Teaching and Learning Through Inquiry - Got the right tool?
Thinking Maps (C) Inc.
Here is a company, "Thinking Maps Inc." that my former school district in Texas threw lots of money at a few years back in response to the state's requirement to teach more higher order thinking skills (and then the state would TEST those higher order thinking skills with multiple choice tests - LOL!)
http://www.thinkingmaps.com/
I always thought that these thinking maps were quite simple and I had been shown similar ones since I was in elementary school back in the 80s. Is it worth the money that someone has packaged it up and made posters, lesson plans, and a website? Is it right to copyright a common sense mind map?
The students at my school were introduced to it my first year I was there and throughout my second year. By the end of my second year (my last year at the school), I would present problems to my music classes and they would offer to solve them or contemplate other issues using these thinking maps without any mention of thinking maps from me. So, I must admit that it was implemented well in my school and got into the kids' heads quite well - kind of like the PYP learner profile and certain aspects of the planner should be.
http://www.thinkingmaps.com/
I always thought that these thinking maps were quite simple and I had been shown similar ones since I was in elementary school back in the 80s. Is it worth the money that someone has packaged it up and made posters, lesson plans, and a website? Is it right to copyright a common sense mind map?
The students at my school were introduced to it my first year I was there and throughout my second year. By the end of my second year (my last year at the school), I would present problems to my music classes and they would offer to solve them or contemplate other issues using these thinking maps without any mention of thinking maps from me. So, I must admit that it was implemented well in my school and got into the kids' heads quite well - kind of like the PYP learner profile and certain aspects of the planner should be.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tony Watters on
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check out the video on the main page and you will understand the reasoning behind their decision to package these maps together.
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Permalink Reply by Cristina Milos on
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I think the more complex the mind map...the more confusing it is for students. Or so it seems from my experience - I teach 1st to 4th graders.
Organizing thinking via mind mapping or through the use of graphic organizers is desirable to a certain extent. There is a point in time when students' thinking and reflection are richer and deeper if allowed to use the narrative approach. You get better insights in their thought processing and a more genuine "dive" into how they feel, too.
Starting with 4th grade, for instance, they prefer keeping journals where they can wonder, reflect, ask, talk to themselves, draw, express their learning and personality in more complex ways.
Again..this is my experience only :) *no criticism intended - just sharing my view -
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