The school wants to promote the development of thinking and questioning skills in pupils at a deeper level in all lessons. To help pupils with this, we use picture dice, thunks, games, What’s Happening? cards, and discussion activities. These resources provide opportunities for pupils to question each other and the teacher (resourcefulness) to further develop peer to peer working. Here, pupils share and discuss each other’s work, articulate the good points and identify areas to improve (reciprocity). Developing thinking skills extend pupils’ capacity to persevere in their learning leading to a resilience that will benefit them throughout their lives.
Here is something you can do at home. Have a look at the three pictures on the left of the page. Discuss, with family or others, some of these questions:
- When someone says ‘It’s up to me what I do’, are they always right?
- Is it better to punish or to help make amends?
- Can things always be put right?
- Is it weak or strong to be forgiving?
- When should we interfere in a situation?
- Who will be affected by the decision that arises from the situation?
Not all of the questions will apply to all of the pictures. This is an example of the type of activity pupils are encouraged to participate in, as it helps them to think of the consequences of actions, big or small.