HABITS OF MIND: the habits we need to become more successful!
As we read Yes, Chef: A Memoir, note the “Habits of Mind” that Marcus possesses. How does his mindset lead to his success?
The 16 habits of mind are habits of thought and action. They are not performed in isolation, but utilized in clusters in various situations.
The first habit is THINKING ABOUT THINKING, OR METACOGNITION—This is the ability to question your own learning strategies, and evaluate the efficiency of your own performance. What do I know? What don’t I know? Do I plan for, reflect on, and evaluate the quality of my thinking skills and strategies?
2. REMAINING OPEN TO CONTINUOUS LEARNING—We are developing life-time learners, students who are constantly seeking more intellectual and personal stimulation—that’s life!
3. THINKING FLEXIBLY—Students need to be able to change their mind after receiving more information…be able to consider alternative points of view or sources of information simultaneously.
4. PERSISTING—Stick to a task until it’s completed, analyze a problem, and develop a system or strategy to attack a problem. Our students often give up, may have one strategy, and if it fails, become stuck.
5. FINDING HUMOR—A hearty laugh everyday increases good feelings and encourages imagery and creativity.
6. STRIVING FOR ACCURACY—If you value accuracy, precision, and craftsmanship, you will take the time to check over your work. Our students often speed through assignments without checking to see if they are correct.
7. LISTENING WITH UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY—In order to learn, to agree, to disagree, to understand, and align ourselves, we must first listen. Two ears, one mouth. It is difficult to quiet our mind and take in information. Our students need this skill.
8. GATHERING DATA THROUGH ALL THE SENSES—Sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste,…all of the senses add to our cognitive experiences. Using all of the world’s data will enhance our student’s knowledge and abilities.
9. THINKING AND COMMUNICATING WITH CLARITY AND PRECISION—Thinking needs to be demonstrated by complex, meaningful, and specific written and oral language.
10. THINKING INTERDEPENDENTLY—Collaborative and cooperative work teaches the skills necessary for our students to comfortably function and compete in work and life.
11. CREATING, IMAGINING, AND INNOVATING—Our students need to know that they can be, do, have, experience, and develop anything. We need to find ways to help them take risks and push boundaries.
12. RESPONDING WITH WONDERMENT AND AWE—This habit reminds me of why we teach. We want our students to be excited about learning, curious as to what’s next, and standing up saying “I can do it!” How do you motivate your students?
13. APPLYING PAST KNOWLEDGE TO NEW SITUATIONS– It is important to learn from experience. Our students need to be able to abstract meaning from one experience, carry it forth, and apply it in a new and novel situation.
14. QUESTIONING AND POSING PROBLEMS—We humans have an ability to find problems to solve. Questions fill in the gap between what I know and don’t know. Students need to know the functions, classes, syntax or extensions in questions, as well as the variance in complexity, structure and purpose of a question.
15. MANAGING IMPULSIVITY—Emotional self-regulation. Thinking before one acts. Clarify & understand directions. Develop a strategy for problem solving. And take time to reflect before answering. How can we convey these to our students?
16. TAKING RESPONSIBLE RISKS—Trying something new and out of the ordinary, and that presents a challenge, but will help develop leaders and innovators.