Thinking Critically

The Étude Group’s educational philosophy emphasizes choice and creativity. Continuity and focus are provided through our continuous inculcation of Habits of Mind: Observing - the gathering of information and Wondering what it means; Connecting - joining learning together, such that studies in reading, writing and social sciences are interwoven in every classroom… enabling the development of Reasoning skills, the Interpreting of data and Innovating in asking questions and suggesting answers. Kindergartners (Ist grade?) use these tools to explore the life cycle of insects; in second and third grades, students blend biology and literature to gain multidimensional insight into birds.

How can the learning environment in a school optimize its students’ opportunities to make the most of their mental capabilities? Over the past fifty years, researchers at Harvard have been addressing this multifaceted question, and much of what they have discovered is reflected in The Étude Group’s schoolwide Culture of Thinking.

Beginning in kindergarten, every classroom is set up to promote thoughtful thinking. Students learn Thinking Routines (See - Think - Wonder, for example, or Think - Puzzle - Explore)  to help them understand the processing of information from question to answer, acquisition to application. The messaging is repeated around the classroom walls and reinforced with student input to create an effective “thinking vocabulary.”

At Étude Elementary, we take the traditional concept of the parent-teacher conference and turn it into an end-of-trimester conversation between the student and their parents, with the teacher serving as guide when needed. For half an hour, students review what they have learned during the trimester and explain how that learning impacts their own lives and why it matters in the wider world - then set goals for the coming trimester. For students, it’s an ongoing exercise in taking responsibility. For parents, it provides a priceless insight into their child’s learning development.