Discover how to use the ‘Put On Your Thinking Caps’ instructional tool to nurture critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students. This article also entails how this is a visible thinking routine!
Put On Your Thinking Caps: A Critical Thinking Tool for Classrooms
Video Transcript on Put Your Thinking Caps On
Hello and welcome to today’s video!
In this video, we will be understanding another instruction tool called Put On Your Thinking Caps. We will first look at what is Put On Your Thinking Caps.
We will then look at the steps involved in using this tool.
And then we will look at an example which will help us understand this tool better.
What is Put On Your Thinking Caps? This tool can be used as a short activity.
This can be used as a physical cap or hat that students wear to initiate thinking. This thinking routine :
- Enables students to nurture critical thinking skills and challenges them to solve problems.
- Opens their thinking to multiple perspectives on a single issue or problem.
- Is also a way to get students to look deeper into an issue or problem and draw conclusions based on thoughtful consideration of different angles.
Steps To Use Tool Put Your Thinking Caps On
- Gather Materials:
The teacher must first gather relevant materials or make small-size substitutes to put on the hats. -
- For example, if we were to use this tool in a science class, the teacher can use materials like twigs, periodic tables, toy animals, etc.
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Discuss and Activate Thinking:
Discuss with students about the topic and learning materials that activate their thinking, helping them brainstorm and inspire their creativity.
Examples of Using Thinking Caps
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Language and Literacy Class for Early Years:
- Before you start reading a storybook, ask students to look closely at the cover picture.
- Put on their thinking caps and ask:
- What is the story going to be about?
- Why do you think the elephant is here?
- Do you think it was a good decision to take away the wings from the elephant? Why and why not?
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Math Class for Earlier Classes:
- The teacher can engage students further on the concept of triangles which was taught the previous day.
- Hook their attention by asking students:
- Put on your thinking caps and think of where triangles can be used in your homes.
- Can some other shape be used instead of a triangle?
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For Middle and Senior School Students:
- Divide the class into groups of six where each member is given a particular hat that defines their role.
- Each hat has a specific colour and role attached to it:
- Blue Hat: Manages the whole process. This person will ensure that the entire project runs smoothly with the sequence in the plan, specifying the timelines by which each individual should contribute.
- Green Hat: Ideates and innovates. This person will suggest and discuss possible materials that can be used or the way an idea can be presented.
- White Hat: Finds facts and information about the concept.
- Yellow Hat: Discusses the benefits and values related to each idea the group comes up with.
- Red Hat: Interviews people and discusses how people feel about the question and topic being discussed. The focus here is on feelings, intuitions, hunches, etc.
- Black Hat: Is responsible for looking into cautions and limitations of the ideas suggested.
These were a few ways in which Put On Your Thinking Caps can be used in your class. We hope you take this tool back to your classrooms!
Why Is This Tool Also A Visible Thinking Routine?
The “Put Your Thinking Caps On” activity is considered a visible thinking routine because it makes student’s thinking process explicit, allowing both the teacher and the students to observe and engage with their cognitive strategies in real-time. Here’s why it qualifies as a visible thinking routine:
1. Encourages Metacognition
The act of “putting on a thinking cap” encourages students to become aware of their own thinking. It prompts them to reflect on their thoughts and articulate what they are considering, thus making their mental processes visible. This metacognitive approach helps students gain insight into their reasoning, problem-solving strategies, and areas of uncertainty.
2. Fosters Active Engagement
The routine prompts students to actively engage in the thought process. By imagining themselves in different roles or perspectives, they become more involved in the task. This engagement makes their thinking visible to others, as they share their ideas, ask questions, and debate their viewpoints in a structured manner.
3. Promotes Group Thinking and Collaboration
When used in a group context, such as assigning different roles or “hats” to students, the thinking becomes visible to the entire class. Students can observe how their peers approach problems from different angles, which leads to collaborative thinking. The sharing of individual perspectives, as well as the discussions that follow, makes the thought processes visible and transparent to all participants.
4. Helps to Identify Diverse Perspectives
The routine encourages students to think from multiple viewpoints, helping them see issues from different angles. For instance, in a group setting with different “hats” (e.g., blue for management, green for creativity, yellow for optimism, black for caution), each student’s approach to a problem becomes clear to others. This visibility of diverse thought processes fosters a richer understanding of the issue at hand.
5. Supports Deep Thinking
The “thinking cap” prompts students to go beyond surface-level responses and dig deeper into the issue or topic. By directing their focus on specific aspects (facts, emotions, pros and cons, etc.), students develop a more nuanced understanding, and this deeper engagement becomes visible through the connections and insights they share.
6. Facilitates Reflection and Feedback
Once students have had the opportunity to think critically, they can reflect on their contributions and receive feedback from peers and teachers. This visible process of reflection helps students refine their ideas, solidify their understanding, and identify any misconceptions they might have. The feedback loop makes their thinking process more tangible and actionable.
In summary, “Put Your Thinking Caps On” is a visible thinking routine because it allows students to externalize their thinking, engage in reflective practices, share diverse perspectives, and collaborate with others. By making thinking visible, it enhances students’ critical thinking skills and fosters a deeper understanding of the topic being discussed.
We always leave you with a little more, so here you go:
- A Fun Blog On Using The Tool
- Interested In A Research Paper On On Put Your Thinking Cap On? Detecting Cognitive Load using EEG during Learning
- And a free Downloadable to put up in your classroom. Check Below! Credits
