Habits of Mind Speech by Kate O’Brien – Critique
Introduction
Simply defined as a way of thinking acquired overtime, habits of mind conceive on how to behave intelligently in circumstances where answers are not apparent. As what Kate O’Brien puts forward, building a sound learning community would be possible is habits of mind will not only be taught but be developed through thinking preferences and teaching and learning strategies in pedagogical and andragogical manner. The main aim of O’Brien’s speech centers on how teachers could make their students explore their habits of mind and how they could contribute in the process. Likewise, the speaker discloses on how students could likely to develop a pattern of intellectual behaviour by means of employing a habit or habits of mind. O’Brien also emphasise that striving for authentic learning means to give students ownership of the process and to challenge the status quo.
Indeed, the debate on how teachers could effectively employ habits of mind in the classroom in such a way that it could influence on how students will do the same is critical. Following the statements of O’Brien, it is true that teachers are required to psyche themselves first in order to provide students with only the most realistic apprehensions of habits of mind. Habits of mind require that teachers will also strive towards excellence in promoting and utilising habits of mind even before their students could have positive functioning behaviours inside the classroom. Strengthening habits of mind among students is not easy; guidance from competent teachers is needed. The classroom shall serve as a training ground for both teachers and students. Nonetheless, the process would not be plausible if the habits of mind strategy is not completely understood by the teachers themselves. The idea is that, same with students, teachers must not only be aware of reproducing knowledge but how they produce knowledge inside the classrooms; that is, metacognition or knowing to act on information and knowledge they possess.
Being open to continuous learning is one of the points of view of the speech. Lifelong learning has been a buzzword in the academic industry for about two decades now. The importance of habits of mind as both teaching and learning strategy is that it transcends beyond any discipline and embraces the young and adults. However, O’Brien presages that habits of mind is an individualistic undertaking since it involves the choice of employing productive versus less productive patterns of intellectual behaviour. Such a condition makes the role of teachers even more difficult due to the fact that students would put varying degrees of importance in applying habits of mind. Making students think flexibly necessitates that teachers “brought to a conscious level the personal, practical knowledge developed and articulated for classroom interactions” (Hyerle, Alper and Curtis, 2004, p. 45). Cultivating the flexible thinking among students is could be an outgrowth of the flexibility in teacher’s thinking, known as the trickle down effect.
Educational essentialism is also one of the key points of the speech wherein the speaker attempted to incorporate basic knowledge that must be learnt in thorough and rigorous fashion. Progressive teaching is the key in continuously developing habits of mind (Miller, 2004). O’Brien stresses that students must be endowed with opportunities to construct and deconstruct factual details or to go through processes of developing student’s capacity to amend their orders of thinking when the teacher presented supplemental information. In this way, from the basics that the student have learned, it would be possible to make then use of the information and build their own theories based on facts. Following a complex to more complex level of thinking, habits of mind and the pattern of intellectual behaviour per se, are constantly being improved and performed. Such a process of also aligned with the intrinsic rewards of learning.
As well, O’Brien implicitly tackles educational perennialism through habits of mind. Educational perennialists believe that learnings of perpetual importance to all learners must be a priority. Facts are just facts that constantly changes, making it less significant. Principles are what should be taught first. Based on the example, habits of mind was not directly taught to the students instead it was used as a strategy to the extent that students themselves will reach a point where they can challenge even their own individual assumptions, opinions or knowledge. Maintaining the metacognition from the pedagogical standpoint relates that facts are important, but the way these facts work or how they could be manipulated in order to produce a concrete learning is more important (Tremmel, 1992). ‘Evolving capacities’ inside the classroom is imperative then.
Experiential education would be the last key point of the speech. Habits of mind could be effectively developed based on actual experiences of the students. Drawing from the example, O’Brien uses specific techniques such as inclusive language, deBono thinking hats and listening sequences apart from the most, from a personal stance, essential key in developing habits of mind inside and outside the classroom – inquisitive thinking. A common belief is that everything starts with curiosity. True enough, advancing habits of mind calls for experiences that will enable both teachers and students to explore their intrapersonal competence and intelligence (Fletcher, 2005). Satisfying the curiosity of students thereby establishing their inquisitive mind is pivotal in cultivating the individual habits of mind. Reflecting on students’ understanding is critical as well since it will provide teachers an avenue on measuring the development of personal and the students; habits of mind.
In teaching habits of mind in praxis, there are specific areas to consider such as when, why and how. For teachers (or practicumers), the need to be aware of the circumstances on when to use habits of mind, to decide on the choice of a particular habit of mind and why such a choice and to know how to apply habits of mind or a particular habit is of high value, and the consequences of failing to determine these aspects prior to employing habits of mind practice inside the classroom. The teachers have to learn to recognize the appropriateness of employing habits of mind in a specific unit, module or activity inside the classroom. Or else, the letdown of incorporating habits of mind in lesson plans could create confusion on the part of the students, causing them to generate less productive intellectual behaviours. Teachers must be also able to make their students use of the habits of mind by their own choice and to know the reasons why they are using such. Knowing the value of habits of mind could bring about success inside the classroom in terms of teacher-student collaboration and interaction. Teachers must facilitate how students could develop an array of thinking skills and strategies in lieu with their habits of mind. As teachers, it is crucial that students will learn how to apply their habits of mind in situations especially outside the classroom.
Conclusion
Based on the speech of O’Brien, how teachers utilise their own habits of mind inside the classroom has a direct effect on the development of the student’s habits of mind. Continuous learning, educational essentialism and perennialism and experiential education relating to habits of mind are the main points that O’Brien is trying to disclose. For teachers and practicumers, it would be necessary first to understand the when, how and why of habits of mind prior to teaching students to use them themselves.
Reference
Fletcher, A. (2005). Meaningful student involvement: Students as partners in school change. Olympia, WA: HumanLinks Foundation.
Hyerle, D., Alper, L. and Curtis, S. (2004). Student Successes with Thinking Maps. Corwin Press.
Miller, P. H. (2004). The Essence of Essentialism: Children’s Habit of Mind. Human Development, 47: 308-313.
Tremmel, R. (1992). A Habit of Mind. English Education, 24(1); 20-33.
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