i-THINK PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING

Week 1 (4-6 Jan)

Circle Map

Week 2

(9-13 Jan)

Bubble Map

Week 3

(16-20 Jan)

Flow Map

Week 4

(23-27 Jan)

Chinese New Year Holidays

Week 5

(30 Jan- 3 Feb)

Bridge Map

Week 6

(6-10 feb)

Brace Map

Week 7

(13-17 Feb)

Tree Map

Week 8

(20-24 Feb)

Multi Flow Map

Week 9

(27 Feb- 2 Mac)

Double Bubble Map

Week 10

(5-9 Mac)

Thinking Maps

Holidays (10-18 Mac)

Week 11

(19-23 Mac)

Thinking Maps

Week 12

(26-30 Mac)

Thinking Maps

Flow Map i-THINK PILOT PROJECT :SJK C WEN HUA

Drive Team Training 14/11 – 18/11/11

Teachers Training 21/11 – 25/11/11

In House Training 1/12 – 2/12/11 28/12-29/12/11

Preparation of Maps for Each Subjects 5/12- 26/12/11

Preparation of Observation Time Table

6/12/11

Set Instrument to Gauge The Effectiveness

of Thinking Maps 7/12 – 14/12/11

Classroom Preparation 12/12- 16/12/11

Teachers Meeting 27/12/11

Orientation for Year 1 Pupils

29/12/11

Flow Map

Announcement of i-Think Project During Assembly

04/01 /12

Letters of Notification to Parents 05/01/12

Monitoring and Coaching by Drive Team

04/01 – 31/03/12

Observation Weeks 09/01- 23/03/12

Selection of The Best Maps from Classes for

The i-Think Galery 19 Mac 2012

Prize Presentation for i-Think Project Award for The

Best Teachers and Pupils 26 Mac 2012

Final Report 26/03 – 31/03/12

Weekly Meeting & Report

Song of Thinking Maps

Thinking Maps, Circle Map,

Bubble Map and Flow Map,

Bridge Map, Brace Map, Tree Map,

Multi Flow Map, Double Bubble Map

Flow Map i-THINK PILOT PROJET :SJK C WEN HUA

IN-HOUSE TRAINING

Introductions & Setting The Scene

Understanding The Pilot Project

Thinking School SJK C Wen Hua

Thinking maps & The Hand Sign

Lunch Break Thinking School – What Are They?

Thinking maps & The Hand Sign ( continue)

Individual/ Pair/ Share

Individual/ Pair/ Share

Day 1

Flow Map THINKING SCHOOL :SJK C WEN HUA

IN-HOUSE TRAINING

Thinking maps ( continue)

Questioning Skills Thinking Maps

Applying Thinking maps –Planning Time For You Lunch Break

Applying Thinking maps –Planning Time

For You

Day 2

A Story A Picture

How Questioning Skills Have

Been Developed?

•Students are encouraged to ask

questions

•“Wonder wall”

•Teachers- Give more open-ended and

higher order thinking questions to

stimulate students’ thinking

Typical Questions for Particular Maps

• What do I know about X ? (circle map)

• How can I describe X ? (bubble map)

• What are the similarities and differences between X and Y ? (double bubble map)

• How does X divide into categories or groups ? (tree map)

• What are the parts of X ? (brace map)

• What sequence or order can X be put into ? (flow map)

Typical Questions for Particular Maps

• What are the causes and effects of event X ? (multi flow map)

• What analogy or relationship can we find for X ? (bridge map)

Win wins for the students

• Lessons are easier to understand

• Ideas are easily develope

• Encourage interaction between students

• Think and learn independently

• Learn fast

• Can see their thinking

• Using keywords to derive understanding

instead of memorizing

Win wins for the students

• Find the lessons more fun and enjoyable

• More confident, inquisitive and articulative in school and at home

• Show interest in learning

• Students share the usage of maps with their siblings especially their elder brothers and sisters in secondary schools

• They can think out of the box.

Win wins for the teachers

• Find class teaching more effective

• Its more students centered

• It expands students’ imaginations and creativities

• Improves thinking skills and thinking process

• Multi interactions- among teachers, students and parents

• Questioning skills improved

What has not worked so well?

• Some teachers are still with the traditional method

• Slow down teaching and learning process

• Big enrolment in the class

• Some teachers do not understand the concept of the maps

• Burden for teachers-more tedious

• Weak students- need more time to write their idea-need more attention from the teacher

Involvement of community

• Parents

- notification letter

- briefing for parents

- question and answer session

- parents’ feedback

• Teachers and parents association

- financial support

- attend briefing

• Teachers from other schools and kindergarten attended the briefing

Others

• Students in our school are lucky

• A parent transfer his child from premier school to our school because he noticed this programme is carried out in our school.

• Meeting with drive team- every Friday

• Briefing to teachers- every Monday

Challengers

• The continuity of the i- Think project depends so much on the frequency of using the maps in class

• There is a need to change the attitude and mind set of some conservative teachers to move together with the rest to ensure the success of this project

• Teachers must master the concept of maps and the thinking process

• The school headmaster and the drive team must always motivate the teachers. Coaching and observation are important to ensure the success of this project

Suggestions

• Re-training and motivation course for teachers

• A visit to thinking schools

• Earlier notification for further training and meeting

• Financial support

• Special allowance for drive team

• New input for drive team