I Used to Think… Now I Think…
Surface how thinking has shifted on a topic.
Making connectionsCapturing the heart
What is I Used to Think… Now I Think…?
Reflective closing routine. Names the change, not just the new state.
Setup: What topic should the participants reflect on?.
Initial
- 1I used to think…
Now
- 1Now I think…
Good moments for I Used to Think… Now I Think…
- Classroom warm-upSurface what students bring before introducing new content.
- After a reading or videoConsolidate big ideas without testing recall.
- Discussion starterResponses become the seed material for the room conversation.
- End-of-session reflectionCapture how thinking changed.
About Visible Thinking
Visible Thinking Routines were developed by Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (Ron Ritchhart, David Perkins). They are short structured protocols for surfacing thinking, not assessments.
Project Zero website