How do we face problems in an intelligent way?

Learning is not homework, it’s a life work!  I want to share these concepts and strategies with you today because the sooner we start training our children to think out of the box, the better prepared they will be to find  creative solutions to any problem they are confronted with.

Art Costa, who developed Habits of Mind said: "Habits of Mind are the characteristics of what intelligent people do when they are confronted with problems, the resolutions of which are not immediately apparent." They are a composite of many skills, attitudes and proclivities including: § Value: Choosing to employ a pattern of intellectual behaviors rather than other, less productive patterns. § Inclination: Feeling the tendency toward employing a pattern of intellectual behaviours. § Sensitivity: Perceiving opportunities for, and appropriateness of employing the pattern of behaviour. § Capability: Possessing the basic skills and capacities to carry through with the behaviours. § Commitment: Constantly striving to reflect on and improve performance of the pattern of intellectual behaviour. There are 16 Habits of Mind: 1. Persistence 2. Managing impulsivity 3. Listening to others - with understanding and empathy 4. Thinking flexibly 5. Thinking about our thinking - metacognition 6. Striving for accuracy and precision 7. Questioning and posing problems 8. Applying past knowledge to new situations 9. Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision 10. Gathering data through all senses 11. Creating, imagining and innovating 12. Responding with wonderment and awe 13. Taking responsible risks 14. Finding humour 15. Thinking interdependently 16. Learning continuously The following strategies can help you plan different activities knowing what you are activating in your students’minds. Direct Attention Thinking Tools - developed by Edward de Bono. Rules § C&S (Consequence and Sequel) - Focus on the Consequences § AGO (Aims, Goals, Objectives) - Focus of the Purpose Planning § FIP (First Important Priorities) § APC (Alternatives, Possibilities, Choices) - Focus on Alternatives Decisions § OPV (Other People's Views) - The other People Involved § ADI (Agreement, Disagreement, Irrelevance) § EBS (Examine Both Sides) Others § Information - FI & FO (information IN and information OUT) § Questions - FQ & SQ (Fishing questions & Shooting questions) § Clues - CS & CC (Clues Separately & Clues Combined) § Contradiction - Co & FCo (Contradictions & False Conclusions) § Guessing - SG & BG (Small guessing & Big guessing) § Belief - BP & BO (Belief Personal & Belief Others) § Ready-mades - RM-H & RM-S (Ready-Mades - Help & Ready- Mades - Substitute) § Emotions - EM & EG (Ordinary Emotions & Ego-Emotions) § Values - VH & VL (Value High & Value Low) Simplification & Clarification - SF & CF (Simplification & Clarification) Thinkers' Keys   First developed by Tony Ryan, Thinker's Keys are a set of twenty different activities designed to engage and motivate learners in a range of thinking tasks. A range of question or task starters are presented as keys to unlocking the analytical, critical and creative thinking abilities of learners. § The Reverse - places words such as cannot, never and would not in sentences eg List things you would never see in London. § The What if - ask any what if question and record thinking in a graphic organiser § The Alphabet - compile a list of words from A - Z which have relevance to a given topic or category § The BAR - acronym for B=bigger A=add R=remove or replace, can be used for design related activities § The Construction - a problem solving task that requires the creative use of limited quantities § The Disadvantages - make a list of disadvantages for a specific object or activity § Different Uses - use the imagination to make a list of different uses for everyday objects § The Combination - list the attributes of two unmatched objects then combine their attributes to create a newer or better product § The Ridiculous - make a ridiculous statement that would be virtually impossible to implement and then attempt to substantiate it.

(I have used these concepts or categories to create cards games, for example)

 

Thinking Card The three little pigs want to build another house. Suggest three new materials they could use and why.

Thinking Card You find a message in a bottle. What does the message say?

Thinking Card You can invite three celebrities for tea. Who would you choose and why?

Thinking Card You can invite three book or nursery rhyme characters for tea. Who would you choose and why?

            

Well, I hope you liked this post. I enjoyed sharing it with you. Remember. There are infinite possibilities! and I’m not talking to you as a teacher now, but as a friend. These strategies also apply to those moments when we find we need a change in our life.

Be brave and dare to let go of the known path, and start exploring. Who knows what you might find! Maybe a new you.

Keep in touch!

Lara