A series of routines has been developed and I will be using these to teach rights and freedoms to my Year 9 history classes this semester:
- Parts, Purposes, Complexities (for looking closely)
- Parts, People, Interactions (for exploring complexity) – I have used this routine before to teach the causes of the First World War (it didn’t work too well when I only had one lesson on the topic with Year 9, when I had a few weeks with Year 11 it was perfect).
- Voice and Choice (for developing a sensitivity to what and who is not represented)
- People, Systems, Power, Participation (for looking critically at content and developing a sensitivity to the roles of power and participation)
- Inquiry Cycle (for documenting).
Tag: Project Zero
At this time when so many of us suddenly find ourselves teaching in unfamiliar contexts (we used to teach in classrooms—now we guide learners from a distance; we used to send our children off to school—now they’re home all day), the question “How can I support learning?” looms large.
The “At Home with PZ” toolbox was developed to help you answer that question. The activities you’ll find here provide ways to adapt Project Zero strategies and frameworks for use in different settings: for virtual classrooms and for home learning; guided by a teacher working remotely or by a parent or caregiver in person. Some can be done outdoors, some indoors, and some are appropriate for either. The activities are sorted into two types: tools for learning (the toolbox) and Thinking Routines (thinking bubbles). Each activity offers variations for different age groups as well as for the adult facilitation needed so students could work alone, or, as part of a pair, group, or virtual classroom. We hope that these activities, specially curated by PZ researchers, spark creative solutions for your context.
The “At Home with PZ” toolbox features an easy-to-use search function to help you find the activities that fit your and your learners’ needs. Simply use the filters (as many or as few as you’d like) to indicate the learner age range and the time commitment that match your context. Alternatively, you can skim the list below to get a quick overview the activities and learner age ranges. Clicking on the activity link takes you to a downloadable PDF that describes the activity in more detail, including suggestions for use and tips for getting started.
The Project Zero team summarise how visible thinking can be adapted and integrated within online learning. This adds to some ideas Carole Geneix collated.
Some institutions are special, and it is worthwhile to keep them well-functioning, even when the original leadership and members are no longer on the scene. Such survival—and occasional rebirth—is worth considering and worth understanding. I have suggested here some possible factors: the attraction of capable successors to the founding leaders; willingness to pursue new directions without sacrificing core values and robust norms; alertness to shifting funding landscapes; honoring norms as well as regulations; and nurturing talent and providing a comfortable base of operation.
Howard Gardner provides two case studies of MIT Media Lab and Harvard’s Project Zero. This includes their vision and leadership. It is intriguing reading in light of the associations with Jeffrey Epstein. Gardner wrote an update based on this:
This blog was written in July 2019 and posted on August 12, 2019. Since then, there has been an upheaval at The Media Lab, and director Joi Ito has resigned. I have been a friend of the Lab for many years and admired much of what Joi Ito has accomplished there. But I was also cognizant of how fragile institutions can be and, accordingly, in the third to last paragraph of the blog, I pointed out that institutions can be undermined by sexual, financial, or ethical scandals. Alas, The Media Lab has been shaken by events and allegations that seem to involve, either directly or indirectly, all three of these elements. Since I believe in the mission of The Media Lab, and what it has accomplished over the last forty years, I hope that it can negotiate this difficult period thoughtfully and responsibly and continue its important work. And I hope that Joi Ito can find the proper channels for his undoubted gifts.
Creating a culture of thinking is not a “quick fix” or something that can be simply installed. Creating a culture of thinking takes time, it is an ongoing process of small steps that needs constant attention.
Cameron Paterson reviews Ron Ritchhart’s Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools, discussing the impact of the book on his teaching and the culture within his classroom.
Some simple ways to begin practicing documentation include:
Sharing a short video clip of documentation at the start of class or a meeting by displaying a brief clip and then asking students their thoughts about it. Taking a photo of an especially powerful learning moment to revisit with students by using the classroom walls to display the documentation. Jotting down a provocative or insightful quote from a student to share with the class via speech bubbles on the walls.
Cameron Paterson provides a useful introduction to Ron Ritchhart’s Cultures of Thinking and the notion of documentation. Along with Silvia Tolisano and Diane Kashin, I have written about Project Zero and the routines of thinking before. I was also left thinking about the power of documentation during a recent session with Amy Burvall, where we critiqued our creative thinking. However, Cameron’s post also left me wondering about the place of thinking and documentation outside of the classroom?
What might pedagogies for supporting civic agency look like? How do students investigate civic issues? What are the complexities of gathering information in a networked age? How do students learn to talk across differences, imagine new possibilities, and cultivate skills to develop a social change agenda?