Today a delegation of educators from the Saginaw Intermediate School District and local school districts from the Saginaw Michigan area are visiting schools and classrooms at Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) to observe best practice models of teaching and learning for improving student achievement. This educational exchange resulted from an international conference TCAPS conducted in Fall 2006 in partnership with research experts from Harvard University. 

From 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. today, the media is invited to attend classroom visitations that will take place at TC West Senior High School. Demonstrations will include classrooms practicing “thinking rich” interactions that focus on student learning and deep understanding to improve student success. Teachers and students will be using the learning frameworks, Artful Thinking and Visible Thinking. Observers will view how these instructional strategies create a “culture of thinking” in the classroom through routines and structures that encourage and reveal student thinking.  These research based approaches are designed to help students to develop intellectual behaviors such as questioning, reasoning, comparing and connecting, making careful observations, unpacking complex situations, and exploring multiple viewpoints.

TCAPS’ dissemination of the Artful Thinking and Visible Thinking program to other school systems is supported by funding from an Art in Education Model Development and Dissemination Grant Award from the U.S. Department of Education, Traverse City Area Public Schools developed the Artful Thinking program in partnership with Harvard Project Zero.

Please contact West Senior High School Main Office at 933-7500 for classroom locations or more information. Media are advised to check in at the office.