“Teaching must adapt to the needs of the 21st century, and methodological change is possible without changing the people – the teachers – without making large investments or adopting another curriculum.” This is how Dr. Robert Swartz began his speech before an audience of more than 300 people, all of them related to the field of education and eager to hear him speak.
During his presentation entitled “Transforming Teaching through Thinking-Based Learning (TBL),” Professor Swartz explained how curriculum content can be taught from a perspective far removed from the traditional methodology, in which memorization was the primary focus. The TBL method, which he has been developing for over 25 years, cultivates higher-order thinking skills, making students critical and creative individuals capable of adapting to the demands of the 21st century.
Using practical examples of TBL lessons, he illustrated this methodology, which is already being implemented in several centers around the world, with many more joining in the process. In Spain, our school was the first to be certified as a TBL School, and it is here that Dr. Swartz has decided to open the new NCTT Special Programs office, whose objective is to offer training and advice to teachers and schools that need it.
The Center's management team has presented this new project and announced the workshops being organized for the coming months, which will take place in Valencia, Santiago de Compostela, and Seville. These will be highly practical courses where teachers can learn about the success stories of colleagues who are applying thinking skills in their daily lessons, including all of our own teachers.
Following Dr. Swartz's lecture, there was a cocktail reception where attendees were able to share their concerns and questions about how to address this new educational approach in their schools.
