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Inventors reflect on their thinking and actions in order to make connections they might otherwise miss.

Inventors reflect on their thinking and actions in order to make connections they might otherwise miss.
I want to know, what are all of the perspectives?Pascale, age 9

Children reflect on their thinking and actions when adults…

  • ask children questions like, “What made you say that?” “Where did that idea come from?” “How did it feel when…?” “What did you notice when…?”
  • invite children to reflect on their work and what they learned using different materials and through writing
  • encourage children to see their work and viewpoints from multiple perspectives
  • celebrate novel connections

Teachers reflect on their thinking, and actions when they…

  • regularly dialogue with colleagues about their experiences and observations about how children learn
  • collaborate with colleagues using discussion protocols for thinking and feedback
  • have prepared their minds for, and are open to, chance encounters, serendipity, useful surprise, and wondrous happenstance
  • use journals, cameras, and audio recorders to capture and revisit learning

Related Tools

Artist Statements

Use this tool to build children’s capacity for communicating complex ideas (e.g., metaphors, analogies, etc.) through the written word.

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Doing Serendipity

Use this tool to strengthen children’s ability to seek and make connections.

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Windows into Practice

Finding Perspective in the Prairie

A picture book catalyzes an intense discussion among 4th- and 5th-graders about multiple perspectives.
Presentation Video

Serendipity, Distraction, and Meaningful Metaphor

Paying attention to what children in the kindergarten and 1st-grade class pay attention to provokes an unexpected ending to a conflict.
Blog Post

This Practice is guided by Principles