Cultures of Thinking in Action: 10 Mindsets to Transform our Teaching and Students' Learning

by Ron Ritchhart

From leading educational researcher Ron Ritchhart, a deep dive that illuminates what the foundational mindsets needed to create cultures of thinking really looks like in action. Building on the framework presented in the best-selling Creating Cultures of Thinking , Ron Ritchhart’s new book, Cultures of Thinking in Action , takes the next step in helping readers not only understand how a culture of thinking looks and feels, but also how to create it for themselves and their learners. Arguing that no set of practices or techniques alone is sufficient to create a culture of thinking in and of itself, Ritchhart explores the underlying beliefs that motivate the creation of cultures of thinking, presenting key mindsets every educator and leader needs to embrace if they are serious about creating powerful thinkers and learners. Much more than just an instructional guide, Cultures of Thinking in Action offers readers a reflective journey into their own teaching, leading, and parentingwhile providing the foundation and concrete strategies needed to create and develop a culture of thinking for all learners. This

Genres: Education

352 pages, Paperback

Published June 27, 2023

About the author

Ron Ritchhart is currently a Senior Research Associate at Harvard Project Zero where his work focuses on such issues as teaching for understanding, the development of intellectual character, creative teaching, making students' thinking visible, and most recently the development of school and classroom culture. Ron's research and writings, particularly his theory of Intellectual Character and framework for understanding group culture through the Cultural Forces, have informed the work of schools, school systems, and museums throughout the world. His current research focuses on how classrooms change as teachers strive to make thinking valued, visible, and actively promoted in their classrooms.

Reviews

[Zoe Badcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book which I believe every educator and leader should read. It just makes so much sense and is an organising power factor for all we try to do in school. I'll be returning to the reflection questions in this book before we meet as a book circle.

[Justin Banham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book on what the state of education should and could be. It’s a very dense book that is also practical in its discussion of what is needed to leverage high quality education in schools.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Cultures of Thinking in Action. Ritchhart offers practical insight into what is actually needed to create an effective learning environment—one where students are doing the thinking rather than simply completing the work.

One of my biggest takeaways was that a strong culture of thinking is not created through a particular program or strategy, but through the everyday choices teachers make. The way we use time, ask questions, structure interactions, model thinking, design learning opportunities, and respond to student ideas all communicate what we value. I especially appreciated the emphasis on making thinking visible, giving students meaningful opportunities to wrestle with ideas, and creating classrooms where curiosity, questioning, reflection, and discussion become normal parts of learning.

This is one of those education books that offers both a compelling vision of what classrooms can be and practical ways to move toward it. Highly recommended for teachers and instructional leaders.

[Britney Coleman]

📚 Back to school we go. A ton of connections to the PZ learning I’ve already done and a reminder of the power of thinking routines and intention.