Walk into almost any classroom and you're likely to hear teachers asking students to think. This may take the form of asking learners to compare two perspectives, analyze the evidence at hand, determine the best solution to a problem, or support their conclusions with evidence.

Asking students to engage in this kind of thinking is worthwhile. These expectations create opportunities for discussion, investigation, problem-solving, and meaningful application of what students have learned.

But here's a question worth considering: Just because a lesson requires students to think, does that mean we've actually taught them how to think?

Consider a teacher who asks students to examine several possible solutions to a problem and determine which one is best. Some students may immediately select the solution they like most. Others may identify a few advantages and disadvantages before making their choice. And a handful of students may establish criteria, examine the available evidence, and consider how well each option meets those criteria.

Everyone received the same directions. Everyone had access to the same content. Yet the thinking students used to complete the task varied considerably. We might attribute those differences to students' abilities, prior experiences, or levels of engagement. And sometimes those factors certainly play a role. But there's another possibility worth examining: Some students may know how to execute the thinking process we've assigned, while others have never been explicitly taught how to do it.

When the Task Becomes the Focus

When students struggle with an assignment, teachers naturally look for ways to help. We clarify directions, provide additional examples, organize information into graphic organizers, or break complex tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces.

Those supports can be valuable. But they don't always address the source of the difficulty.

A student who struggles to make a thoughtful decision may not need another explanation of the assignment. They may need to learn how to establish criteria, evaluate alternatives, and use evidence to support a choice. A student who struggles to compare two ideas may understand both ideas quite well but lack an effective process for identifying meaningful similarities and differences. And a student who offers a weak argument may not need more time to write. They may need instruction in how to construct support for a claim.

In each case, there's an important distinction between helping students complete the task and helping them develop the thinking skills necessary to complete similar tasks independently. We can become so focused on the quality of the finished product that we overlook the thinking students needed to produce it.

Make the Thinking Part of the Instruction

The Marzano Academies thinking curriculum is built around the understanding that thinking skills can be explicitly taught, practiced, supported, and strengthened through feedback. While most people can do these skills without formal training, learners can become more effective and efficient in their thinking processes.  These processes are not separate from academic content; they're part of how learners deepen their understanding and use what they know.

That doesn't mean every lesson needs a new activity, an elaborate graphic organizer, or a lengthy explanation of a thinking process. Sometimes the shift begins with recognizing the thinking that's already embedded in the lesson and then deliberately teaching students how to execute it.

Model Thinking

Return to the teacher asking students to select the best solution to a problem. The teacher recognizes that students have plenty of experience offering opinions but much less experience using criteria to make decisions. Rather than simply reminding students to explain their choices, the teacher, as the more knowledgeable other, pauses to model what effective decision-making involves.

The teacher presents two possible solutions and asks, "Before we decide which solution is best, what would a successful solution need to accomplish?" Students suggest criteria, and the class considers which are relevant to the problem. The teacher then selects one criterion and models how to use available evidence to evaluate both solutions against it. Now students have something more useful than a reminder to think carefully. They've seen part of the decision-making process in action.

As students continue working, the teacher listens for evidence that they're applying that process. When a learner chooses a solution based primarily on personal preference, the teacher asks, "Which of your criteria helped you make that decision? What evidence supports your choice?" That question directs attention back to the thinking process rather than simply asking for a more complete answer.

The original assignment hasn't changed. The content remains essential. But the instruction now includes a process students can practice, receive feedback on, and eventually use without prompting.

The difference between assigning thinking and teaching thinking doesn't always require a dramatic change in instruction. Often, it begins with a few intentional decisions about what we model, what we ask students to practice, and where we direct our feedback.

Use It Tomorrow

Choose an upcoming lesson that asks students to do something more complex than recall information. It might involve comparing, analyzing, investigating, solving a problem, or making a decision.

Before teaching, identify the thinking process students will need to complete the task successfully. Then make one deliberate adjustment to your instruction.

Identify what students need to know how to do. If students are comparing, determine what makes a meaningful comparison. If they're making a decision, identify how criteria and evidence should influence their choice. Be specific about the thinking, not just the finished product.

Model a part of that process. Work through an example aloud so students can hear how you approach the thinking. Make your reasoning visible. Explain why you're making a particular choice or considering certain information.

Listen for the process and respond to it. As students work, pay attention to how they're approaching the task. When necessary, ask questions that redirect their attention to the thinking process. Provide feedback on how effectively they're using it, not just whether their final response is correct.

You don't have to teach every part of a thinking process in a single lesson. The goal is to make one aspect of the thinking intentional rather than assuming students already know how to do it.

Over the coming months, the blogs in this series will explore the Marzano Academies thinking curriculum more closely, examining the processes learners use to manage their thinking, deepen their understanding, and apply knowledge in meaningful ways. Each Use It Tomorrow installment will focus on how those processes can be explicitly taught and strengthened within everyday instruction.

Because the ultimate goal isn't simply to create classrooms where students are frequently asked to think.

It's to develop learners who know how to think effectively, recognize when particular thinking processes are needed, and use them with increasing independence, even when no one is there to tell them what to do.

Continue Your Learning

The explicit teaching of the thinking skills is a component of the Marzano Academies Competency-Based Instructional Model. To continue building your understanding of effective, evidence-based, competency-based instructional practices and the full Marzano Academies instructional model, become a member of the Learning Lab. For only $10 per month, Members can access Dr. Marzano’s research Folios, professional learning resources, and practical tools designed to help teachers make competency-based practices work in real classrooms. The Learning Hub also includes Badging Experiences that allow teachers to identify a meaningful professional growth goal, strengthen their classroom routines, and document their growing expertise. Teachers should own their professional learning, and the Learning Hub is built to support that work. You can also sign up for Virtual Office Hours or engage in a CBE Coaching Series with Marzano Academies Faculty to deepen your team’s approach to a personalized, competency-based classroom. Please reach out with any questions.

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