interviews two people about their use of Habits of Mind in their
daily life.
Children interview parents, siblings, the principal, custodi-
ans, even a taxi cab driver in NYC! The cab driver’s examples
were funny and concrete enough so the kids really understood
the meaning of these habits. For example, when asked if he ever
had to “decrease his impulsivity,” he responded, “Oh, yeah, every
time some kid decides to run across the street when the sign says,
Don’t Walk, or when the car next to me decides to cut me off
and I want to curse him out, but I can’t because I have an old
lady in the back seat.” When asked about being flexible in his
thinking, he replied, “I have to know where all the parades, traf-
fic jams, and construction are so that I can think of the fastest
route for my customer. I can’t just go the same way to Grand
Central Station every day. I have to be able to get there using
many different routes.” The cabbie went on to give examples of
risk taking (every time he picks up a person), transference, and
persistence. The child interviewing noted that the cabbie was
also using metacognition or thinking about his thinking.Some schools conduct parent education meetings to discuss and prac-
tice such skills as listening with understanding and empathy, striving for
accuracy, and thinking and communicating with clarity and precision.
Strategies are practiced and suggestions are given for knowing how to deal
with children who need to manage their impulsivity.
In many cases, when parents become aware of the Habits of Mind,
they find them useful not only in their homes but in their businesses as
well. As mentioned in Chapter 14, patrons entering Zelda’s Tip Top Café
in Adrian, Michigan, see the list of the Habits of Mind in a framed poster
on the wall. The staff focuses on one or more of the habits each week.
We ’ v e r e c ei v e d r e p o r t s o f i n c r e a s e d s a l e s w h e n s a l e s s t a f f a r e a c qu a i n t e d
with and employ the Habits of Mind. Certainly listening with understand-
ing and empathy, using clear and precise language, and managing impul-
sivity endear a prospective buyer to any salesperson.
Creating a Culture of Mindfulness 287