Who Is Doing the Thinking? A Classroom Discourse Reflection

Meaningful classroom discussions go beyond students answering the teacher's questions. They create opportunities for students to explain their reasoning, respond to one another's ideas, and build understanding together.

Grounded in the 24 Operating Principles of Making Students' Thinking Visible (MSTV) from The Skillful Teacher, 8th Edition, this one-page reflection guide helps educators examine patterns of classroom interaction and identify small, intentional shifts that encourage student-to-student dialogue.

Teachers can use the guide to reflect on who is doing the intellectual work, select an instructional move to experiment with, and notice how students respond.

Download this free resource to support more purposeful classroom discourse and shared thinking.