Blog - Thinking Nation

Historical Thinking Matters (More Than We Think)

What does a commitment to historical thinking look like? Why should it be our goal as teachers? At Thinking Nation’s pedagogical core, these are two questions we continuously try to answer with sincerity.

“History is a discipline, not a content” has become a bit of a motto of ours. And before we dive into a content vs. skills debate, or a reminder of the importance of background knowledge in literacy development, let’s acknowledge what the above motto is not. It is not a declaration for critical thinking at the expense of necessary background knowledge. It is not a constructivist idealism that throws out the fundamentals. It isn’t an “either/or” demand.

History demands content. We cannot study the past without, well, the past. Background knowledge is essential; without it, we cannot make connections to new learnings. But background knowledge, even in this sense, is a means not an end. If history is a discipline, it requires our engagement, our thinking. History is a discipline that equips those who engage with it to study, analyze, and make meaning of the past.

When we do this discipline well, we better engage with the present. We have the tools that every new literacy program wants us to have (“digital literacy,” “media literacy,” “AI literacy,” etc.). Historical thinking humanizes us as the scholars as well as those we study. It makes us more engaged and informed citizens. Historical thinking matters.

So how can we commit to historical thinking? In recent PDs I’ve challenged teachers to reframe questions of incorporation. Oftentimes, in the thick of our units, we ask “How can I incorporate more historical thinking?” This, however, makes historical thinking an added burden to whatever content you are teaching. We need to flip the question and ask, “How can I incorporate this content into my historical thinking framework?” With this mindset, the content is a conduit toward empowering our students with one of the most humanizing qualities we have: the ability to reason. Everything else follows our answers to that question.

Let’s get practical. Again, I will ask, what does a commitment to historical thinking look like? Simply, it looks like historical thinking being the fabric of our classrooms, weaving the content together to create a cohesive arc for our students.

Historical Thinking Matters: A Practical Guide

Here are some practical ways we can implement this mindset into our classrooms.

Identify the historical thinking skills of every lesson and unit before teaching it. We always do this with content, but we often make skill connections in the moment.
Make the implicit explicit for students. Name the skills! This is why we developed icons for our 10 historical thinking skills. We want students to see and know what practice they are developing in every lesson.

3. Put students in the role of scholars as often as possible (a minimum of 1x/week). There are a lot of creative ways to do this, but don’t underestimate the simple task of source analysis. It’s why we use THINKS consistently in the classroom. Try it!

4. Communicate success through the lens of historical thinking. If we talk about historical thinking often but mostly assess content retention, we are sending a message to our students that we don’t value their ability to think, just their ability to remember. This is why we’ve developed formative assessments on individual thinking skills. (Here is an example).

5. Make thinking processes a communal activity. Our Curated Research Papers and Socratic Seminars give students prolonged practice at historical thinking, speaking, and writing in order to build a community of practice among students. When dialogue is a feature, not an additive to our classrooms, students internalize their own agency. This means they practice the skills and dispositions that are not only essential for classroom success, but civic thriving.

Historical thinking matters. It not only is the bedrock of our discipline but it directly translates to the skills and dispositions our civic society craves. As a final aside (but no less significant), not only can our constitutional democracy be revitalized with more historical thinkers, so can our economy. Historical thinkers practice the durable skills that future jobs will demand. When we commit to historical thinking in our classrooms, we are committing toward civic renewal and economic opportunity. Let’s get to work.

Thinking Nation Takes Teachers to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

It might be early for you as you read this and it is late for me as I write this. Despite my heavy eyes, though, I am filled with joy after a great day with educators from around Los Angeles. It’s worth reflecting on at this moment and I hope it serves as a way to reflect and provide a little extra energy and inspiration for the last two days of the school week.

After a few months of coordination with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, we finally made a teacher-centered day at the Library work today! Over thirty teachers from around Los Angeles (representing five charter networks!) met at the Library today and were given a great time by our hosts, the education and archival teams at the Reagan Library, a division of the National Archives and Records Administration.

My fellow NBC team giving a news broadcast

After a brief gathering, we all headed to the Situation Room Experience (SRE) for a simulation: “Constitutional Crisis.” Dividing into teams of members of the Executive Branch and members of the Press, we dealt with a scenario of an attempted assassination of a sitting U.S. president (a scenario meant to mirror the attempted assassination of President Reagan in 1981). I was NBC’s medical correspondent, consistently trying to squeeze information out of the President’s physician to report on.

The SRE is special because it takes place in the actual Situation Room from the White House. In the early 2000s, the Situation Room in the West Wing went under a technological overhaul and the original room was shipped out to the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. Being able to make decisions in the very room that every president between John F. Kennedy and George W. Bush was a history teacher’s dream!

Four of the Thinking Nation team at Air Force One

During lunch, we had some spare time to visit the museum, so some of the Thinking Nation team and I spent our time in Air Force One, a consistent highlight of the Library for me.

After lunch, The Reagan Library’s archival team walked us through the presidential archives at the library, the system in which presidential records are found, stored, and cataloged, and even brought us into the research room to hopefully inspire us to make an appointment for our own research. This took me back to the research seasons of undergrad and grad school, seasons that I cherished (and sometimes wish I could go back to!). I was inspired.

Some Reflection

As our day with teachers at the Reagan Library closed out, I knew we all felt a little more inspired for this week and, hopefully, for the remainder of this school year. I had three major take aways from the day:

Historians (and historical thinkers) have a unique skill set that we can offer society. We think critically in a unique way that makes us adept problem solvers, evaluators of evidence, and communicators. Teachers, when we empower our students to think historically, we are preparing them for life success.
Primary Sources really are the foundation of our discipline. In a world of polarized narratives, it is critical to center primary sources. Introducing students to hard histories by letting past actors speak helps us build historical empathy and humbles us. Society could use more humility.
Collaboration is essential for a thriving democracy. We collaborated in teams in the simulation toward a common purpose, but also, coordinating this day with our friends at the Reagan Library (Special thanks to the Library’s director, Janet Tran (who I interviewed here), and the Library’s Education Specialist, Leslie Flynn!) took a lot of work, trust, and cooperation. Collaboration enables us to humanize those around us and often acknowledges a common purpose. When we have a common purpose, it is so much easier to work together rather than to see others as hindrances. Again, a classroom centered on historical thinking equips students for this well.

I had such a fulfilling and exciting time with teachers at the Reagan Library and cannot wait for Thinking Nation to do more of this in the future.

Thinking Nation Platform Feature: Annotation and Chat

Over the 10 years that I spent in the classroom, I was always looking for ways to improve my students’ essay writing. Using evidence from a text was something that my students struggled with, especially if they were using multiple sources. I had to find ways to teach them how to keep their evidence organized. Annotation became a regularly taught skill in my learning environment, a skill that was then utilized in the rest of their classes!

Thinking Nation is proud to offer tools that equip students with skills that go well beyond a social studies classroom. I’d like to shine a spotlight on a couple of features on the platform: the annotation and chat tools. While students are reading and analyzing the provided CRP documents, there may be some details they will want to use when it’s time to write their essay. They can do that by highlighting and saving their notes right on their student portals! Students simply need to highlight and save whatever section they would like to use as evidence in their essays—simple as that! The highlighted sections are saved in the Notes section of the student portal for future use.

This feature allows students to have quick access to important information, all organized in one place instead of looking back over each document to locate evidence to support their claims!

Chat Feature

Another exciting feature for teachers is the ability to comment on student work while they are actively moving through their writing process.

The comments left by teachers will show up in our Chat feature for the students on their portals. This allows them to ask follow-up questions about notes and comments that teachers leave for them.

This tool allows teachers to communicate their advice and guidance no matter the learning environment of the students—whether that be extended absences, study halls, or in the case of an independent learning model.

At Thinking Nation we strive to provide resources and tools to allow students to thrive and engage as critical thinkers. We also pride ourselves on supporting educators with technology that gives meaning and purpose in their learning environments. The annotation and chat features are easy-to-use tools on our platform that enables this support.

Are you interested in learning more about how Thinking Nation can support student thinking at your school? Reach out!

Constitutional Moments Matter

Last week, I co-led a webinar with my colleague, Donna Paoletti Phillips, the President & CEO of the Center for Civic Education. For much of my portion of the webinar, I discussed how we must see historical thinking as an avenue to cultivate civic dispositions in our students. Donna added to this by discussing ways in which we can seize constitutional moments in our classroom. I’ve been thinking a lot about this since. Constitutional Moments Matter.

Then, this weekend, I had the privilege of presenting at the 21st Annual Constitution Day mini-conference hosted at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, CA. Besides taking my daughter being the obvious highlight of the day, I was captured by the dedication and curiosity of the teachers I interacted with throughout the day.

My Daughter and I toured Air Force One before presenting!

In a sense, this mini-conferences was them seizing their constitutional moment. They came together and sharpened one another in this particular civic duty of being a social studies teacher. It may not be everyone’s civic duty to teach social studies, but it indeed is a civic duty. What we do in our classrooms is nothing short of preparing the next generation of citizens. We must equip and empower them as engaged and critical thinkers, providing them the tools to be good stewards of the democratic republic we inherited. It’s worth it.

My session at the mini-conference highlighted this duty. It was entitled “Teaching Historical Thinking is our Civic Duty.” In short, I often feel like when we consider historical thinking in our classrooms we ask this question: “How can I incorporate historical thinking into my class?” While, on the surface, this seems like the right question, in reality, it makes historical thinking out to be an added burden on what we are already doing as teachers. Added burdens are the first thing to go when the going gets tough.

But what if we reframed the question, asking “What content do I highlight to best nurture historical thinking?” Then, historical thinking becomes the immovable foundation for our classes. The content becomes the mode in which we teach it. This approach does not diminish content, it enhances it. It gives it purpose and enables students to practice the deep thinking required of engaged citizens.

This approach, making historical thinking the foundation for the study of the past, is exactly why we created our platform. Our platform houses hundreds of activities and assessments that all center historical thinking. By using it, teachers have a common language for success enabled by historical thinking. They also have the necessary data on student progress around historical thinking skills to make meaningful decisions about how to continuously empower their students throughout the year.

If you don’t yet partner with us and use our platform, reach out. For us, teaching historical thinking is seizing that constitutional moment. It’s empowering our students with the tools and dispositions required to enact the broadest principles of our Constitution, “to form a more perfect union.” Again, constitutional moments matter. Join us in cultivating thinking citizens.

Our Default Mode Should Be Rigor Through Historical Thinking

And just like that, August is almost over. Honestly, I am a bit shocked. Where did the month go? Thinking Nation led its first back-to-school PD on July 31 and since then we’ve supported partner schools from coast to coast as they gear up for the 2025-2026 school year.

As I think about entering September, I want to take some time to reflect on the conversations, commitments, and mindsets that I’ve engaged with this past month.

Back-to-School PD Success

With school year momentum picking up, it is critical to remind ourselves of the foundations laid before our students came back to our classrooms.

During the week of August 4th, I had time to work with a few of our Los Angeles partners: Youth Policy Institute Charter Schools (YPICS), Equitas Collegiate High School, and Alliance College-Ready Public Schools. And then the following week, I had the privilege of working with a dedicated group of instructional coaches at KIPP:NYC. In each of these settings, we framed mindsets, set foundations and collectively cultivated the necessary dispositions for a strong start to the school year.

YPICS is one of our earliest adopters, and as their executive director, Yvette King-Berg has noted, “with the support of Thinking Nation’s resources and professional development, our school administrators are seeing more in depth, grade level writing happening in our social studies classes than in our ELA classes.” I always enjoy working with those teachers and seeing their rededication to empowering their students as historical thinkers.

Both Equitas Collegiate HS and Alliance have partnered with us (alongside Bright Star Schools) to create an LA-rooted Ethnic Studies Course that prioritizes the experiences of the students served in LA. I am incredibly excited about this project and will take more time to share why in another post.

KIPP:DC Instructional Coaches hard at work.

Finally, KIPP:NYC; wow, what a dream. As one of the instructional coaches remarked after our full-day session: “Zach, you really made us think deeply all day. We are exhausted. But grateful.” We analyzed and created concept maps around historical thinking skills, engaged in sourcing protocols, and practiced formative assessments. On top of all of this, the dialogue in the room was so rich, complex, nuanced, and passionate. We challenged one another in both thinking and practice as we maintained our common aim of empowering students. It was fulfilling and uplifting.

But the work isn’t done. There is a whole year ahead.

The Danger of Reverting to the Status Quo

As a classroom teacher, I constantly had to avoid the path of least resistance after month one or two; that is, the default back to the status quo. For convenience (and honestly, sometimes my sanity), I would revert back to a content delivery mindset. I did this for a number of reasons:

I was “falling behind.”
It was easier to plan.
I felt like a safety net to know I at least did something to progress forward.
I felt backlash from my students when engaging in intellectual rigor.

Still, when I made historical thinking and inquiry the foundation for my class, it was much harder to fall back into that status quo. I had routines and structures in place that oriented everything we did in my class around the discipline I taught (rather than the content I covered).

Making Rigor our New Status Quo

This is exactly why we set up Thinking Nation’s platform the way we did. We wanted the path of least resistance to be rigorous thinking, analysis, and writing. So we created structures—like our THINKS protocol, Formative Assessments, and Curated Research Papers—that made teaching historical thinking radically convenient. It works. The default mode becomes historical thinking. Inquiry is no longer a welcomed bonus in the classroom, but woven into the very fabric of every lesson. Students define success in a more robust way. They grow.

So, here is my challenge: Weave historical thinking into every aspect of your lessons so that even when you default to the path of least resistance in these upcoming months (we all need to!), your foundation is depth and critical thinking. The structures in place challenge both your and your students’ thinking. The structures promote historical literacy and complex writing.

If you are wondering how to do this, let me (unabashedly) offer up to ways we can support you.

If you’re a follower of Thinking Nation but not at one of our partner schools, change that! Talk to your administrator about purchasing a subscription to our platform. Our platform doesn’t just center historical thinking, it promotes interdisciplinary literacy and deep writing. Students who engage with Thinking Nation grow in every subject. Not just history. Reach out to us and we will walk you through the onboarding process.
Join our free webinar next week with the Center for Civic Education. On Thursday September 4, I will co-lead a webinar on maintaining mindsets and seizing moments in the classroom in order to cultivate civic dispositions in the classroom. If your looking for a little extra fire to keep you going through September, join us! We are here to support you. You can register for the webinar here.

A Historical Thinking Mindset for Back-to-School

While some of our partners are still holding on to the dog days of summer, most of us have welcomed back students at this point. You got this! You’re crushing it. Your students are fortunate to have you as a teacher.

As we kick off the 2025-2026 school year, I want to take some time to talk about mindsets.

If you’ve ever been in a room with me, you have heard me say that “history is a discipline, not a content.” I say it so much because this is the paradigm shift that can transform social studies classrooms. Viewing ourselves as teachers of a discipline gives us deeper purpose and presents us with more opportunities to empower our students. Content alone can often divide us, but a disciplinary approach unites us.

With that said, I want to re-highlight our Historical Thinking Skills posters. These posters, which highlight both our skills and our document analysis protocol, THINKS, can be easily printed off and put up in classrooms. They serve as reminders to ourselves and our students that the foundation of our classrooms is thinking, not memorization. Content is essential, don’t misunderstand me, but historians are defined by their ability to engage with the past, not their ability to remember it.

Click on each poster’s image to download PDF.

(If you live in the LA area, I may be able to drop off some pre-printed posters. Just reach out!)

The second thing I want to highlight is our “Historical Thinking Skills Explained” video series on Youtube. If you know me well, you know that brevity is not my strength. So, creating 10 videos at around 5 minutes or less was no small feat! I hope that each video gives both educators and students a quick summary of the definition, purpose, and practice of each corresponding skill.

Some of my favorites are below!

Causation

Historical Empathy

Evaluating Evidence

While the back-to-school nerves are real, even for the most veteran of teachers, I also hope that we use this moment in time as an opportunity to orient ourselves toward the discipline we teach. In some cases that might mean a reaffirmation of the disciplinary approach we ended last year doing. In other cases, that might mean a renewed commitment to this discipline that we fell so in love with that we became educators.

Are you looking for more strategic and intentional ways to integrate a disciplinary mindset and inquiry approach in your classrooms? We’d love to support you. Our platform was designed to simplify the implementation of our rich and complex discipline. Our tools, assessments, and data build stronger departmental collaboration, rich vertical alignment, better literacy outcomes, and most importantly support the cultivation of thinking citizens—essential for the flourishing of our democracy. Get in contact with us to talk through ways we can support your classroom and school.

Lessons from Five Years at Thinking Nation

How an unexpected start in 2020 grew into a role of shaping curriculum championing historical thinking

The Back-to-School season has commenced and like many of you, I find myself feeling both reflective and curiously hopeful. In July, Thinking Nation celebrated our 5th birthday 🥳and this month I’m marking my own five-year anniversary with the company. Humor me for a little walk down memory lane…

An Unexpected Turn in 2020

In the summer of 2020, the world was overcome by the COVID-19 pandemic and I was in the third trimester of pregnancy with my second child. With high daycare costs and an uncertain future, I decided to take a leave of absence from my teaching position in Minneapolis. Overwhelmed with feelings of anxiety for the future and the loss of a career I had worked so hard to build, I stumbled across a post from Thinking Nation’s Executive Director, Zachary Coté. He was looking to hire educators to grade essays for Thinking Nation’s partner schools. Despite grading essays being my least favorite part of the job, I was desperate to maintain some connection to my former life. And so, in August, I signed on to become part of the team.

Fast forward a few years and I made the decision to shift full-time into the role of Director of Curriculum and added another kid to the mix! What began as a way to keep one foot in education soon became something much bigger than I had envisioned.

In this role, my primary responsibility has been overseeing the development of a full-curriculum for several charter schools in Washington, D.C. and a full-year Ethnic Studies course for several charter schools in Los Angeles. Periodically, I get to travel and provide Professional Development for the teachers who are implementing the curriculum.

Where Professional Development Feels Different

At the start of the month, I worked with 30+ teachers from KIPP DC at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center for two days. I walked away feeling inspired and grateful. As someone who sat in numerous PD sessions (often wishing I could just get back to the work that felt more urgent), I felt challenged to ensure the two days of learnings would be both engaging and worthwhile.

I quickly realized that I hadn’t needed to worry at all. You know when you walk in a room and you just get a sense that something special is going to happen? That’s how it felt. Within the first hour, the collaboration and intentionality of the educators confirmed my hunch.

Rather than acting as a traditional presenter, I naturally fell into the role of facilitator. The eagerness of the educators paired with their thoughtful questions and candid discussions created an environment where learning from each other was both easy and energizing. In session after session, teachers wrestled with resources and pedagogy that, for many, meant rethinking daily classroom practices. Instead of approaching with hesitancy, they leaned in, pushing each other to think through implementing best practices designed to foster deep student learning.

Why This Work Matters

Seeing these educators embrace historical thinking in this way reminded me of why Thinking Nation exists, and why I am proud to be part of it. Social Studies teachers are advocating to be seen as equal to other core subject areas, not simply literacy supports or expendable when time and resources run thin. But visibility alone isn’t enough. We have to elevate our practice beyond just teaching about the past to teaching how to study the past.

Five years in, I’m convinced this is where the real transformation happens. It’s in rooms like that one in D.C., where educators commit to sharpening their craft, challenging assumptions, and giving students the tools to think like historians. That’s the kind of work worth showing up for day after day, year after year.

Happy Independence Day!

Tomorrow is The United States’ 249th birthday! I hope everyone’s day is filled with a “reflective patriotism” (Thank you for the word, Alexis De Tocqueville).

Speaking of reflective patriotism, it’s been on my mind a lot lately. In fact, last week, Education Week published my piece “Patriotic History Education Doesn’t Mean Ignoring Our Country’s Troubled Past.” As an American, I love my country. As a scholar, I know she is far from perfect. In the piece, I argue that historical thinking enables us to have a love of country that doesn’t demand turning a blind eye to the injustices in our country’s past. Great Americans such as Frederick Douglass and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. modeled this well. Here is an excerpt:

“I love America. I love it for what it is. But I don’t always love what it does. My love for my country is not based on
circumstance or performance. It is an unconditional love that does not ignore its flaws.

My training in history enables my practice of this love. I’ve learned tools of investigation and interpretation that allow
me to wrestle with moral tensions and proactively try to better understand the United States throughout its complex
past…

Schools must approach history diﬀerently. When we history educators teach the subject as a discipline defined by
investigation and interpretation, students can better confront the crippling nature of singular narratives like American
greatness or American oppression. This reorientation can cultivate a rising generation of people equipped with civic
dispositions that are necessary to sustain a democracy…

To cultivate a reflective patriotism in future generations, we must commit to teaching history as a set of skills rather
than a list of dates and events. History is a discipline (the study of the past), not a content (the past). Many of our K-12
history standards, textbooks, and courses narrowly focus on that content at the expense of teaching students the
dispositions necessary for the discipline. When we only focus on the content, we often fight over whose history is
better or more accurate, which only furthers our national divide. A focus on content makes us choose between 1619
and 1776; a disciplinary approach empowers us to recognize the historical significance of both.”

In short, being empowered with historical thinking does in fact give us the tools to contribute to a flourishing democracy. Please head over the Education Week to read the whole piece.

Happy Independence Day!
Zachary Cote
Executive Director

Partner with Us!

Read at EdWeek

Get in conact

Donate

A Free Webinar for World Refugee Day

Thinking Nation is excited to partner with our friends at the Institute for Curriculum Services to co-host a free educator webinar for World Refugee Day. The topic? Jewish Immigration at the turn of the 20th century. The experts over at ICS are going to equip teachers with critical content around Jewish Immigration and why understanding this era of history matters today.

I have the privilege of representing Thinking Nation and walk teachers through the historical thinking skill of causation. This is one of my favorite skills to teach and I am looking forward to applying causal thinking to ICS’s deep content knowledge on this topic.

So, if you are looking to deepen your learning on both this topic and historical thinking skill, join us! You can register for the free webinar here!

I hope to see you there!

New Podcast Episode: Thinking Historically About

Thinking Historically About the Women in the American Revolution with Dr. Carol Berkin

Ok, this one was fun. Dr. Berkin spends the first 10 minutes completely captivating me with her story about how her and her colleagues literally put Women’s History on the map! Go listen!

In this episode, we are thinking historically with Dr. Carol Berkin, Presidential Professor of History Emerita at Baruch College & the Graduate Center, CUNY. Dr. Berkin helps us think historically about how women impacted the American Revolution, as well as how the American Revolution impacted women in America. Dr. Berkin also addresses women’s history more broadly, discussing part of the process, as she experienced it, in elevated women’s history in an academic setting.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

At Thinking Nation, we are so fortunate to work with such dedicated educators, committed to empowering their students with the skills and dispositions necessary for success. I’m continuously reminded of their hard work when I come to a campus, lead a PD, or hear great stories of teachers from our Implementation Specialist, Will Pulgarin. Today, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, I want to share two stories from one of our partner schools in California that really exemplify the paradigm shift we strive for as an organization.

When I arrived to Cabrillo Middle School in Ventura, CA for the first time, it dawned on me that the majority of the social studies department were multiple subject credentialed teachers, who taught social studies among other subjects like science, Spanish, or English. I was definitely excited to introduce the world of historical thinking to this group, but also, admittedly a little hesitant to the receptiveness of teachers with little or no history background.

But wow, if growth mindset was embodied in a team, I think I found it! Of course, I shouldn’t have been surprised by this, as Carly Donick, former California Council for Social Studies and National Council for Social Studies Middle School Teacher of the Year is their department leader (I was fortunate enough to present alongside Carly at this year’s CCSS conference).

While I have been so impressed with their whole team this year, I was able to be in two of their classrooms this year, both 6th grade ancient civilizations. In the fall, when I was in Mrs. Klopfenstein’s class, we analyzed how the development of writing in ancient Mesopotamia changed over time. We analyzed a secondary source table, compiled in the 1800s, that showed how cuneiform changed over time, used our THINKs protocol, and discussed what continuities and changes we noticed. I was blown away at the responses from her students. They were thoughtful, analytical, and curious. When given the chance to think historically, they rose to the occasion.

In second semester, I had the chance to help facilitate a socratic seminar in Mrs. Brady’s classroom. The students were using primary sources from Confucius and Laozi to compare the philosophies of Confucianism and Daoism. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what what going to come of this, as these two philosophies aren’t usually at the top of potential conversations to have among 6th graders. Still, as the students sat in a fishbowl seating arrangement, with the inner circle discussing questions like “What is the role of structure and order in a government influenced by Confucianism?” and “How would you summarize a good government based on the Daodejing?” I was so impressed by their discussion.

What especially impressed me, though, was their ability to work together in discussion, rather than at odds with one another in a debate. When the students got to the question, “According to the Daodejing, why should a ruler use ‘non-action’?” the class became silent. One of the students looked at me and said “We don’t know how to answer this.” Another student chimed in, “Yeah, Daoism was a lot harder to understand than Confucianism.” In response, I just said, “Ok, then try just talking about what you do understand from the text, don’t worry about the question.” A brave student began one of the most exciting sequences of discussion I’ve witnessed. Students began to just discuss the Daodejing and as they did, they began to weave in the idea of non-action.

After a minute or two, the whole group began adding their suggested interpretations to the question! What seemed out of reach for individual students became conquerable when the learning became communal. This demonstrated the pedagogical power of a Socratic Seminar. I left that class period so impressed by the culture of intellectual grit that Mrs. Brady had cultivated.

Stories like the ones above are happening all over the country in Thinking Nation classrooms. Recently, teachers have shared similar stories with me Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, Washington, D.C., Washington, and New York. Each of these conversations is incredible rewarding.

Thinking Nation’s vision is that every student is empowered with the skills and dispositions necessary to contribute to a flourishing democracy and thrive in an ever-changing world. What sometimes can feel like a moment, is turning into a movement.

If you’re still reading, and you want to consider what this could look like in your classroom, school, or district, reach out! We’d love to chat.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Reflecting on Experience: A Year-End Guide for Teachers

There were a lot of things that went wrong during my first year of teaching. Activities that crashed mid-flight, classroom decisions I wish I could take back, and moments that left me wondering what I had gotten myself into. Like most new teachers, I made a lot of mistakes. But one of my biggest mistakes during my first year of teaching was that I did not engage in any sort of purposeful teacher reflection at the end-of-the-year. As I developed as an educator, though, reflection became one of the most significant keys to my improvement. Once I started pausing to really think about what worked, what didn’t, and why – I grew faster. My teaching, classroom management, and planning all improved. Looking back, reflection wasn’t just helpful – it was essential.

My teacher reflection routine was pretty common. First, I would pick a day to sit down somewhere quiet and to reflect on the school year (Starbucks was always my favorite place to go to). Other times, I would ask a trusted colleague to help me reflect. Both approaches work; the key is to slow down, take a breath, and think deeply.

Here’s the process I use – and it’s one I recommend to any educator:

🏅 Step 1: Celebrate the Wins

Start off by giving yourself credit for what went well and celebrate it!

What worked well this year?
What successes did I have?
Who were 2-3 students that I had positive relationships with?
How did my teaching improve this year?
What was it like to be a student in my class this year?

🤔 Step 2: Reflect on the Journey

This is where the real growth happens.

What was the hardest day I had this year?
What was the best lesson I did this year?
What brought me joy this year?
What has given me hope?
What am I most proud of this year?
What did I learn about myself this year?
Who helped me the most this year?
How have I grown as an educator this year?
What did I do this year to connect with families?
How did my personal life affect my professional one?
Which colleague had a positive impact on me this year?

⛰️ Step 3: Analyze the Challenges

Finally, I would focus on some of the challenges I encountered during the academic year. I would avoiding dwelling on them, and focus more on the nuggets of learning that each situation contained.

What was the most challenging situation I encountered this year?
Which students did I struggle with the most? What can I learn from this?
What are some of my goals for the next academic year?
How can I harness what I learned and continue to move forward with it?

To end, I would like to evoke the wisdom of the legendary educator and psychologist John Dewey:

“We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.”

So as you head toward the finish line of the school year, don’t just close the chapter – reflect on it. I’ve created a free teacher reflection worksheet that our Thinking Nation partners (and any teacher!) can use to guide this process. It’s a small step that can make a big difference.

References

Aguilar, Elena. (2014) Reflecting on a Year of Learning. Education Week. http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/coaching_teachers/2014/05/reflecting_on_a_year_of_learni.html

Colorado, Colorín. (2017). Reflection questions for teachers and students: A school year like no other. https://www.colorincolorado.org/sites/default/files/ColorinColorado_Reflection-Questions_2.pdf

Finishing the Year Strong and Looking Ahead

With Easter past us, almost all of our schools have now come back from Spring Break. This means we have entered the final stretch of the 2024-2025 school year.

For some of us that means sprinting to make up for lost ground (If that’s you in the AP space, check out our Practice AP exams to give your students a clear roadmap for crunch time studying), or moving to big research or community projects, or even just counting down the days for this year to end, knowing that next year will be a better one (This was definitely me as a first year teacher).

Regardless of what the final stretch of this academic year looks like for you, one thing that is common in all of our circumstances is an eye toward the future. Our team at Thinking Nation has already begun meeting with many of our current school partners to sketch out implementation, professional development, and assessment plans for the 2025-2026 school year. This is critical for student success.

Thinking Nation's 10 historical thinking skills — Historical Thinking Skills

Many of the readers of this newsletter and blog have found us through our free resources that support better protocols around teaching historical thinking. I always love hearing the stories from teachers and school leaders about how they utilize THINKS as a document analysis strategy, or have our historical thinking posters up in their classrooms, or use our historical thinking definitions and icons to guide their district PLCs. I love these stories!

But I also want to acknowledge that schools partner with Thinking Nation in far more robust, and therefore more effective, ways.

If you currently don’t partner with Thinking Nation and use our platform, consider this a re-introduction to what we do and offer. Our AI-driven platform has hundreds of historical thinking assignments and assessments that utilize the vast content areas of social studies to teach and assess the core disciplinary thinking skills that unite our discipline. Our professional development supports teachers as they empower students. Schedule a time with us to learn how we can support your unique needs.

Students at a school that partners with Thinking Nation engaging in a socratic seminar. — Students engaging in one of our socratic seminars

We’ve linked hundreds of primary and secondary sources to our THINKS protocol and thinking skill-specific graphic organizers like causation, historical significance, and historical empathy.
We’ve developed hundreds of formative assessments on individual thinking skills like quantitative analysis, contextualization, and evaluating evidence that provide a clear common language for success for students and teachers alike.
We have over a hundred pre-created socratic seminars and Curated Research Papers to give students extended opportunities to engage in the discipline of history.
We have provided hundreds of hours of professional development supporting teacher professional growth and district alignment.

When students engage with Thinking Nation’s resources, they are empowered as doers of history, rather than operating as passive receivers of a historical narrative.

Student agency increases, classroom rigor strengthens, conversations are rooted in academic discourse, and literacy skills grow.

Within our platform, we also harness the power of generative AI to provide students instant feedback on their thinking and writing skills, as well as generate easy to digest data reports for teachers to track student growth and align with other teachers at their site or district.

Students who engage with Thinking Nation’s resources are better equipped to analyze information, write effectively, and make and defend robust claims. As our vision states, Thinking Nation students are better equipped to contribute to a flourishing democracy and thrive in an ever-changing world.

If you are re-thinking how your social studies program for the 2025-26 school year because you want to challenge your students, prepare them for success, and facilitate better collaboration with your department, we’d love to connect. Reach out to us and we will set up a time to talk about your school’s priorities and how Thinking Nation might be able to help you shift the paradigm of social studies education.

Using Thinking Nation’s Best Practice Repository to Repackage and Enhance Social Studies Lessons

Before joining Thinking Nation, I dedicated nine years as Assistant Principal of Instruction and Middle School Principal – immersing myself in classroom observations, delivering targeted feedback, and mentoring both new and veteran teachers. Before stepping into leadership, I spent 17 years teaching social studies to grades 6–12, giving me a 360-degree view of instruction. From hundreds of observations and my own classroom experience, one truth stands out: thoughtfully designing and structuring our lessons transforms student learning in ways we often underestimate.

As Fred Jones (2007) so vividly explains, many of us still teach with an “all input, then output” model:

“Input, Input, Input, Input…then Output.”

But learning truly takes off when we alternate teaching and doing:

“Input, Output, Input, Output, Input, Output.”

In other words, students need chances to try out new ideas at every turn, not just at the end of the lesson. Additionally, teachers need to be purposeful in offering opportunities for “output” throughout the lesson.

That insight sparked our Best Practice Repository at Thinking Nation. Our expert team of educators and curriculum developers has selected and designed dozens of research-backed “outputs” – that is, interactive tasks, quick writes, debates, simulations – that you can drop straight into any social studies lesson.

Each strategy includes:

A short video demo, so you can see it in action
A concise one-page PDF overview, ready for your planning toolkit

Ready to shake up your instruction?

Head over to the Best Practice Repository.
Use your browser’s search to pinpoint a strategy that fits your next unit.

Bring colleagues together in a PLC to share successes, troubleshoot challenges, and track student growth.

It’s time to repackage the way we plan lessons so every student has a chance to learn by actively engaging with new ideas. Head over to Thinking Nation’s Best Practice Repository to learn more.

References

Jones, F. H. (2007). Tools for teaching: Discipline, instruction, motivation (2nd ed.). Fredric H. Jones & Associates.

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

More Than Meets the Eye: Helping Students Decode Historical Images

Behind every historical image is a perspective, a message, and a moment waiting to be unpacked. Our job is to help students find it.

Scaffolding Visual Literacy in History

Recently, I was reviewing a 7th grade U.S. History lesson plan that directed students to analyze various images of the Boston Massacre to evaluate multiple perspectives of the event. (Sidebar: if you are looking for an engaging read on this topic, I highly recommend Serena Zabin’s The Boston Massacre: A Family History (2023). Easy 5⭐ for me!)

As I considered the lesson, I reflected on how often students struggle to evaluate historical images. Key elements are frequently misread, symbolism can be missed, and the artist’s intent is often misunderstood. So I decided to create an introductory activity to better prepare them. It starts by having students understand the purpose and significance of image analysis as a historical investigative tool:

Being able to analyze visual images—like paintings, photographs, political cartoons, and posters—is an important skill for understanding history. These images are more than just art; they are historical evidence created during or about a specific time. They help us see what people valued, feared, or believed, and they often show details that words alone can’t capture.

Learning to “read” an image helps us think critically, ask good questions, and make connections between the past and the present. Just like a primary source document, a historical image tells a story—if you know how to look closely!

Then, I created a step-by-step process to help them engage. Here’s the gist:

Step 1: Brainstorm – Read the source information and list what you already know.

Step 2: Focus – Find the most prominent element in the image. Describe your observation, then connect with your prior knowledge, and finally infer what the artist is hoping to convey.

Step 3: Zoom In – Separate the image into quadrants in order to take note of even minor elements the artist included and make notes of elements and messages in each section.

To support deeper engagement, I also created a question bank organized by Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels. These prompts help students explore purpose, symbolism, and perspective at increasing levels of complexity.

Spending time explicitly teaching how to analyze visuals strengthens students’ understanding of the past and encourages them to consider historical nuance and ambiguity. This skill is foundational‒not just for historians, but for informed citizens in today’s media-saturated world.

Real Life Application

Now, hang with me through this tangent and then I’ll get you the tool so you can utilize it with your students.

Last week, my book club discussed Lois Lowry’s Tree. Table. Book. (2024). It tells the story of the two Sophies of Chocorua Street who are neighbors and best friends. The surprising thing is that they are seventy-seven years apart. Young Sophie (age 11) tries to save old Sophie (age 88) from being taken to a memory-care facility due to her intensifying dementia. Throughout the book club, we explored both the simplicity and the complexity of the story.

As I sat there, I was suddenly considered the cover of the book. Initially, I had dismissed it as a sweet and simple cover. But then I applied the very same visual analysis tools that I had just created for the lesson plan.

Step 1: Source: I know Lois Lowry wrote Number the Stars about the Danish resistance during the Holocaust. I also know that the title mimics a cognitive recall test.

Step 2: Prominent Element: I notice the two characters. They are facing each other. Their age difference is evident. But their glasses and face expressions are similarly contemplative.

Step 3: Quadrants: I see the two moons in the top corners and the shift in colors to highlight day and night. The center tree is blooming on the left and is bare on the right. Characters in the background illustrate components of the story.

When I noticed all these elements, a simple illustration became rich with meaning‒just like the novel itself. And this is the power of image analysis.

Why This Matters

Teaching students visual literacy in history empowers them to engage more fully with the past. When they engage, they learn. When they learn, they grow. And when they grow, they become informed participants in our democracy.

Want to try it out?

a graphic organizer to teach visual literacy in history

If you are interested in trying this with your students, grab the worksheet here. Swap out the image (in this lesson, students had already previewed the Boston Tea Party in a prior lesson) for one they have seen before. Then challenge them with a new complex image.

If you use this strategy for visual literacy in history in your classroom, I’d love to hear how it goes!

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

AP Practice Exams Provide the Practice Students Deserve

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
– Mike Tyson

It’s a line that’s both blunt and true, especially if you’ve ever walked into something big thinking you were ready, only to get caught off guard. That’s how a lot of students feel on AP exam day. They’ve studied. They’ve reviewed. But when the test begins, it can feel like taking a hit they didn’t see coming.

Just like fighters need to train for fight night, students need to train for AP exams. Not just with content review, but with real, exam-like practice that simulates the pressure, pacing, and performance required to succeed. That’s what Thinking Nation’s AP Practice Exams are built for.

These practice exams are full-length, standards-aligned, and designed to match the feel and format of the official College Board exams. Students currently preparing for AP U.S. History, World History, European History, or U.S. Government and Politics can use these tools to build confidence and sharpen their skills. And here’s what makes them different: as soon as a student finishes, they get detailed feedback on both multiple-choice and free-response sections—powered by AI and grounded in College Board rubrics. The feedback is immediate, clear, and specific.

This isn’t just about more practice, it’s about better practice.

In 2024, approximately 35.7% of U.S. public high school graduates took at least one AP Exam, with 22.6% achieving a score of 3 or higher. That’s a lot of students engaging with challenging coursework, and every one of them deserves tools that help them feel ready when it matters most.

Teachers play a crucial role in that preparation. By signing up at Thinking Nation’s website, teachers can access a discount code to share with their students, making these practice exams even more accessible. When students complete an exam, they can immediately share their results with their teacher. That report gives educators powerful insights into how their students are doing and where they might need extra support.

We’ve heard from so many teachers this year asking for a resource like this. Something that gives their students a real taste of the AP exam and the kind of data that helps guide instruction. The AP Practice Exams do both.

They’re not a silver bullet. But they are one of the smartest ways students can prepare for what’s ahead and one of the most direct ways teachers can help them get there.

Let’s help students train like it matters BECAUSE IT DOES.

Reflecting on the National Council for History Education

Last week, Spenser and I headed to St. Louis, MO for the annual National Council for History Education (NCHE) conference. I took some time on the plane home to reflect on my time there and thought it was worth sharing with all of you!

Another airplane (long 😬 ) post as I’m now headed back home from NCHE. Well, National Council for History Education, you curated quite the conference. I was continually humbled by the number of people who came up to me to share how they engage with Thinking Nation. To those of you who came up and shared, thank you. It meant so much!

Sometimes, we continue to press into a vision, seeing its worth but unsure of its impact. Hearing impact stories was like caffeine for the tired soul. Professors of History came and shared how they utilize our historical thinking skill icons as references in their classrooms. Professors of Education shared how they provide our Source Analysis protocols (available for free :)) to the future teachers in their methods class. Thinking Nation has become a framework for understanding how to teach the discipline of history. A vision for systemic change in social studies is taking shape!

Teachers came up to Spenser and me and shared how they embed our historical thinking skills into their classes to provide consistency through the discipline. Scholars showed me how they cite our white paper in their own work. Museum educators even came and shared how they use our framework in their own spaces! Several people came up just show gratitude and provide encouragement for our mission. Honestly, I could go on. I left so encouraged and excited for how Thinking Nation can and does support schools and the broader social studies landscape and am thrilled for the continued work to be done.

Speaking of continued work, being able to sit down and talk collaboration with so many fellow colleagues just continued to fuel my fire to do this work.

Finally, to end the conference presenting alongside Ebony McKiver of Social Studies Accelerator about how we can build better bridges between museums and K-12 institutions and having people come up to us and thank us and tell us it was the best session they attended, or that they plans for how to do more explicit integrations in their own community, was so encouraging.

Again, I’m so humbled and encouraged. Thank you for a dynamic NCHE 2025. Can’t wait for 2026!

EDUCATION NONPROFIT THINKING NATION MAKES HIGH-QUALITY ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) SOCIAL STUDIES TEST PREP MORE EQUITABLE AND ACCESSIBLE BY BRINGING AI-POWERED PRACTICE EXAMS DIRECT TO STUDENTS

New AP Practice Exams Mirror Authentic AP Exam Testing Experience, Provide Instant, Detailed Feedback to Help Students Prepare and Boost Scores

NORTHRIDGE, Calif., March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As we head into the final months of the academic year, Advanced Placement (AP) exams taking place this May 5-16 mark a critical milestone for millions of high school students striving to earn college credit and showcase proficiency in coursework. To support students in their preparation for AP exams this spring, Thinking Nation, a national 501(c)(3) committed to empowering students to thrive as engaged and critical thinkers for the future of democracy, today announced the launch of its AI-powered AP Practice Exams for AP U.S. History, AP European History, AP World History, and AP Government and Politics students.

“We designed these AI-powered practice exams to give students a true AP exam experience with instant, actionable feedback,” said Valentina Carvajal Bueno of Thinking Nation who held a key role on the AP Practice Exam development team. “Every student deserves access to high-quality test prep, and this tool helps level the playing field so every student can prepare with confidence.”

Thinking Nation’s AP Practice Exams simulate the official AP exam environment, including the writing component, from section timing to question difficulty, to prepare students for exactly what to expect at an affordable price. Unlike other study methods or preparation tools, Thinking Nation’s AP Practice Exams provide instant, AI-generated feedback and actionable study insights, helping students pinpoint exactly where they need to improve.

Students can choose to complete an entire exam or focus on specific sections, tailoring their prep to their needs. By practicing in an authentic test setting, students gain confidence, reduce test anxiety, and improve their time management—key factors in earning a top score. Simultaneously, students have the option of sharing their test results with their teachers, providing them with valuable data on the specific units, skills and exam components to target instruction in the final weeks leading up to the exams.

AP U.S. History teacher, History for Humans creator, and teacher coach Dan Lewer shared, “Thinking Nation’s AP Practice Exams are an amazing resource to help students feel more prepared and confident for the AP exams – one I plan to use with my students every year. The instant feedback on both multiple choice and free response questions helps students understand how to improve their scores in real time. Not only does it save teachers valuable time on grading and feedback, but the detailed performance reports also provide essential insights to guide review before the big day.”

Developed and evaluated by experienced AP teachers and AP exam graders, Thinking Nation’s AP Practice Exams are in strict accordance with the most current guidelines and criteria from the College Board, the AP exams’ governing body. This alignment ensures that students become well acquainted with the exam’s structure and expectations.

“I wish something like this existed while I was in high school. I’ve made a career by making one-minute history videos, but unfortunately, students today need to have more in-depth knowledge and access to affordable test prep if they’re going to pass the AP,” said history teacher and Thinking Nation partner Lauren Cella. “That is why I trust Thinking Nation’s team of AP graders, historians, and AP teachers who have created this test to be as close as possible to the real thing.”

The AP Practice Exams are available 24/7 and are priced at $15 per exam to make quality test preparation accessible to all students. Other practice test packages, courses, and tutoring costs range from $295 to $799 or more and do not offer the targeted feedback and authentic simulation that Thinking Nation’s AP Practice Exams do. Students and parents can learn more about Thinking Nation’s AP Practice Exams and directly purchase one by visiting the organization’s website.

Subscriptions to Thinking Nation’s AP Practice Exams are also available to teachers and school districts. Teachers can easily assign the exams to students, who can then submit their responses online. Detailed performance feedback is generated instantaneously, allowing students to make targeted improvements in their preparation and teachers to fine tune classroom instruction and reviews leading up to the official AP exams. To learn more about the AP Practice Exams platform and how to implement it in your school or classroom, visit Thinking Nation’s website.

For more information on Thinking Nation’s innovative approach to fostering historical thinking in social studies education, visit thinkingnation.org. Educators can explore Thinking Nation’s Best Practices Repository for valuable resources and strategies.

To contribute financially to the organization’s work to transform social studies classrooms across the country, go to thinkingnation.org/donate.

About Thinking Nation
Thinking Nation is a national 501(c)(3) committed to empowering students to thrive as engaged and critical thinkers by supporting teachers with meaningful curricula, training, and technology to transform social studies education for the future of democracy. We believe that education is our greatest equalizer, and that every student, regardless of zip code or socio-economic background, deserves access to learning practices that reflect the diversity of identities, histories, contributions, and experiences to support enriched educational opportunity, equity, and success for all. Thinking Nation currently serves more than 35,000 students in 16 states and the District of Columbia. For more information about Thinking Nation or to support the organization’s work to transform social studies classrooms across the country, please visit thinkingnation.org/donate.

Media Contacts
Laura Wessells and Martha Holler
ShinePR for Thinking Nation, thinkingnation@shinepr.com

Civic Learning Week is a Time for Teacher Appreciation

[A quick note: It was so great to meet so many of you at the California Council for Social Studies conference this past weekend. I loved hearing so many inspiring stories at our booth and sessions!]

This is the week!

I feel like the phrase “now more than ever” is a perennial favorite in the civics community. But perhaps it is because the time is always ripe to practice civics. Civics goes beyond knowledge of the government. It is a worldview that we can collectively exercise to both strengthen our democracy and our society. Civics Matters.

In this 3rd annual Civic Learning Week, orchestrated by our friends at iCivics, I wanted to take the time to reflect on what Civics education means in Thinking Nation classrooms.

As I wrote awhile back, I believe that a quality history education is an exercise in civics. When we teach history, we are equipping students with valuable dispositions that transcend the classroom. When students practice historical empathy they are utilizing essential skills for understanding their neighbors and the diverse perspectives they encounter. They can apply the same skills used in contextualizing past events when they are better trying to understand the context of our time. When evaluating evidence in primary sources, they are internalizing questions that we must ask about present sources if we want to be media literate. I could go on.

Historical thinking empowers students to be the citizens our society needs if we want to preserve and protect our constitutional democracy. As I reflect on what this means for us at Thinking Nation during Civic Learning Week, I want to take a moment to thank some teachers who are doing this in their classes.

Shouting Out Our Teachers!

The Inner/Outer Circle of a Socratic Seminar

📣 Shout out to Mrs. Mayra Brady at Cabrillo Middle School in Ventura, CA! Mrs. Brady had her 6th graders engage in a socratic seminar using primary sources from Confucianism and Daoism. During the seminar, students challenged one another to think critically about similarities and differences between the philosophies, pushing one another to cite evidence to support their claims.

📣 Shout out to the social studies department at Birmingham Community Charter High School in Van Nuys, CA for creating vertically-aligned goals around student thinking using student writing data. I’m grateful to Dr. Carlo Aaron Purther, the department head, for putting the needs of teachers first so that they can put the needs of their students first. The resulting student growth is admirable.

📣 Shout out to Miss Emily Reuter at Alliance College-Ready Gertz-Ressler High School in Los Angeles, CA for carving out the time for her students to prep for the AP exam through providing multiple practice exams.

📣 Shout out to Ms. Ali at Maya Angelou Schools in Washington, DC, for leaving no stone unturned when exploring ways to empower her students with the skills and dispositions they need for success.

📣 Shout out to Ms. Becca Schaeffer-Dombkowski at Highland High School in Highland, AR for giving her students who feel less comfortable in writing the opportunity to share their evidence-informed perspectives through socratic seminars in her class.

I have the privilege of working with many teachers throughout the country and the above examples are only scratching the surface of all the amazing work I get to witness in classrooms, department meetings, and PLCs. Civics may not be in the title of many of those classes, but rest assured, students are being equipped with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to contribute to a flourishing democracy and thrive in an ever-changing world.

This Civic Learning Week, we are so grateful for all of you.

Welcoming Valerie Nesmith-Arechiga to the Team!

For this week’s blog, I asked our new Director of Partnerships to take over and introduce herself. We are thrilled to have Valerie on the team as her passion for relationship building is so critical for cultivating thinking citizens. Read on from Valerie to learn more about what makes her such a great asset to Thinking Nation!

Valerie Presenting for the Rockport Fulton District Administrators Retreat.

I’m Valerie Nesmith-Arechiga, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of this amazing community! With over a decade of experience as a teacher, instructional advisor, and administrator, I’ve dedicated my career to supporting educators and transforming schools. And now, as the Director of Partnerships at Thinking Nation, I’m on a mission to build powerful connections with teachers, administrators, and district leaders to drive real, lasting change!

🌟 My passion? Empowering educators through dynamic professional learning communities and data-driven conversations that equip them with the tools to make real-time instructional shifts—helping students soar to success! I firmly believe that strong relationships build strong schools, and I can’t wait to collaborate with each of you to foster a culture of growth, equity, and excellence.

Welcoming my middle school students the on the first day of school by showcasing our local mascot, cheerleaders and athletes from Texas A&M-Corpus

Oh, and did I mention I’m also a doctoral candidate at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi? My research on Latina K-12 principals fuels my drive for inclusive leadership and equity in education—because when we lift each other up, we all rise!🌟 I’m beyond excited to be part of the Thinking Nation mission, and I can’t wait to connect, learn, and grow with this incredible community. Let’s make magic happen together! 💡🎉

The Benefits of AP Practice Exams by Thinking Nation

For six years, I had the incredible opportunity to teach Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH) at a high school in Los Angeles. Many of my students were tackling an AP class for the very first time, not quite sure what they had signed up for. My mission? To equip them with the skills, discipline, and knowledge they needed to not just survive but thrive – and, of course, pass the AP exam.

Success didn’t come easy. It took lots of practice – sometimes for hours on Saturdays (yes, Saturdays!). My students took time taking past AP exams, and I spent just as much time grading them, breaking down their responses, and giving detailed feedback on where they could improve.

Year after year, I saw my students’ passing rates steadily climb, and one thing became crystal clear: the best way to get better at APUSH was to take mock exams – lots of them. By my final year teaching the course, my students were sitting for three full-length exams each year, strategically spaced in October, January, and April.

A few weeks ago, I decided to step into my former students’ shoes and take Thinking Nation’s practice APUSH exam myself. I wanted to experience firsthand what an APUSH student would go through using Thinking Nation’s platform and I wanted to see how the reports generated from the test could provide meaningful feedback to help students improve. Here’s what I found out.

Source: Picture from one of those early Saturdays taking a full-length practice exam.

1. The exam provides a true AP exam experience

The exam offered by Thinking Nation covers every major period seen in the APUSH exam. The test is sequenced and timed along the same lines as the real AP exam (a timer is provided for students to keep track of each section). While the exam can be taken in any sequence, I highly recommend that students and teachers follow the format of the AP exam:

Section I, Part A: Multiple Choice

55 Questions | 55 Minutes | 40% of Exam Score

Section I, Part B: Short Answer

3 Questions | 40 Minutes | 20% of Exam Score

Section II: Document-Based Question and Long Essay

2 questions | 1 Hour, 40 minutes | 40% of Exam Score

2. The reports provided after each section will improve the way students can study before test day

As a teacher, I often gave my students written feedback along with a rubric. This practice exam by Thinking Nation takes it to a whole new level.

In the sample report below, students were given a breakdown of the percentage of questions answered correctly by period. This report allows students to focus their studying on the periods in which they answered the least amount of questions correctly (on the report below, the student should focus on Periods 5, 6, 7, and 9).

Additionally, on the SAQ, LEQ, and DBQ students are provided with a rubric score, direct feedback, and a visual of the required sections that they scored on. As a teacher, this type of report would be extremely helpful in supporting students’ work on specific writing skills before the exam. On the report below, for instance, the student did not use adequate outside evidence in their paper. This feedback would allow me, as the teacher, to ensure that I am showing my students how to bring outside evidence into their essays.

3. You can get a true picture of where you stand before exam day in order to protect your investment of time and money

Investing in AP courses success makes financial sense. The average cost per college credit is around $410, which means a typical three-credit course runs close to $1,600. In contrast, an AP exam costs about $129 – offering students a chance to earn college credit at a fraction of the price. But just as passing an AP exam can save thousands in tuition, taking a high-quality practice exam can help students avoid unnecessary retakes, saving both time and money. At just $15, a Thinking Nation practice exam is a smart investment in boosting students’ confidence and performance.

While Thinking Nation doesn’t provide direct AP scores for its practice exams, students can easily use publicly available AP score calculators to estimate their performance. These tools, though not officially endorsed by Thinking Nation, can provide a general idea of scoring trends. I recommend trying multiple calculators with slightly different scoring curves to get a broader sense of a student’s potential range. Of course, keep in mind that these estimates are just that – estimates – and actual AP® exam results may vary.

Here are my recommendations.

4. The AI generated feedback rivals the feedback that could be provided by the most dedicated AP teacher

Apart from raw scores, students are provided with specific and timely feedback that has been customized by our executive director, AP readers, and lead test creators. The feedback explains each aspect of the rubric to the students and provides suggestions on what they could do to improve and to be awarded full credit.

5. This will be a game-changer for any AP social studies teacher

The last thing any AP teacher or student will have is extra time. That is why these practice AP exams are game-changers. The practice exams are graded instantly and students are provided with feedback in real-time. The feedback comes in a ready-to-download report for each section and it can be shared with the student’s teacher/tutor.

Final Thoughts

One of the most impactful strategies I used as an APUSH teacher was having my students engage in deliberate practice. It was time-consuming, but the payoff was huge – it gave them a clear sense of how they would perform on the real AP exam and helped them focus on the areas where they needed to improve the most. Looking back, I wish I had access to Thinking Nation’s practice exams. Not only would they have saved me countless hours, but they also would have provided deeper insights into my students’ performance, allowing for more targeted support. Don’t miss out – set up your Thinking Nation practice exam today!