The teacher can present students with cognitively demanding prob-
lems, the answers to which are not immediately apparent. A more effec-
tive strategy, however, would be to ask students to become aware of,
identify, and describe problems to pose for themselves. The teacher
basically allows the students to manage their own problem solving, mon-
itor and report their own progress, and modify their own strategies based
on feedback from the teacher, the environment, experts in the field, and
the experimental data itself. The teacher will, of course, serve as a cata-
lyst, a resource, and a facilitator. The teacher will also be a keen observer
to determine the level of the students’ application of the Habits of Mind.
The following scenario describes how a teacher might approach
this kind of lesson when the emphasis is on the habit of thinking
interdependently:
Teacher: We h a v e b e e n w o r k i n g i n g r o u p s a n d l e a r ni n g h ow t o
share resources and take turns. These are important skills when
we work in groups. Now we are going to learn some more strate-
gies that help us work in even more sophisticated ways. In partic-
ular, we are going to learn how to take different roles in the group
so we can make the most of individual strengths.The teacher then goes on to discuss different thinking/learning styles and
the values of each, the types of roles in groups and how they might be
assigned, and other relevant points. In the process, students develop a
deeper understanding of the nature of working in groups. An important
part of this type of lesson design is that the strategy is taught explicitly:
Teacher:To d a y, w e w e r e f o c u s i n g o n t h i n k i n g i n t e r d e p e n d e n t l y.
You met in groups to generate and evaluate alternative courses
of action as we explored skillful decision making. Let’s reflect
now and analyze how you monitored yourselves and your group
as you worked interdependently. Here are some questions to
ponder: [Writes on board.]
•While you were working in your groups, what metacogni-
tive processes did you find yourselves using to manage your own
and your group’s interdependent thinking?88 Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind