Effective teaching requires not only good planning and thoughtful instruction, but careful attention to classroom culture. In this mini course, learn about the eight cultural forces, with a special focus on four of those forces (modeling, opportunities, interactions, and environment) and how to leverage them to create cultures that support students in deep learning and thinking. Reflect critically on your own work as an educator while acquiring new tools, practices, and principles that will help you promote the deep learning of your students.

Often, when we think of effective teaching, we focus on good planning and instructional design. Yet effective teaching requires more than that; it also requires attention to the culture of the classroom in which those plans and designs are to be carried out. But what do we mean by “culture”? What are the forces that contribute to the culture of a classroom, school, or other learning context? And how can we leverage those cultural forces as effectively to create cultures that support students in deep learning and thinking? The “Cultures of Thinking” framework identifies eight forces that we can use as levers for transforming the cultures of our classrooms and schools. This course offers a guided exploration of four of those forces: modeling, opportunities, interactions, and environment. Through this exploration, you will look critically at your own teaching while acquiring new tools, practices, and principles that will help you enhance your classroom culture and promote the deep learning of your students. Although this course builds off of the introductory course, it is not a prerequisite. The weekly investigations and discussions with your team provide a supportive platform for educators of all levels of experience.

http://www.pz.harvard.edu/professional-development/events-institutes/investigating-the-forces-that-shape-cultures-of-thinking