Designs for Thinking - Implementation

Thinking Maps^® Professional Development
Designs for Thinking is a consulting group based in the northeast representing Thinking Maps, Inc. Authors and national consultants Larry Alper, M.S. and David Hyerle, Ed.D. are co-directors of the group. Below are summaries of our implementation options. Thinking Maps implementation for students, teachers, and leadership is a comprehensive, whole school process for improving the teaching, leading and learning of all participants in a school and school system. This implementation page includes:

Thinking Maps for Whole School Professional Development
1 Day Training plus 4-6 Days Follow-up with school in session
This proven model of whole school implementation of Thinking Maps ensures that students and teachers fluently apply Thinking Maps to learning and teaching on a daily basis. With the entire faculty focusing together on improving all students’ thinking and performance, Thinking Maps becomes a common visual language for vertical and horizontal development of content learning, concept development, reading, writing, and thinking skills.

Thinking Maps : A Language for Learning
This is the Thinking Maps training / resource manual for all teachers in grades K-12. It includes classroom posters, black line masters and a specific methodology for introducing, teaching, transferring, integrating and assessing the impact of the Thinking Maps common visual language.
see examples of inside the manual (pdf file)

Thinking Maps Training of Trainers
6 Day Training (4 Days with a 2 Day Follow-up)

A selective group of professional developers, teachers, and/or curriculum specialists from a school system or region learn how to conduct Thinking Maps trainings and systematically lead classroom follow-up activities in whole schools. Through this process of training and feedback, participants are certified by Thinking Maps, Inc. to conduct Thinking Maps Professional Development training in schools. This six day training is not a turn-key training. Participants must have Thinking Maps experience and show proficiency in presenting workshops and facilitating adult learning through modeling for and coaching of colleagues. This process focuses on the theory, practice, implementation, and assessment of Thinking Maps^® and Software in order to ensure long term implementation and success in schools. Once participants have gained certification, they are required to follow implementation guidelines established by Thinking Maps, Inc.

Participants receive additional resource materials, including access to extensive documents showing teacher and student examples of content applications. These documents are included on Powerpoint files and in video clips in the form of iMovies and DVD productions.

Thinking Maps : A Language for Learning Trainer's Guide
This is a special resource manual for those interested in becoming trainers of the Thinking Maps common visual language. This manual, in conjunction with the extensive Training of Trainers professional development plan, prepares skilled educators to enhance the learning process of others within their own region, district, or school, through the unique language of Thinking Maps. An individual license of the Thinking Maps Software is included with the manual.
see examples of inside the manual (pdf file)

Thinking Maps: Tools for Leadership
Instructional Leadership for Principals and Teams

Thinking Maps: Tools for Leadership professional development is designed to meet the needs of multiple audiences. It can be used by leaders and leadership teams who want to strengthen and deepen their current Thinking Maps implementation, and assist those who want to expand their use of these tools into leadership practices. This guide and associated professional development can also serve as an entry point for schools to begin the process of implementing Thinking Maps. Benefits include:

2 Day Training (follow-up coaching optional)

A team of three to five teachers/administrators from multiple schools (and central office leaders) learn how to seamlessly integrate Thinking Maps and Software into the full range of school leadership responsibilities: including daily communication in emails and even newletters home to parents, facilitation of school-wide, grade level and content area meetings, data and site-based decision making, and supervision/coaching across whole schools.

Content Specific Workshops
1 Day Workshops (follow-up curriculum design optional)
A whole school, or content specific teams from across schools, learn how to support students in meeting content and process standards through the explicit application of Thinking Maps. Workshops are designed in response to the specific content areas and grade levels, but each workshop focuses on content standards, writing, mathematics and reading comprehension.

Thinking Maps: A Language for Leadership Manual
This guide is the primary resource for leadership teams in your school. Each guide also includes, in poster form, the Thinking Maps Implementation Rubric.
see examples of inside the manual (pdf file)

Thinking Maps Advanced Software Workshop

1 Day Workshops (follow-up curriculum design optional)
Thinking Maps Software is user friendly for students, teachers, and administrators and is easy to learn during the process of implementation. The Software Workshop is focused on more advanced and creative applications for individuals, classrooms, whole schools, and system wide network use. The workshop may also be geared directly toward content standards, specific subject areas and/or grade levels. This is an ideal training for technology specialists and school wide computer lab teachers. Thinking Maps software is on both Macintosh and Windows operating systems.

Thinking Maps: Technology for Learning
Students (and teachers) can use the computer to hone their Thinking Maps skills! Technology for Learning offers over 80 tutorials and exercises, designed to give students extra practice in the proper use of Thinking Maps. The software builds maps from scratch allowing students to customize them to their lesson requirements.
Try it with a download of a demo copy on the Thinking Maps®, Inc. website.

Write From the Beginning (Elementary: K-5)
Write for the Future (Secondary: Middle and High School)
1 Day Training plus 4-6 Days of grade level follow-up

These two programs, written by Dr. Jane Buckner, combine to form a K-12 writing program based on using analytical rubrics and Thinking Maps.

Write...from the Beginning
Jane C. Buckner, Ed. S.
Write...from the Beginning is a developmental writing program for Kindergarten through 5th Grade focused on those criteria necessary for successful writing achievement beyond the elementary years.

The program includes both narrative and expository writing, each utilizing the Thinking Maps Common Visual Language. Teachers build upon and extend the instruction of previous grades by using Modeled Instruction, Improvement Rubrics, and Focused Mini-Lessons. The resultant effect is a common, targeted focus and school-wide accountability which creates an expectation of high student writing achievement on state and local writing tests.

Write...from the Beginning Training Manual
This manual is the training resource for all teachers in grades K-5. It utilizes Thinking Maps to give both students and teachers the knowledge and skills necessary for age-appropriate writing instruction and achievement.
see examples of inside the manual (pdf file)

		About Us \| Visual Tools \| Thinking Maps® \| Resources \| Research \| Home

	Designs for Thinking Implementation: Thinking Maps^® Thinking Maps^® Professional Development Designs for Thinking is a consulting group based in the northeast representing Thinking Maps, Inc. Authors and national consultants Larry Alper, M.S. and David Hyerle, Ed.D. are co-directors of the group. Below are summaries of our implementation options. Thinking Maps implementation for students, teachers, and leadership is a comprehensive, whole school process for improving the teaching, leading and learning of all participants in a school and school system. This implementation page includes: Thinking Maps for Whole School Professional Development Thinking Maps for School Wide Leadership Thinking Maps Software for Students, Teachers and Leadership Write From the Beginning (Elementary: K-5) & Write for the Future (Secondary: Middle and High School) Thinking Maps for Whole School Professional Development 1 Day Training plus 4-6 Days Follow-up with school in session This proven model of whole school implementation of Thinking Maps ensures that students and teachers fluently apply Thinking Maps to learning and teaching on a daily basis. With the entire faculty focusing together on improving all students’ thinking and performance, Thinking Maps becomes a common visual language for vertical and horizontal development of content learning, concept development, reading, writing, and thinking skills. Required Resources: Thinking Maps: Tools for Learning manual Cooperative Learning Desk Maps Recommended Technology Option: Thinking Maps Software simultaneously Thinking Maps : A Language for Learning This is the Thinking Maps training / resource manual for all teachers in grades K-12. It includes classroom posters, black line masters and a specific methodology for introducing, teaching, transferring, integrating and assessing the impact of the Thinking Maps common visual language. see examples of inside the manual (pdf file) Thinking Maps Training of Trainers 6 Day Training (4 Days with a 2 Day Follow-up) A selective group of professional developers, teachers, and/or curriculum specialists from a school system or region learn how to conduct Thinking Maps trainings and systematically lead classroom follow-up activities in whole schools. Through this process of training and feedback, participants are certified by Thinking Maps, Inc. to conduct Thinking Maps Professional Development training in schools. This six day training is not a turn-key training. Participants must have Thinking Maps experience and show proficiency in presenting workshops and facilitating adult learning through modeling for and coaching of colleagues. This process focuses on the theory, practice, implementation, and assessment of Thinking Maps^® and Software in order to ensure long term implementation and success in schools. Once participants have gained certification, they are required to follow implementation guidelines established by Thinking Maps, Inc. Participants receive additional resource materials, including access to extensive documents showing teacher and student examples of content applications. These documents are included on Powerpoint files and in video clips in the form of iMovies and DVD productions. Required Resources: Thinking Maps : A Language for Learning Trainer's Guide Thinking Maps: Tools for Learning manual Thinking Maps Software Cooperative Learning Desk Maps "Student Successes with Thinking Maps" (Corwin Press, 2004) Thinking Maps : A Language for Learning Trainer's Guide This is a special resource manual for those interested in becoming trainers of the Thinking Maps common visual language. This manual, in conjunction with the extensive Training of Trainers professional development plan, prepares skilled educators to enhance the learning process of others within their own region, district, or school, through the unique language of Thinking Maps. An individual license of the Thinking Maps Software is included with the manual. see examples of inside the manual (pdf file) Thinking Maps: Tools for Leadership Instructional Leadership for Principals and Teams Thinking Maps: Tools for Leadership professional development is designed to meet the needs of multiple audiences. It can be used by leaders and leadership teams who want to strengthen and deepen their current Thinking Maps implementation, and assist those who want to expand their use of these tools into leadership practices. This guide and associated professional development can also serve as an entry point for schools to begin the process of implementing Thinking Maps. Benefits include: Strengthens and deepens Thinking Maps implementation by leaders and leadership teams Expands the use of Thinking Maps into leadership practices Serves as an entry point for schools to begin the process of implementing Thinking Maps Helps schools apply and improve thinking processes and student achievement and performance Improves schools' communication of ideas and points of view Helps schools generate sustainable solutions Provides tools for schools to assess progress over time Helps leaders build personal and professional fluency with thinking processes Helps leaders facilitate organizational change processes and student achievement Helps leaders facilitate communication, problem solving, and decision-making Helps leaders implement Thinking Maps school-wide and increase student achievement 2 Day Training (follow-up coaching optional) A team of three to five teachers/administrators from multiple schools (and central office leaders) learn how to seamlessly integrate Thinking Maps and Software into the full range of school leadership responsibilities: including daily communication in emails and even newletters home to parents, facilitation of school-wide, grade level and content area meetings, data and site-based decision making, and supervision/coaching across whole schools. Required Resources: Thinking Maps: Tools for Leadership Manual Thinking Maps Software "Student Successes with Thinking Maps" (Corwin Press, 2004) Content Specific Workshops 1 Day Workshops (follow-up curriculum design optional) A whole school, or content specific teams from across schools, learn how to support students in meeting content and process standards through the explicit application of Thinking Maps. Workshops are designed in response to the specific content areas and grade levels, but each workshop focuses on content standards, writing, mathematics and reading comprehension. Prerequisite: Implementation of Thinking Maps Required Resources: Thinking Maps: Tools for Learning manual Thinking Maps: A Language for Leadership Manual This guide is the primary resource for leadership teams in your school. Each guide also includes, in poster form, the Thinking Maps Implementation Rubric. see examples of inside the manual (pdf file) Thinking Maps Advanced Software Workshop 1 Day Workshops (follow-up curriculum design optional) Thinking Maps Software is user friendly for students, teachers, and administrators and is easy to learn during the process of implementation. The Software Workshop is focused on more advanced and creative applications for individuals, classrooms, whole schools, and system wide network use. The workshop may also be geared directly toward content standards, specific subject areas and/or grade levels. This is an ideal training for technology specialists and school wide computer lab teachers. Thinking Maps software is on both Macintosh and Windows operating systems. Prerequisite: Implementation of Thinking Maps and Software Required Resources: Thinking Maps: Tools for Learning manual and Thinking Maps Software Thinking Maps: Technology for Learning Students (and teachers) can use the computer to hone their Thinking Maps skills! Technology for Learning offers over 80 tutorials and exercises, designed to give students extra practice in the proper use of Thinking Maps. The software builds maps from scratch allowing students to customize them to their lesson requirements. Try it with a download of a demo copy on the Thinking Maps®, Inc. website. Write From the Beginning (Elementary: K-5) Write for the Future (Secondary: Middle and High School) 1 Day Training plus 4-6 Days of grade level follow-up These two programs, written by Dr. Jane Buckner, combine to form a K-12 writing program based on using analytical rubrics and Thinking Maps. Prerequisite: Implementation of Thinking Maps Required Resources: Thinking Maps: Tools for Learning manual Write From the Beginning manual (Elementary) Write for the Future manual, co-authored with Melba Johnson (Secondary) Write...from the Beginning Jane C. Buckner, Ed. S. Write...from the Beginning is a developmental writing program for Kindergarten through 5th Grade focused on those criteria necessary for successful writing achievement beyond the elementary years. The program includes both narrative and expository writing, each utilizing the Thinking Maps Common Visual Language. Teachers build upon and extend the instruction of previous grades by using Modeled Instruction, Improvement Rubrics, and Focused Mini-Lessons. The resultant effect is a common, targeted focus and school-wide accountability which creates an expectation of high student writing achievement on state and local writing tests. Write...from the Beginning Training Manual This manual is the training resource for all teachers in grades K-5. It utilizes Thinking Maps to give both students and teachers the knowledge and skills necessary for age-appropriate writing instruction and achievement. see examples of inside the manual (pdf file)