Effects of Primary Education Thinking Skills(TM) on achievement: Mixed-method evaluative study

Primary Education Thinking Skills(TM) (PETS) is a three-year program designed to expose students to higher levels of thinking and provide modeling for intelligent behaviors. Two objectives are to assist identification of gifted students and to raise achievement in all students. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of PETS on overall achievement as well as development of intelligent behaviors known as habits of mind in primary grade students.;First, second, and third graders (N = 291) in two small Midwestern school districts were tested in academics and reasoning. Additionally, focus groups of third graders (n = 10) and of teachers ( n = 7) shared their experiences with PETS and their beliefs regarding its impact on students' habits of mind.;Results indicated that PETS generally improved habits of mind and reasoning skills among young students. Each area trended upward for students receiving instruction through PETS. This impact was not supported by examination of state-based tests. This signifies that content-based, fact-oriented tests measuring state standards do not match well with problem-solving, logic, and divergent thinking presented to primary grade students through PETS.;These results support current literature that high-stakes, standards-based state tests do not adequately measure habits of mind generally associated with sophisticated thinking and intelligent behaviors. While school districts are generally concerned with Adequate Yearly Progress for No Child Left Behind, measured by state-standards tests, they might do better to focus more on overall intelligent behaviors and critical reasoning that is supported by instruction of Primary Education Thinking Skills.