According to recent research, nearly 75% of teachers and 85% of principals frequently experience job-related stress (Will, 2022). These statistics are certainly understandable, as teachers and school administrators remain under immense pressure to elevate student performance and academic outcomes, a challenge indtensified by the need to remain competitive with other school districts. This pressure is further compounded by the lingering effects of pandemic learning loss, large class sizes that stretch resources thin, and political division and controversy that often shift focus away from education. Adding to the strain, budget cuts force schools to do more with less, creating an environment where educators must navigate an increasingly complex landscape to ensure their students succeed.
With limited resources, moving the needle on student performance can be a daunting task. Evaluating the efficacy and efficiency of teaching resources is therefore essential to overcoming teachers’ most common and severe limitations, as well as determining which tools have the most promise to help them do so.
Schools partnering with Thinking Habitats achieve significant impacts on academic outcomes without straining school budgets or teachers’ valuable time. These no-cost research partnerships provide access to THINKING PRO, a learning program that empowers educators to implement cutting-edge strategies without the usual financial and logistical burdens of traditional training. Compared to both randomized control groups and comparable curriculum programs, THINKING PRO produces demonstrably greater results in less time, even at larger class sizes. Data from these studies are presented and explained in this case study.
Improved Student Outcomes Across Subjects
A randomized control trial studying the impact of THINKING PRO on ninth and tenth grade English Language Arts (ELA) students revealed that, compared to the control group, students who participated in THINKING PRO performed significantly higher on the subscales of their graduation test. Our research shows that THINKING PRO had moderate to large effect sizes (ESs) on the subtest scores of writing, reading, science, and math, as shown in Table 1 below.
These results highlight the broad impact of THINKING PRO across subjects, demonstrating its effectiveness beyond one specific area. Students and teachers who have worked with THINKING PRO testify to its far-reaching effects:
“THINKING PRO has helped me better myself in many ways throughout my journey in high school,” says an ESL student from Christian County, KY.
A social studies student from Paterson, NJ says, “This is one of the programs that makes learning fun and easy. […] I really enjoyed it.”
Mona Mustafa, social studies teacher from Paterson, NJ, writes:
Thank you for this wonderful experience and allowing my students to gain valuable knowledge about themselves and their place in society. It has led to more goal oriented and solution minded thinking among my students, it has given them skills in reading, writing, and thinking that I hope they will take with them throughout their academic careers!
Standout Performance Among Comparative Learning Programs
Our research not only examined the impact of THINKING PRO as compared to randomized control groups, but also in comparison with two other programs with similar metacognitive strategy intervention aspects: RAAL and Xtreme Reading. Studies showed that THINKING PRO outperformed both programs with a larger Effect Size (ES), while being administered in a shorter time frame, and with more students per class.
Controlling for pretest conditions and using standardized graduation test data at the tenth grade level, our program achieved 400% higher and more meaningful ESs in reading comprehension (ES = +0.36, p > .05) than the RAAL comprehension (ES = +0.09, p > .05) and Xtreme Reading (ES = + 0.09, p > .05) (Fuchs et al, 1999; Johnson et al, 2006; Scammacca et al., 2015; Shneyderman, 2006).
Teachers and administrators who have worked with THINKING PRO have this to say about the program’s unique approach and impact:
School administrator Rebecca Bush says:
I think it’s helpful because the approach is such that a teacher can really read their classroom, the students that they have. And they can make the adaptations that they need based on the level of their students’ abilities but also the level to which students are or may not be engaged in their community. And [they have] that flexibility so that they know that they can use this program and that it’s not going to create any type of issue. It’s only going to enhance understanding. I think that’s a huge relief for a lot of teachers.
Gregory Ceithaml, ELA teacher from Holland, MI says:
I like the intentionality of it. The fact that we’re teaching them how to learn specific critical thinking skills. Because I think that’s hard to do in a large group setting. And a lot of times, we just assume we’re hitting these skills, but this is very intentional, and very specific.
ELA teacher Deborah Renton says:
I love it that we were able to make it our own, to really tailor it for our kids, for ourselves, and how we might scaffold it for our kids who are struggling. Or our kids who are just ready to fly. It’s perfect, it really is.
Overall Impact
Schools that collaborate with Thinking Habitats by implementing THINKING PRO experience a range of transformative benefits. Student outcomes improve as educators are equipped with the latest instructional strategies, tailored to meet the diverse needs of today’s classrooms. Teachers receive comprehensive professional development, including personalized one-on-one coaching and ongoing support, ensuring they are confident and effective in their roles.
Additionally, schools have the unique opportunity to contribute to and benefit from cutting-edge research, exploring evolving teaching practices that adapt to new student demographics, needs, and the integration of advanced educational technology. This collaboration not only elevates academic achievement but also positions schools at the forefront of educational innovation.
The numbers speak for themselves: THINKING PRO improves student reading scores at a rate four times greater than comparable curricula — in less time and larger classrooms. And its benefits extend to scores in all other core subjects.
Collaborate With Thinking Habitats for Significant Results at No Cost
Interested in participating in research with Thinking Habitats? Fill out the form below and include a note that you are interested in doing research with us. We’ll keep you updated about new and upcoming research opportunities.
References
Fuchs, L.S., Fuchs, D., & Kazdan, S. (1999). Effects of peer-assisted learning strategies on high
school students with serious reading problems. Remedial and Special Education, 20(5),
309–318.
Johnson, J., Haslam, M., & White, R. (2006). Improving student literacy in the Phoenix Union
High School District, 2005–06. Washington, DC: Policy Studies Associates.
Scammacca, N. K., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., & Stuebing, K. K. (2015). A Meta-Analysis of
Interventions for Struggling Readers in Grades 4–12: 1980–2011. Journal of Learning
Disabilities, 48(4), 369–390. http://doi.org/10.1177/0022219413504995
Shneyderman, A. (2006). Some results of the Voyager Passport Reading Intervention System in
several school districts. Miami, FL: Miami-Dade County Public Schools Office of
Evaluation and Research.
Will, M. (2022, June 23). Stress, burnout, depression: Teachers and principals are not doing well, new data confirm. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/stress-burnout-depression-teachers-and-principals-are-not-doing-well-new-data-confirm/2022/06