This valuable book encourages teachers to challenge their pupils to think more deeply, skilfully and logically through carefully structured classroom dialogue. It also tells them how to do it.
Drawing on a substantial body of research and theory by Carol Dweck, John Hattie, Matthew Lipman and many others, James Nottingham concludes that pupils who have not been taught to think and solve problems tend to believe that inborn aptitude determines their levels of achievement in school and life. As a result, they do not respond positively to challenges and their performance often remains low. On the other hand, students who are treated as if they are intelligent, actually become more so if they are used to being challenged and supported through their struggles. If, for example, they are taught demanding content and are expected to defend their answers, to explain their rationales and to make connections to other content, they learn more and learn more quickly. They become more conscious of their own thinking and are able to take control of it. They develop a positive, efficacious self-image and tend to think of themselves as continual and powerful learners.
Through the use of rich examples of classroom interactions, James shows teachers how to stretch children's minds more by pressing them to provide evidence, to test the logic of their ideas and to give a rationale for their explanations rather than just accepting and praising correct answers. These strategies will help children to produce their own thoughtful conclusions, develop their own concepts, examine logic and remain open to alternatives.
If more teachers were to use the interactive classroom strategies suggested by James Nottingham in this book, then their pupils would surely grow into more careful thinkers, teachers would gain greater skill in conducting their classroom dialogues and, who knows, the world might even become a more thoughtful place.
Arthur L Costa, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus
California State University, Sacramento
Author of Habits of Mind
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