coordinator of the Project Zero Classroom Institute and as teaching fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education |
Conference Program
View or download here
Evaluation Results & Handouts
Total Registrants VS. Evals Received |
Average Workshops Score |
864/444 (51%) |
4.3 |
General Question |
Average Score |
The conference met my expectations |
4.3 / 5 |
The Conference will be of value to me in the future |
4.3 / 5 |
The Conference had enough variety to maintain my interest |
4 / 5 |
The Conference facilities were satisfactory |
4.5 / 5 |
Keynote Speakers |
Average score |
Handout |
Garfield Gini-Newman – Creating a Thinking Classroom for the 21st Century |
4.7 |
|
Barrie Bennett – The Missing 'think' in Thinking |
4.4 |
Workshops Block A |
Average score |
Handout |
Garfield Gini-Newmanr – Sustained Inquiry for Deep Learning |
4.5 |
|
Elana Cooperberg – Creative Thinking in the Classroom |
3.7 |
|
Stephanie McCully – Critical Thinking, Mindset, and Feedback - Strategies for Student Success |
4.3 |
|
Alissa Sklar – More Than Just Hormones: A Teachers' Classroom Guide to the Thinking, Learning, and Growing... |
4.2 |
N/A |
Laura Gini-Newman – Thinking for Conceptual Understanding in Mathematics? |
3.5 |
|
Diane Alain – Transfer of Language Learning between.../Le transfert des apprentissages... |
4.0 |
N/A |
Anne Nicholson – Restorative Practices for Critical Thinkingh |
3.7 |
Workshops Block B |
Average score |
Handout |
Caroline Dupuis – Fake News? Real News? Who Knows... |
3.2 |
N/A |
Anne Nicholson – Restorative Practices for Critical Thinking |
4.0 |
|
Matt Russell – The Historical Thinking Classroom |
3.7 |
|
Gail MacDonald – he Thinking Classroom: Reconstructing.../La classe réflective: Reconstruire... |
4.0 |
|
Anne Beamish – Critical Literacy for Life-Creating Critical Readers |
3.8 |
|
Laura Gini-Newman – Thinking for Conceptual Understanding in Mathematics |
3.1 |
|
Ainsley Rose – Helping Students See Themselves as Learners by Developing Their Learner Qualities... |
4.3 |
|
Jessica Ross – Deeper Thinking, Active Learning: An introduction to Visible Thinking |
3.4 |
Workshops Block C |
Average score |
Handout |
Barrie Bennett – Merging Four Key Factors in the Design of the Barrie Bennett ‘Thinking Classroom’ |
4.1 |
|
Jessica Ross – Deeper Thinking, Active Learning: An introduction to Visible Thinking |
4 |
|
Lindsay Harrar – Differentiation to Support Critical Thinking |
3.7 |
N/A |
Jill Goldberg – Education for Reconciliation:.../Éducation pour la réconciliation:... |
4.1 |
|
Ainsley Rose – The Learning Pit: Helping Students Learn from "Productive Failure" in the Thinking Classroom |
4.7 |
|
Julie Pare – Interagir en FLS - Conversation r fl chie |
4.7 |
N/A |
Caroline Dupuis – Knowledge Quest: Breaking Out Those Information, Literacy and Critical Thinking Skillsm |
4.7 |
N/A> |
Jessica Ross – Closing Plenary - Visible Thinking in New Realms... |
3.4 |