Cooper Junior High Students Build Brains and Confidence in ‘Thinking Classrooms’

In Madison Smith’s eighth-grade Algebra I class at Cooper Junior High, Patriot Plus time looks slightly different. Her students participated in a Building Thinking Classrooms activity. BTC is a research-based approach to teaching math that encourages deeper thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving.

“What I love about Building Thinking Classrooms is how naturally it encourages collaboration and critical thinking,” Smith said. “My students are more engaged, confident, and willing to take risks because they know thinking and collaboration matter more than just getting the right answer.”

Based on the book, Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Dr. Peter Liljedahl, BTC is an instructional framework of 14 teaching practices that transforms traditional, teacher-centered mathematics classes into student-centered environments where learners actively engage in problem solving, reasoning, and collaboration to enhance mathematical understanding. Wylie ISD has implemented this innovative approach at all secondary campuses in the district.

“Building Thinking Classrooms is all about getting students to think,” Smith said. “When they ask questions, we don’t just give them the answer; we ask other questions that lead them to think.”

During the lesson, Smith divided her students into small groups to solve real-world math problems. Each team worked together to create tables of values for different scenarios, such as determining pay scales and measuring border lengths around a square.

When she traveled around to each group, Smith prompted discussion with guiding questions:

“What if you…”

“Can you come up with…”

“How do we represent…”

When she asked direct questions, instead of providing answers, she encouraged them to think, reason, and communicate their ideas.

Eighth-grader Zunairah Shoeb said the activity strengthened more than just math skills.

“This activity empowers teamwork and helps us learn good communication skills too,” Shoeb said. “It's a collaborative way to review the lessons we've learned in class.”

For many students, this active learning approach made math more enjoyable.

“I like this better than bookwork because you use your brains in a fun way,” eighth-grader Omar Khan said, “and I like to work with a team, and it's interactive.”

Eighth-grader Israel Rase added, “I enjoy this activity, as it's very interactive and hands-on. It helps you learn to communicate with other people and learn how to convey what's on your mind much easier.”

Beyond the lesson itself, students credit Smith for creating a classroom environment where learning feels both challenging and supportive.

“Coach Smith helps and encourages us to push our limits,” eighth-grader Aanya Gabani said. “We can always go to her for help with most things. I also think she’s one of the best teachers here at Cooper. She’s really funny and has ways to keep the class controlled and is absolutely awesome!”

Wylie ISD’s Curriculum and Instruction team brings innovative teaching models like Building Thinking Classrooms to all secondary campuses across the district.

“Building Thinking Classrooms promises to push students’ thinking higher,” Executive Director of Secondary Curriculum Dr. Stephen Davis said. “Now, instead of simply doing math, our students are thinking like mathematicians—collaborating, reasoning, and discovering new ways to solve problems.”

BTC trainer April Strom has worked with math teachers across the district to teach them how to implement these strategies in their classrooms.

“I was very impressed by the teacher engagement,” Strom said. “There’s something very special about Wylie and the culture you’ve cultivated with your teachers!”

From encouraging teamwork to strengthening critical thinking, Cooper Junior High’s approach to math is shaping confident problem-solvers who are prepared for any challenge, in or out of the classroom. That’s what it means to be Proud to Be Wylie ISD.