Members of HTI’s Board of Directors visited our students in
April for the first of a series of “Talk Story” sessions focused on “Habits of
Mind”. The intention of these sessions is to ultimately create a more “mindful”
learning environment which will permeate all activities that are integral to
HTI’s programs – on and off campus.
Board Chairman, Rodney Moriyama, initiated the effort,
having valid reason for concern with recent Hawai`i DOE high school statistics with
5,500 drop-outs. As a former DOE Assistant
Superintendent, Rodney came out of retirement and expanded his volunteer efforts
for causes that will help to educate students with an up-close understanding of
the seriousness of Hawai`i’s educational plight and the “need to do something
different to get different results.”
In his ventures since then, Rod has had many opportunities
to contribute to helping Hawai`i’s learners to more easily relate to
standardized content in the context of real-life learning opportunities – all
while developing and maintaining their own personal health and well-being. Though “Habits of Mind” mentality was borne
several years ago, it is only making its way to Hawaii’s educational landscape
in a bigger way now and the benefits will only be positive.
The “Habits,” when used with intent, provide an internal
compass that guides decision-making as problems require solving, as people
respond to conflicts and tensions in their environments, as they encounter
problems and the myriad life situations that require thinking and habits of
mind that support wise decisions. Habits
of Mind workshops will be a staple at HTI as we continue to find ways to help
our students with critical and creative thinking skills necessary for personal
and professional success.
For more information on Habits of Mind, check the Institute
for Habits of Mind at www.instituteforhabitsofmind.com
