April 1, 2009

Superintendent Dimbleby gathers area civic and educational leaders to discuss the importance of schooling that includes "Habits of Mind" on April 1, 2009

Superintendent of Schools David Dimbleby gathered Hilton area civic and educational leaders April 1, 2009 at the District to discuss the role of explicit teaching of "Habits of Mind" in order to prepare students for a globally diverse world that requires critical thinking, perseverance, cooperation and compassion.  Speakers were Dr. Kathleen Peterson-Sweeney, Associate Professor of Nursing at SUNY Brockport and Hilton High School graduate; Hilton's Northwood Elementary School Principal Kirk Ashton; and Hilton High School Principal Brian Bartalo.  "We need to teach students to think in new ways and solve problems," Dr. Peterson-Sweeney said. 

The Habits of Mind are a collection of 16 thinking dispositions designed to help people develop their critical and creative thinking skills originally developed by Professor Arthur L. Costa. "The Habits of Mind are not designed to be thinking tools, rather they are designed to be dispositions one adopts when using a thinking tool," says Professor Costa who is emeritus professor at  Cal State at Sacramento.  The 16 Habits Of Mind are: 1. Persisting – Stick to it. 2. Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision – Be clear. 3. Managing impulsivity – Take your time. 4. Gathering data through all senses – Use your natural pathways. 5. Listening with understanding and empathy – Understand others. 6.Creating, imagining, innovating – Try a different way. 7. Thinking flexibly – Look at it another way. 8. Responding with wonderment and awe – Have fun figuring it out. 9. Thinking about your thinking [metacognition] – Know your knowing. 10. Taking responsible risks – Venture out. 11. Striving for accuracy and precision – Check it again. 12. Finding humor – Laugh a little. 13. Questioning and problem posing – How do you know. 14. Thinking interdependently – Work together. 15. Applying past knowledge to new situations – Use what you learn. 16. Remaining open to continuous learning – Learn from experiences.

“I believe in the case of Northwood, we are using habits of mind to teach good citizenship, critical thinking and community-building,” said Northwood Elementary School Principal Kirk Ashton who traveled to the Hudson Valley last month to present at the Regional PBIS [Positive, Behavioral Interventions and Supports] Coaches Forum. PBIS is a school wide, systems approach to promoting positive behaviors. Mr. Ashton who has a background in adolescent and child psychology supports Northwood's long-established theme, “Be Respectful, Responsible and Ready to Learn,” an exemplary school wide initiative which employs PBIS as well as habits of mind in its focus on preventative and positive behavior intervention systems.

“People have come a long way in realizing the connection to academics,” Mr. Ashton said. “Perseverance, empathy, courage, compassion, flexibility, accountability, creativity and self-discipline are the traits we are recognizing in kids everyday.” “Connecting is what it is all about,” he said. “I ask the staff to consider these questions in order to develop a personal connection to students: • Do I believe that the student I currently see is all he or she will become? A fixed view may lock you in. • Do I believe that people change? You must believe this to be able to influence change. • Do I realize that reaching the most challenging child is what a professional educator is all about? If not you, then who? • Do I truly believe that the students I teach are more important than the content I am teaching? Are you willing to adapt curriculum when it is clear students are not learning?

Northwood Elementary’s more than two-decade commitment to school climate and positive behavior has come under study. Recently a team from the NY State PBIS group came to Northwood with a “School Evaluation Tool [SET],” a way to benchmark progress. Northwood Elementary scored at the top [100%] in all categories: expectations defined, expectations taught, reward system, violations system, decision-making, management, district support and implementation average. In addition, Northwood was recognized in March by The Academy for Character Education at The Sage Colleges in Troy, NY with a “Champion of Character” Award, one of only 15 schools in the state to receive the honor.  Teaching initiatives common to instruction throughout the Hilton School District are employed. Among those instructional strategies that build a foundation for habits of mind are Hilton’s commitment to differentiated instruction, units of study, early intervention, Reading Recovery, balanced literacy, concept-based instruction, Dimensions of Learning, and Response to Intervention. Principal Kirk Ashton says “Build on strengths instead of trying to fix deficits.  For instance, in Care to Connect, he says “It can be easier to build connections with students when we see the glass of opportunity as half full rather than half empty. Changing the way we think about certain students and their behaviors opens the door to more positive interactions.”

According to Mr. Ashton, Dr. Allen Mendler of the University of Rochester says in his book Connecting With Students: If we label a student who gives us a hard time as ‘stubborn’ or ‘disobedient,’ then reactions will invariably be negative. However, if we view that same child as ‘determined’ or ‘persistent,’ then we are more apt to convey respect. Most adults admire children who exemplify these qualities. In fact, students who direct these qualities toward their school work are usually highly successful.  Moving our characterization from ‘stubborn’ to ‘persistent’ enables us to avoid a possible power struggle or battle of the wills while allowing the child’s assertiveness to be viewed as a strength that might even be redirected.   Mr. Ashton and the Northwood staff work everyday to foster a sense of belonging and connectedness for students. Some faculty members volunteered to be “Care to Connect Mentors” for students. 

Excerpts from the April Insight, the Hilton Central School District newsletter.