Before joining Thinking Nation, I dedicated nine years as Assistant Principal of Instruction and Middle School Principal – immersing myself in classroom observations, delivering targeted feedback, and mentoring both new and veteran teachers. Before stepping into leadership, I spent 17 years teaching social studies to grades 6–12, giving me a 360-degree view of instruction. From hundreds of observations and my own classroom experience, one truth stands out: thoughtfully designing and structuring our lessons transforms student learning in ways we often underestimate.
As Fred Jones (2007) so vividly explains, many of us still teach with an “all input, then output” model:
“Input, Input, Input, Input…then Output.”
But learning truly takes off when we alternate teaching and doing:
“Input, Output, Input, Output, Input, Output.”
In other words, students need chances to try out new ideas at every turn, not just at the end of the lesson. Additionally, teachers need to be purposeful in offering opportunities for “output” throughout the lesson.
That insight sparked our Best Practice Repository at Thinking Nation. Our expert team of educators and curriculum developers has selected and designed dozens of research-backed “outputs” – that is, interactive tasks, quick writes, debates, simulations – that you can drop straight into any social studies lesson.
Each strategy includes:
- A short video demo, so you can see it in action
- A concise one-page PDF overview, ready for your planning toolkit
Ready to shake up your instruction?
- Head over to the Best Practice Repository.
- Use your browser’s search to pinpoint a strategy that fits your next unit.
- Bring colleagues together in a PLC to share successes, troubleshoot challenges, and track student growth.
It’s time to repackage the way we plan lessons so every student has a chance to learn by actively engaging with new ideas. Head over to Thinking Nation’s Best Practice Repository to learn more.
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