Ron Ritchhart

Ron Ritchhart has been a researcher at Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education since 1994 where his research focuses on understanding how to develop, nurture, and sustain thoughtful learning environments for both students and teachers. His interest in creating cultures of thinking has lead him to conduct research in such areas as intellectual character, mindfulness, thinking dispositions, teaching for understanding, creativity in teaching, and the development of communities of practice. Ritchhart is a sought after speaker for his ability to connect with and engage fellow educators in these powerful, big-picture ideas, while simultaneously providing useful insights into and practical ideas for advancing the complex world of teaching and learning.

Prior to joining the Project Zero research group, Ritchhart taught for fourteen years. He began his teaching career in New Zealand teaching 35 six and seven year olds in a state school in Christchurch as part of a teaching internship program. From there he taught art in Indiana before moving to Denver, Colorado where he taught third and fourth grade. Frustrated with the way he was teaching mathematics, Ritchhart pursued a mathematics education degree and later taught middle school mathematics. In 1993 he received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Secondary Mathematics Teaching.

Ritchhart's research is classroom and school-based, believing that teaching is a complex art and science that must be understood in context. A strong theme of learning from best practice runs throughout much of Ritchhart’s work. His research on how teachers create thoughtful learning environments that support the development of students' intellectual character was the basis for the book: Intellectual Character: What it is, Why it matters, How to get it. His book, Making Thinking Visible, co-authored with Mark Church and Karin Morrison, has been one of education’s best-selling books for over a decade and has popularized the use of thinking routines worldwide. Ritchhart’s framework for understanding group culture, detailed in the book "Creating Cultures of Thinking," has been influential in shaping education in schools and museums throughout the world. Howard Gardner has called the book “a tour de force” for Ritchhart’s ability to seamlessly merge theory, research, practice and application together in a highly accessible and engaging manner. Ritchhart’s latest book, "The Power of Making Thinking Visible," co-authored with Mark Church, explores the power that visible thinking practices can have in transforming schools and classrooms.