Message from Colin Seale, thinkLaw’s Founder and CEO
Almost every school system’s mission or vision statement refers to positive outcomes for all students. My first book, which is available for pre-order in December through Prufrock Press, has the subtitle A Framework for Teaching Critical Thinking to All Students. And most education equity conversations revolve around the idea that “all means all.” But after attending amazing sessions at last weekend’s Arizona Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents annual conference in Tucson, AZ, I’m inspired by the idea of shifting from all to each.
If we truly wish to create a world where critical thinking is no longer a luxury good, each student’s potential must be realized. This means we should question the common practice of teaching to the imaginary middle. We should also recognize and value the unique assets our students bring to the table. And we should accept the obvious, but underappreciated idea that teaching all students means little if we do not ensure each student is actually learning. Let thinkLaw help you through this journey by requesting a quote for our curriculum or PD, checking out some of our exciting holiday resources, and continuing to stay connected to thinkLaw’s critical thinking revolution!
Two things we know to be true:
1) You can’t “teach to the test”
2) Test prep does not have to suck
Join Colin Seale, Founder and CEO of thinkLaw, who will share rigorous and engaging instructional strategies for Arizona educators to prepare students for the critical thinking they will need to demonstrate in order to excel on state exams.
Join us in Phoenix on January 11th, 2020, 8am to 12pm
***Book by November 21st for $129 Early-Bird Registration Pricing***
New Piece in The 74: The Outcome Is The Equity
When I refer to equity and testing, I am not talking about biased test questions nor the results that show that low-income and students of color disproportionately do poorly on these exams. Instead, I am referring to equity of outcomes. I presume that most of us believe that education ought to transform opportunities for children by breaking cycles of poverty. But at some point, the outcome is the opportunity. We should care about how students do on exams regardless of the inherent imperfections of these tests. Why? Because lawyers have to take the LSAT and pass the bar exam. Doctors have to take the MCAT, USMLEs, and board exams. Engineers, nurses, and numerous other professions still use tests as barriers for access…CONTINUE READING
National Convention for Gifted Children Annual Convention
November 7- 10, 2019
Albuquerque, NM
- “Gray is My Favorite Color“: Using Social Justice to Break G/T Students out of Black and White Thinking
- “Thinking Like a Lawyer“: Practical Tools to Unleash the Critical Thinking Potential of Gifted Learners
Tennessee Charter School Conference
November 14 – 16, 2019
Nashville, TN
- Keynote Address: Leaving Genius on the Table: Practical Tools to Unleash the Critical Thinking Potential of All Students
giftED19
December 4 – 6, 2019
San Antonio, TX
Critical Thinking and Test Prep?: Moving G/T Learners to Mastery With Active Engagement
- Never Enough Time: Sustainable Tools for Designing Powerful Critical Thinking Units
- Diversity, Equity, and You: A Convening for Diverse G/T Educators and Their Allies
Beyond Test Prep
January 11, 2020
Phoenix, AZ
- Beyond Test Prep: Using Critical Thinking to Hack AZM2 Achievement
National ESEA Conference
February 4 – 7, 2020
Atlanta, GA
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Critical Thinking as the Key to Classroom Management
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