Providing information is also an important factor in the development
of a specific and powerful Habit of Mind—remaining open to continuous
learning. We must nurture the student’s capacities for processing infor-
mation by comparing, inferring, or drawing causal relationships. It is the
acquisition of information that drives the spiral of continuous learning
(see Chapter 11). Rich information must be readily available for the stu-
dent to process. To contribute to the maintenance of trust, information
should meet several conditions. Data must
•Be requested or needed.
•Be stated in observable terms.
•Be relevant.
•Allow for interpretation by the student, not the teacher.Providing information means that the teacher actually supplies the
information or helps students acquire it on their own. The teacher creates
a climate that is responsive to the student’s quest for information. Teach-
ers can create this climate in several different ways:
- Sometimes they provide feedback about a student’s performance:
•“No, 3 times 6 is not 24; 3 times 8 is 24.”
•“Yes, you have spelled rhythmcorrectly.” - Sometimes they provide personal information, often in the form of
“I” messages:
•“I want you to know that chewing gum in this classroom really
disturbs me.”
•“John, your pencil tapping is distracting me.”
•“The way you painted the tree makes me feel like I’m on the
inside looking out.” - Sometimes teachers make it possible for students to experiment
with equipment and materials to find information for themselves:
•“Here’s a larger test tube if you’d like to see how your experiment
would turn out differently.”
•“We can see the videoclip again if you want to check your
observations.”
Creating “Thought-Full” Environments 113