ThinkPlus is designed to develop an awareness of how our brains work, growth mindsets, good thinking dispositions and practical tools for collaboration, problem solving and creativity.
ThinkPlus is based on contemporary research about how the brain learns and how thinking occurs, and what role neuroscience and mindsets play in developing young minds. The key to ThinkPlus is the concept that intelligence can be grown with effort.
By instilling young learners with the confidence and ability to think through problems, we envisage that they will be better equipped to navigate challenges in the 21st century.
Outcome
Through the establishment of a metacurriculum for learning intelligence and thinking skills, ThinkPlus will affect positive change at various levels: the individual, the classroom, the whole school, the family and the community.
ThinkPlus aims to create a conscientious thinking community within a school.
We envisage a leadership team that embeds ThinkPlus into their strategy work, using it as a way to solve problems and innovate.
We see teachers using ThinkPlus in their planning, meetings and to help young people grow their minds.
Through ThinkPlus, we see young people developing resilience, improving their self-control and bolstering their persistence and optimism as they make their way in the world.
We envisage parents learning how to optimise their children’s learning, overcoming challenges and assisting the family unit to reach their potential.
Good thinking practices will be made sustainable through the integration of whole-school approach to education and a whole-child approach to development.
The ThinkPlus metacurriculum is designed to compliment the standard curriculum and be infused throughout all key learning areas.
Concepts
ThinkPlus draws on the philosophies, theories and concepts from research in the areas of neuroscience, developmental psychology, thinking tools, learning theory, creativity and motivation, amongst others.
Here are some of the concepts that contribute to the foundations of ThinkPlus:
- Neuroscience
- Mindsets
- Thinking Dispositions
- Mindfulness
- Creativity
- Collaboration & Co-Creation
- Problem Solving
- Visible Learning
- Goal Setting & Goal Orientation
* “A metacurriculum is about youngsters learning their way around good thinking. It is made up of key terms and concepts about thinking, beliefs about and attitudes towards thinking and good thinking practices.”
Dr David Perkins, Senior Research Associate, Harvard Graduate School of Education