In their words:

Chapter 2, Paragraph 1

This chapter contains descriptions for 16 of the attributes that human beings display when they behave intelligently. In this book, we refer to them as Habits of Mind. They are the characteristics of what intelligent people do when they are confronted with problems, the resolutions to which are not immediately apparent.

The authors believe schools should teach 16 specific habits of mind, so they sell 16-habits training to teachers and administrators.  (If any “trained” teachers/administrators are reading this, please comment on how your school improved by teaching these habits.)

Chapter 2, Paragraph 2

These Habits of Mind seldom are performed in isolation; rather, clusters of behaviors are drawn forth and used in various situations. For example, when listening intently, we use the habits of thinking flexibly, thinking about our thinking (metacognition), thinking and communicating with clarity and precision, and perhaps even questioning and posing problems.

Like the six virtues of the educated person, the 16 habits are interconnected in all situations.  The purpose of this blog is to illustrate that the 16 interconnected habits are covered in the six interconnected virtues.  If that is true, we should teach the simpler list of two intellectual, two character and two spiritual virtues, instead of 16 habits of mind.  Teaching is already difficult.  We shouldn’t make it complicated, too.

Chapter 2, Paragraph 3

Do not conclude, based on this list, that humans display intelligent behavior in only 16 ways. The list of the Habits of Mind is not complete. We want this list to initiate a collection of additional attributes. In fact, 12 attributes of “Intelligent Behavior” were first described in 1991 (Costa, 1991). Since then, through collaboration and interaction with many others, the list has been expanded. You, your colleagues, and your students will want to continue the search for additional Habits of Mind to add to this list of 16.

The 16-habits emerge from deductive thinking — from starting with a general principle and thinking toward all the specific ways teaching can be improved.  The authors have already gone from 12 to 16.  Now they want more because the social science paradigm points them toward more.

This paradigm also point them toward complexity.  If you need proof, just read Habits of Mind, or an education research report.  The idea that teachers should apply what has been found to be effective under controlled conditions makes teaching unnecessarily complex.  I often ask researchers, teachers, administrators and policy makers to describe what it looks like to apply research findings in an actual school/classroom.  Nobody has responded yet, probably because even describing it is an overwhelmingly complex task.  Think of how complex it would be to actually do it:

1.  Decide if a classroom situation called for a specific research finding about “what works.”

2.  Decide which “what works” method to try in that situation.

3.  Determine which “what works” qualifiers need to be remembered.

4.  Use the method in a way that is true to its purpose.

5.  Decide how much “method time” to give to different groups of students in different situations.

6.  Figure out how to assess the method’s effectiveness.

7.  Create the assessment.

8.  Determine if a different “what works” would have achieved the same or better results.  Try out some alternatives.

When teaching is regarded as an applied social science, the tasks and judgments go on indefinitely. That is the nature of social science.

But an aesthetic paradigm uses inductive thinking.  It points from the specifics at the perimeter to an essential principle at the center.  Simple is valued over complex, and “less” is valued over more, when “less” points to the essence.  Looking from the perimeter to the center points toward the essence of how to improve teaching.  All the specific ways teachers do their work are covered in the general principle that teaching is an art.   Therefore, improving teaching, is like improving an art.  It requires teacher creativity, dedication, and appreciation.  It is simple.  Education improves when teachers create more beautiful classroom and school experiences.

The lists of 16 habits and 6 virtues illustrate the differences between the deductive thinking that dominates the social science improvement paradigm and the inductive thinking that drives an aesthetic improvement paradigm.  Inductive thinking enables us to see that all 16 habits are covered in the six-virtue definition of the educated person.

Here is the list of 16 habits and the combinations of virtues that make them desirable:

(1)  “Persisting” requires understanding and strong character.

(2)  “Managing impulsivity” requires understanding, imagination, strong character, humility and generosity.

(3)  “Listening with understanding and empathy” requires understanding, imagination, humility and generosity.

(4)  “Thinking flexibly” requires understanding and imagination.

(5)  “Thinking about thinking” requires understanding, imagination, courage and humility.

(6)  “Striving for accuracy” requires understanding, imagination, strong character, and humility.

(7)  “Questioning and posing problems” requires understanding, imagination, strong character, and courage.

(8)  “Applying past knowledge to new situations” requires understanding and imagination.

(9)  “Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision” requires understanding, imagination, strong character, courage and humility.

(10) “Gathering data through all senses” defines the virtue of understanding.

(11) “Creating, imagining, innovating” defines the virtue of imagination.

(12) “Responding with wonderment and awe” requires understanding, imagination, and humility.

(13) “Taking responsible risks” requires understanding, imagination, strong character, and courage.

(14) “Finding humor” requires understanding, imagination, and humility.

(15) “Thinking interdependently” requires understanding, imagination, strong character, humility and generosity.

(16) “Remaining open to continuous learning” requires understanding, imagination, strong character, courage, and humility.

All 16 interconnected habits are covered in the six interconnected virtues because the virtues define what it means to be educated.  If teachers are going to take back their art, they have to replace the social science paradigm with an aesthetic one.  Many don’t want this because they lack: (1) the imagination needed to create beautiful lessons, (2) the courage needed to appreciate their students and ask students to appreciate them and their lessons in return, and (3) the humility needed to shine a light on the accomplishments of their students and others.

It is not their fault, though.  Their art is lacking because, just like all K-16 public school students, they were taught to be intellectually incompetent (sit down, stay quiet, and don’t ask too many questions), fearful of truth (what they teach is less important than how they teach and why they teach), and proud (always proud of themselves and their students).

This is impossible to see from inside the social science improvement paradigm, where “educated” means acquiring random sets of knowledge and skills.  Our best teachers are artists who teach from within an aesthetic improvement paradigm.  They are inspired to create beauty in their classrooms and schools.  That is difficult to do, but it is not complicated.

#2.  Mitt Romney and I have one more thing in common. (Learned from the National Review Online – Kudlow)  We both like crony capitalism when it benefits us, personally.  Kudlow praised Romney’s debate attack on Obama administration crony capitalism.  Both Kudlow and Romney are silent, however, on the crony capitalism that benefited Romney before 2008.  At the end of the column, Kudlow asks, “Is anyone listening?”

Dear Larry,

I don’t listen to people whose self-interest dulls their memories.  I know Republicans/conservatives believe people are naturally self-interested, which is often true.  That does not mean you have to make it your highest value.

#3.  Laura Ingraham says, when Mitt Romney makes a gaffe, we all know what he meant.   (O’Reilly, 2/2/2012)

#4.  The differences between Bill O’Reilly and me were evident in his February 2, 2012 Talking Points.  He said  the reasons for poverty in America are “poor education, addiction, irresponsible behavior and laziness.”

Then he said:

There is usually a reason people are poor in a country that has more opportunity than any other place on earth. It almost always comes back to personal circumstances. And all the government in the world is not going to change that.

Dear Bill:

Yes — It comes down to personal circumstances.  Some Americans are born into circumstances that provide less opportunity than others.  You forgot that fact — a fact that always has been and always will be true. And you are right — government can’t change that fact.

So your point is that government has (1) no role in addressing unequal opportunity?  (2) a smaller role than it now takes? or (3) something else?  You say you are an idea guy. You are supposed to have ideas — right?  The segment is called “Talking Points” — right? What is your point?  Why did you state a belief about opportunity in America, but not a self-evident fact about opportunity everywhere.  I guess you can spin things any way you want — it is your show.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-belkin/amazing-teachers_b_1222382.html?ref=parents&icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl11|sec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D129900

Just send me an email or comment on this blog.

1.  According to Newt Gingrich, “The fact is that under President Obama more people have been added to the food stamp program than under any other president.”  (PBS Newshour, January 17, 2012)

The former Speaker forgot to say the American economy was heading for the brink of disaster, just as Obama was taking office.  Because of this second fact, it would be surprising if the first were not true.  Gingrich the historian is an abomination.  Gingrich the candidate is afraid of truth.

2.  Dick Morris, the master flip-flopper, believes both Gingrich and Romney are good presidential candidates.  (O”Reilly on Fox)  Enough said.

3.  The six vices of our uneducated nature are on display in the Republican primary race.  The GOP is no longer marching to the orders of Rove and Cheney, so Republican candidates are criticizing each other.  (PBS, MSNBC, CNN, even Fox).  Both Democrats and Republicans know they won’t be elected if they don’t demonstrate the six vices of:  (1) ignorance (aka) using sound-bites to explain complex issues, (2) intellectual incompetence (aka) staying on message, (3) weakness (aka) pandering, (4) fear of truth (aka) crafting an image that hides the real person, (5) pride (aka) being proud of the accident of birthplace, (6) selfishness (aka) assuring re-election before everything else. Nobody notices because the ugliness of American presidential campaigns is a norm.

4.  I grew up in Wisconsin for 37 years, so I am humbled by the Scott Walker recall efforts of normal, beautiful Wisconsinites.  During a time of middle class prosperity I learned the six virtues growing up in Appleton.

5.  Greta Van Susteren illustrated Wisconsinite beauty in her interview with Governor Walker (January 18, 2012).  Like me, she grew up in Appleton and attended Xavier High School.  I wondered how she would do, since she is on Fox.  She challenged the governor’s talking point about the recall being backed by national union financiers, reminding him twice that his side relies on outside money, too.  You get integrity from a Wisconsinite, even one on Fox News.

In a campaign email to supporters, Huntsman wrote, “After three years of bigger government, higher taxes and more spending, America desperately needs a return to conservative principles: limited government, lower taxes and balanced budgets.” (Huffington Post, January 20, 2012)

Really –  “three years?”  That must be a typo.  He must have meant 11 years.  And he must have forgotten that higher spending over the last three years is a desperate attempt to keep the economy from going over the cliff we came to in 2008.

Oh — I forgot.  He was in China.  Surely Mitt Romney will correct him.

Or do politicians believe Americans are afraid of truth?  That must be it.  Huntsman’s email wasn’t a typo.  Americans are afraid of truth and vote for politicians who are, too.  We are so ahistorical, so aphilosophical, and so uneducated that we don’t see fear of truth as ugly.  Knowing this, it occurs to me that we just might elect Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich to the Presidency.  My only comfort comes from knowing it doesn’t matter whether the President is a Republican or Democrat.  Both parties have been purchased by the highest corporate bidders.

That’s one thing we know for sure from the last three years.

Part 2 — Where beliefs come from is not complicated.  They come from experience.

Part 3 — The reason we believe is simple.  Beliefs give meaning to our lives.

Part 4 — Beliefs are like rivers that cut through different terrains.  Religious beliefs are deep rivers cutting through mysterious terrain.  Political beliefs are broad, shallow rivers cutting through open, contested terrain.  And education beliefs are like either religious ones or political ones, depending on whether they are about private or public education.

My final words on beliefs come from Jonathan Swift and Cordelia Fine:

From Swift: “You cannot reason someone out of something they were not reasoned into.”

And according to Fine.

How’s this for a cynical view of science? “A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.”

Now I know why, even though social science findings have done little to improve education, educators believe in it.  And now I know what to tell TSVOTEP readers, who ask what I am doing to help teachers and principals improve education — I am blogging, teaching, and waiting for social science believers to die.

If you are offended, tell me what it looks like to apply research findings in the classroom or school.

By Aneika McDonald, MAT student

“The Six Virtues of an Educated Person” by J. Casey Hurley, is an extremely informative, and  eye-opening expose on the social and political factors that impede progressive reform in the public education system.  The book opens our eyes to the ways in which our insistence on incorporating democracy into the education system greatly contributes to, and is perhaps the root cause of our challenges and failures.  In discussing the power and influence public officials wield over educational policy, Hurley illustrates how the education system is destabilized by the shifting winds of political discourse and controversy.  The political influence on the school directly impacts the core elements of the school system from its stated purpose, and delivery methods, to its assessment and definition of success.  Hurley also identifies and discusses the virtues he believes form an educated person and skillfully weaves them into an alternative model for the education system in which the cultivation of these virtues becomes the purpose of the educational system, as well as the driving force behind the community and aesthetic based approaches to institutional assessment, and improvement.

Or you could follow the blog’s suggestions without teaching understanding, imagination, strong character, courage, humility and generosity.  But then students wouldn’t learn how to benefit from failure.  How could they?

1.  Mitt Romney and I have one thing in common:  Neither of us cares about his family dog.  (CNN)

2. Libertarian Ron Paul and I have one thing in common.  We are against the regulations we don’t like and for the ones we like.  (Maddow, MSNBC)

3.  Republicans are ridiculed by talk show hosts because Hollywood is biased against Republicans, not because Republican talking points are easy to ridicule. (O’Reilly and Stein, Fox)

Democrat talking points are easy to ridicule, too; but Democrats aren’t as disciplined, unified, and uniform as Republicans.  You gotta love Republican discipline — following the orders of Rove, Cheney and Norquist for eight years, culminating in the near destruction of the American economy.  Republican presidential candidates are now claiming they know how to improve the economy.  Did I miss their knowledge about how to build and maintain a thriving economy, when they were in power between 2000 and 2009?  They must be forgetting to mention that Republican policies drove the economy to the brink of disaster.

4.  Debbie Wasserman Schultz thinks urination-gate reflects poorly on her belief that we are “the greatest country in the world.”   She condemned the Marines’ act, saying  she wants the world to know she represents many fine 18-year-olds in her Florida district.  Did she look at other countries and determine that they have fewer fine 18-year-olds or more corpse urinators?  Or does her “America is the greatest country in the world” belief have no basis in facts?  (Maher, HBO)