Every morning, the day begins with a short task to get the brain working. When children come in to the classroom, they will see a thinking starter on the board. They know exactly what to do. They get out their Brainy Book and jot down their responses. These 'Thinking Starters' are questions designed to promote Higher Order Thinking Skills, (HOTS). Usually they are questions that don't have a right or wrong answer. They stimulate the imagination. They enable children to be creative. They might make the brain go "clunk", because they challenge children to think more deeply.
The thinking starter might be a picture. It might be mathematical. It might be based on current events. Children think while the teacher takes the register. There will then be swift class discussion before classes get on with the first lesson of the day, with the children already warmed up and ready to learn.
