Indian Peaks Elementary has cultivated a school culture that prioritizes academic excellence and equips students with the tools necessary to navigate and respond to complex challenges in their learning. Principal Karen Smith shared how the school’s approach, particularly in reading and writing, has evolved by using research-based strategies like Thinking Maps, a tool that helps students visually organize their thoughts and better understand complex tasks. “We have been focusing on ensuring that students can deconstruct prompts and think critically about how to respond,” shared Principal Karen Smith. Thinking Maps supports the focus on cognitive processes — like comparing and contrasting, and analyzing cause-and-effect relationships.
The positive results of implementing Thinking Maps are seen across the school community. Second Grade Teacher Mendi Young’s students used Thinking Maps during a recent lesson on the book Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday. Her students were deeply engaged in analyzing the main character and discussing his actions and motivations. Thinking Maps played a crucial role in this process, helping the young learners organize their thoughts and articulate their ideas more effectively.
Young explained that these visual tools are especially beneficial for young learners who are still developing their ability to hold multiple ideas in their minds at once. “A lot of what we do in second grade is helping students hold onto their ideas. Once it’s on the map, they know it’s there, and they can free up their brain space to think about other things,” she said. This approach has improved students’ ability to discuss and write about complex ideas, and also given them the confidence to tackle difficult tasks.
“Thinking Maps allow students to see different kinds of thinking. For example, when they look at a flow map, they know they’ve been sequencing. It’s a different kind of thinking than comparing and contrasting, and recognizing these differences helps them learn how to isolate the kind of thinking they’re doing.”
Mendi Young, Second Grade Teacher
The culture of critical thinking and engagement at Indian Peaks is due to the school’s commitment to fostering strong academic skills in every student. Mendi Young and the entire Indian Peaks staff are dedicated to providing students with the tools they need to succeed academically, and thrive as independent thinkers. The success of these efforts is reflected in the high level of student engagement and their ability to grapple with complex ideas at a young age. This work continues to elevate academic performance for all students and prepares them for the demands of an increasingly complex world. “When students can think critically and respond thoughtfully, they’re prepared for anything,” shared Principal Smith.