This form was given to three trainees who were doing their final teaching (teaching 10 lessons in Finnish or Science). Here are the questions and answers of two trainees who taught Finnish.

Feedback on your training practice on teaching thinking skills

*Were you able to add ‘teaching thinking skills’ in this practice compared to your earlier practices?

no
small amount
quite a lot X X

* How did your teaching change?

The whole unit had a clear thread. The teaching became more discussional, pupil centered and active.

When planning I started thinking more about the future challenges the pupils will meet. Even if I didn’t succeed every time, I was trying and challenging my own thinking skills. I was brave enough to let myself cling to the ideas and comments the pupils came out with during the lessons. I used their ideas in further planning.

* What was your best outcome in teaching thinking skills?  
Simple ways work surprisingly well. The pupils are more motivated when they are given more room to think. Not to have too many things in one lesson!

Finding the activities/tasks with  the right challenge and seeing how well they worked from the pupils’ and teacher’s point of view.

* What did you learn about planning? How can you add more ‘teaching thinking skills’ in your own teaching?
It is important to remember the main aim and act according to that. It is good to start the planning (unit/lesson) from setting a problem. It is easier to add thinking skills, when there is one clear aim.

There needs to be enough work done on one topic from different points of view and then the learning is more profound. It is important to remember that following the lesson plan has to be flexible. Otherwise the ideas from the pupils won’t be taken into account. www.thinking-approach.org is a good site when one needs to find out more about developing thinking skills.

* Did the Thinking framework  -model help you in planning the lessons/the unit?

Didn’t use it.
I used it a little. X
I used it often.  X
It was too difficult to use.

* Did the list of tools help you in planning?

I didn’t use it.
I used it a little. X
I used it often. X
It was too difficult to use.

* Did you have time to visit www.thinking-approach.org site?
I didn’t visit the site.
I visited once. X
I visited a couple of times. X

* Did you have time to visit www.ta-teachers.eu site?
I didn’t visit the site. X X
I visited once.
I visited a couple of times.

* Do you think you will continue reflecting on the thinking skills in your teaching?

No
Maybe
Yes
I would like to learn more. X X

* Do you think you should have had more personal guidance in teaching thinking skills?
Yes X
No X

* Did the feedback help you in getting to know how to teach thinking skills?

Yes X X
No

Write down issues about mentoring that would improve the trainees’ accuisition of adding thinking skills in education.

The list of tools was good! The topic for the unit could have been dialogue+an aim about teaching thinking skills. It might be a good idea to show more concrete examples of lesson plans or unit plans.

I think there was enough mentoring. It allowed me to carry out my own ideas but I got tools to use when needed.

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