language empowers children to make meaning out of a problem and take
action toward solving it.
Mindful Assemblies and Open Houses
One method for transmitting culture to parents and guardians is
through quarterly “mindful assemblies.” The focus of the assemblies is to
give awards to those students exhibiting intelligent behavior. An older stu-
dent sets up the awards and presents a context for the concepts for the
parents by giving a definition and an example of what that Habit of Mind
means.
A second opportunity to set a context for what it means to be a student
or a parent in a mindful school happens yearly, at the fall quarter open
house. It begins with the principal welcoming all parents, guardians, and
community members and describing the school’s culture to them. In
recent years, a video about the mindful school has been shown as well.
Parents then go to each of their children’s classrooms, where they can see
the Habits of Mind integrated into their child’s reading, writing, social
studies, science, and math work. Students are encouraged to explain their
assignments to their parents.
Community Council
Administrators, teachers, parents, and community members are all
represented at quarterly school Community Council meetings. The val-
ues of cooperation and collaboration are evident at these gatherings where
people who were previously considered outsiders (including parents,
neighboring businesses and business owners, extended family members,
community organizations) are educated in the language, values, and
beliefs of a mindful school and are now a voice in the decision-making
processes related to the school. Information sharing takes place mostly
through dialogue as the council attempts to make meaning out of com-
plex problems. The process has enabled our school to maintain its vision,
by integrating state and federal mandates into the Mindful School struc-
ture. Regardless of outside pressure, we remind ourselves in the Commu-
nity Council that learning to use and continually improve our mindful
behavior is our purpose of education.
The Mindful Culture of Waikiki Elementary School 357