Throughout the year, we have discussed many of the ways we value our student’s voices within our classroom. We involve them within their educational learning processes. We document, assess and take notice to their provoking inquires. We take their inquiries and weave them within the curriculum, often across many curricular areas amidst the same lesson. Another way we engage our students within the documentation process is through co-created anchor charts. Anchor charts are an important part of the learning process. The idea is to document the thinking processes related to a specific learning experience. If we; as educators, simply show our students our thinking (creating an anchor chart without our students), we are not leaving any room for their processes to connect to a learning experience. As students learn new strategies, these are added to the anchor chart.

They are created during small group lessons and are referenced as needed throughout the learning. These charts are placed in prominent spots in the room. When the students use these co-created anchor charts as a means of enhancing their independence to reference and refresh their memories, a deeper level of thinking and independence is revealed.