Since that time, I have felt the need to share this experience with my students; the need to develop a classroom culture of mutual respect, genuine interest, and above all, freedom. At Michigan State, they talked about being a “guide on the side.” I did want to be a guide on the side! And then I walked into my first classroom. I had a spiral bound curriculum, pacing guide, and over 100 hours of professional development my first year. I had a mentor, extremely supportive colleagues and administrators, and a fabulous district. I had amazing kids, parents, and a supportive community. Despite all of that, something was missing. I didn’t have the sense of freedom I discovered on my travels.
Last year was the first time I heard about Cultures of Thinking, and I soon became fascinated. To be honest, I think its initial appeal was the global nature of the idea. In my gut, I felt that there was something instinctual about discourse in other countries that was lacking in my own world. I found myself studying everything I could about Cultures of Thinking. I started hanging handouts on my wall to remind me to notice and name thinking. Soon, the routines became a part of life for my students and me. As students in special education, I think my kids oftentimes come in with an inferiority complex. They sell themselves short. They think they aren’t “good at reading and/or writing.” As we traveled this path together, they began to surprise themselves! My fabulous students began thinking metacognitively, examining their biases, deciphering varying viewpoints, and asking probing questions. Finally, something made sense!
This year, I am continuing the journey. Some students are new, and others are used to
my “strange” teaching methods. “That’s just Mrs. Rains,” the veterans share, “She always
makes us think like this. She doesn’t really care about the answer right now. She doesn’t like the book answer key.” I am starting to feel the contented sense of freedom I experienced years ago, and this time, I am bringing my students with me. My hope is that my students and I can invite others to join. I often remind them we are not alone in our quest, many others are traveling their own paths. Just think of what we could do as a global community if we intentionally walked the same path together.