Teachers engage in non-fiction inquiry choose their own topic of study, research it, craft a final report and present their findings. A good teacher knows when to act as Sage on the Stage and when to act as a Guide on the Side. When students are busy making up their own minds, the role of the teacher shifts. When questioning, problem-solving and investigation become the priority classroom activities, the teacher becomes a Guide on the Side. The teacher is on the move, checking over shoulders, asking questions and teaching mini-lessons for individuals and groups who need a particular skill.
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The Guide on the Side sets clear expectations, provides explicit directions, and keeps the learning well structured and productive. In a thinking curriculum, students develop an in-depth understanding of the essential concepts and processes for dealing with those concepts, similar to the approach taken by experts in tackling their tasks. These sites were assembled for teachers. Every effort is made to validate the educational substance of these sites. However, the dynamic nature of the Internet requires each of us to use caution when presenting web sites to students.