smit, 2015 / Shutterstock.com We all want students to think critically about the subjects we teach, but how can we make it happen? What does deeper thinking look like in English language arts, science, social studies, and math? One way to see students' thinking is to have them create graphic organizers. Each graphic organizer that follows requires your students to use different critical thinking skills (in parentheses).

How can we motivate our students? Rewards? Punishments? Brownie points? Rules? What works for one student may not work for another. That's why teacher-centered strategies often fail to create student engagement. Not surprisingly, student-centered classrooms tend to have greater engagement. One method we can use to build a student-centered classroom is project-based learning (PBL).

When your students think creatively, they discover new, original ideas. They open their minds to possibilities rather than seeking expected answers. Creative thinking works hand in hand with critical thinking to help students deepen their learning. The word creative comes from the Latin word crescere, meaning “to grow.” Creative thinking grows when students are interested, challenged, and motivated. You can foster creativity by encouraging your students to take risks and learn from mistakes.

In celebration of NCTE's annual National Day on Writing, our staff flocked to Twitter to share reasons why writing matters to us. In truth, writing is a big part of our daily lives. Yes, it's integral to our job, but its impact goes far beyond that. Here are 10 reasons why we write.   Writing helps me do my best thinking, because it keeps me focused on one word and idea at a time. #WhyIWrite #elachat — Thoughtful Learning (@ThinkWriteLearn) October 20, 2015 Because my best friends are books and the authors who made them.

This awesome photojournalism project comes from Cindy Smith of Karcher Middle School in Burlington, Wisconsin. Students research a historic spot in their community and create a slide show or digital story that portrays the history of the spot in images and words. You can use this project in your classroom to develop students' thinking, reading, writing, speaking, and literacy skills—all while connecting kids to the community and to history. Steps for Implementing the Photojournalism Project Activate your students' prior knowledge.

Would you like to make your classroom a stimulating community of writers and learners? Set up a writing workshop! This instructional approach truly engages students by letting them write, read, interact, mentor, and take risks—all at their own pace.

As every teacher knows, learning begins with engagement. Engaged students read thoroughly, write thoughtfully, and grapple with content. But how can we get our students to engage? Shared inquiry helps students engage. This teaching approach requires a team effort. Instead of imparting knowledge, we work with our students to ask questions, sort through evidence, and draw conclusions.

Think About It “The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.”  —Mark Van Doren We love to hear from readers of the Thoughtful Learning Newsletter, especially when they report on what's going on in their classrooms. One such reader, Todd Kemper, used the photojournalism project from the last newsletter in a very different context from the Midwestern American classroom where it first appeared: I am a teacher at Prommanusorn Phetchaburi School located in Phetchaburi, Thailand.

We've all heard defeatist self-talk from students: "I'm terrible at math." "I'll never be a good writer." "I hate history." Of course, such beliefs make learning these subjects all the more difficult. But sometimes positive self-talk can also be problematic: "I'm great at math." "I'm a natural-born writer." "I know everything about history." What's wrong with such statements?

The Chinese philosopher Confucius observed that we learn wisdom in three ways: First, by reflection, which is noblest Second, by imitation, which is easiest Third, by experience, which is bitterest Confucius’s insights can serve as inspiration for your writing program. Here’s how. Wisdom by Reflection, Which Is Noblest Provide your students with many opportunities for personal writing, because it naturally leads to reflection. Personal writing includes journal writing, blog writing, personal narratives and essays, poetry, and so on.