While hosting a variety of thought leaders through the Schools’ Integrative Thinking Seminars, Roger Martin - dean and professor of Strategic Management at the Rotman School of Management - has studied the thinking patterns and mental models of highly successful people. Similarities have been identified, all of which stress the importance of integrative thinking. Throughout the article, Martin discusses four important aspects of decision making and how they are practised by integrative thinkers in their respective fields. The 4 steps of decision making include: salience, causality, architecture, and resolution.
In brief, salience is what the thinker chooses to pay attention to, what features he/she feels are relevant to decision making. Causality is the consideration of relationships between said features. Architecture denotes the model of thinking constructed with the relevant features and their relationships. Finally, resolution is the decision made based on all of the above. The way in which integrative thinkers process their decisions, with reference to the steps above, is what sets them apart from the rest. Creativity and a multi-directional understanding of the “big picture” are what make these bright minds shine.
Highly successful leaders use their understanding of the collective to allow “clashes of realities” or differences in opinion to become constructive building blocks for their learning. An open mind, willing and able to understand the perspectives of another, can then utilize this complementary information to deepen his/her understanding of the issue at hand. For example, when travelling to another country and experiencing different ways of living and/or a whole “new reality” under the same sun, it can alter one’s perspective on life itself. Martin refers to this as leveraging diversity of thought, becoming able to receive a perspective that another person or culture sees that one was unable to see before.
Although Martin tends to focus more on professional management in this article, his argument is quite profound. He explains that with respect to knowledge systems, whether personal or collective, integrative thinkers consider: 1) the nature of their world and 2) their active role in it. Reality in the minds of integrative thinkers is dynamic, ready to be constantly altered by their actions. Business-minded people are often victim to declarative reasoning, true or false and black or white thinking. Leading minds on the other hand, use the gray matter in their brains to embrace abductive logic, the logic of “what might be”. Imagination of this variety is a key component of generative reasoning.
Inflexible conventional wisdom and quantitative market research do not involve creativity or integrative thinking. Those who rely only on declarative reasoning lack an understanding of core principles. Leading minds must be able to flush out important features and relationships between “x” and “y”, so as to have a dynamic mental structure that can construct proactive resolutions. Big picture thinking considers the entire alphabet of issues, not just individual parts.
Creativity and integrative thinking must be the driving force behind 21st Century learning in our schools. Using the abductive logic of “what might be”, dynamic minds with a diverse understanding of the nature of their world and their active role in it will become a generation of profound thinkers. In the face of global challenges, black and white thinking amongst other unsustainable past times must come to an end. It is time for integrative thinkers to flourish; it is time for profound change.
Interested in learning more about Integrative Thinking? Attend the "Integrative Thinking in the Classroom" institute, to be held at Branksome Hall, July 5 - 10.
Website updates are pending. The great goal is to build our capacity for interactivity, and facilitate ongoing collaboration through social media. It will cost money, and we continue to work with the Sterling Institute business plan, The Sterling Hall School, and considering sponsorship possibilities.
Look for a springtime update from ESprules next week. We’re planning for ThinkTanks and research in 2010/11.
Dr. David Wolf, Chair in Children’s Mental Health, CAMH, proposes a partnership that we might write some curriculum together. Our Institute Team will make a trip out to London to work with him.
Brad Adams had a morning with us, and offers good challenges and support in developing our SI boys’ education mission, and specific partnering of action research between the IBSC and us.
The survey results are in, from Hearts and Minds, and Schools for Earthlings, and we’re sharing those out shortly.
To iPad or not to iPad, that is the question. As we plan to enter our first full year in the second decade of the 21st century, we must embrace our digital culture and many other changing trends in education. At SHS, we are motivated to stay ahead of the curve. As a collective body of proactive teachers, parents and researchers, we find ourselves not only ready for change, but already moving forward.
Previously prepared research on the specific needs of what Dr. Don Tapscoot calls “the net-generation” has pushed forward the following academic initiatives. Firstly, we are streaming in typing courses to accelerate the digital word processing capabilities of our students at a young age. This skill set may be especially useful if SHS transitions to e-textbooks, another research project that is currently underway.
Secondly, we are gradually phasing out traditional methods of broadcast education, ensuring that classroom lessons are more engaging and interactive. An emphasis on boys executing presentations and taking leadership roles in active inquiry are steps being taken to promote engagement in class rather than older methods of passive learning.
Finally, The Sterling Hall School Faculty and I will be looking into offering a combined online and face-to-face course for Grade 8 students. Using the digital medium to connect with people anywhere in the world will foster global awareness; in fact, it will do it in real time! As well, digital tracking of physical fitness data and video analysis will be making its way into our physical education program.
SHS will be combining these new digital tools for education with its developing qualitative curricula. Complementing our primary priority of academic excellence will be lessons involving environmental awareness, sustainable thinking, and the social and emotional intelligence necessary for collective success. Streaming in these pertinent paradigms of thought will be critical for all our students, as they creatively discover the many opportunities beneath the challenges of the 21st century.
The skills of communication, critical thinking, collaboration and teamwork, creativity and problem solving are not new and neither are they unique to the 21st century curriculum. They are skills that humans possessed long before they began sending their children to institutions known as schools.
To suggest that they are new is tantamount to implying that most teachers today never learned the very skills that we are suggesting must be at the core of what they teach our children. While the aforementioned skills may not be new, it is impossible not to recognize and acknowledge that the tools teachers must now use to develop these skills in children have changed dramatically and continue to change at a break-neck pace.
We are now in a position to take global what once used to take place in a single classroom. Whereas children of only a few years ago arranged their desks in groups of 2 or 3 or 4 to collaborate on a project, it is now possible and desirable to have children work with their "colleagues" across the city or across the world using the new technologies available to us.
Being life long learners themselves, good teachers have always adapted to change, and they continue to adapt by familiarizing themselves with the new tools at their disposal, recognizing that they are a means to an end. Just as we learned the Dewey decimal system to help locate information or figured out how to use microfiche to aid in our own research, we are now using new tools that will themselves one day be outmoded and replaced.
The skill of creating and uploading a video to be shared may have taken the place of children taking turns at the blackboard to show how they arrived at a solution to a math problem, but the underlying core skills of problem solving and effective communication have not changed, and are not likely to change any time soon.
Our world is both larger and smaller than it once was. It is possible to reach larger audiences and equally possible to make it seem as though we are sitting next to someone in another time zone. We need to work with students to take advantage of the possibilities inherent in both these realities and help them to apply age-old skills as they navigate the digital universe.
The feedback so far is very positive, and suggestions for future developments are encouraging. We have tentative dates for fall ThinkTanks, October 5 and November 1.
We had excellent conversations with workshop participants at last Saturday’s SEAL Best Practices Conference. After a ½ hour presentation, we had encouraging discussion on our respective thoughts on collaboration and connectivity. Thanks all.
We’re developing a measurement tool to gauge the relative “Boy Friendliness” of our classrooms. Research is ongoing, and we’ve had a number of educators give input. Please bounce your comment in here and now, should you have a strong opinion on the topic.
And we all continue to help each other help the boys.
We’re thrilled to have had a great crowd here for the Hearts and Minds ThinkTank on Monday. Thanks again to Dr. Chris Spence, and Dr. David Booth for their thoughtful keynote talks, and to all our visitors and participants for their attention and energy.
We’ve got new fall dates to continue our conversations on our Schools for Earthlings, and the Hearts and Minds themes. Notes and our survey are here - and send your feedback, please.
The Institute Tour is open for possible PD opportunities for 2010/11. See the Media Gallery on the right for 3 videos and the details on our 3 flagship programs.
According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, "Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a process for helping children and even adults develop the fundamental skills for life effectiveness. SEL teaches the skills we all need to handle ourselves, our relationships, and our work, effectively and ethically. These skills include recognizing and managing our emotions, developing caring and concern for others, establishing positive relationships, making responsible decisions, and handling challenging situations constructively and ethically. They are the skills that allow children to calm themselves when angry, make friends, resolve conflicts respectfully, and make ethical and safe choices." ("Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning." www.casel.org (2010) Page viewed Apr. 1, 2010.)
The Sterling Institute has been in contact with a number of experts on the topic. The list includes Dr. Goldbloom (Vice-Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Senior Medical Advisor of Education and Public Affairs at CAMH and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto), Dr. Wolfe (RBC Chair in Children’s Mental Health at CAMH, Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at OISE/University of Toronto, Matthew Ferguson (Independent Researcher and Executive Director of A Canadian Vision), Dr. Chris Spence (Director of Education for the Toronto District School Board) and Dr. David Booth (Coordinator of Elementary Programs at OISE/University of Toronto).
The Sterling Institute will be hosting a ThinkTank Event called Hearts and Minds on Monday April 19th that will explore methods of nurturing SEL in our schools. Guest speakers Dr. David Booth and Dr. Chris Spence will be offering their expertise on the topic to over 50 teachers, parents and curriculum leaders. Special thanks to Donna Poile, James Hay, Erica Sprules, Dave Stevenson and Matthew Ferguson for their efforts in organizing this groundbreaking conference.
There will be more information to come after the ThinkTank Event: updates, meeting minutes and a suggested reading list of books that outline the growing advantages of SEL.
If you have not signed up for the event, please email Erica Sprules at esprules@sterlinghall.com.
Leslie Anne Dexter
Posted
by esprules
on Thursday April 15 at 03:09PM
There will be a nice crowd here on Monday, the 19th. Keynote speakers, David Booth and Chris Spence will set the tone for our UnConference breakout sessions on social emotional intelligences.
We’re proud to have had “Our Schools for Earthlings,” ThinkTank, with some decisive intention to gather those environmental educators regularly, perhaps twice again next year. We’re looking at a possible Monday in October… Thanks to all of our participants for your time and contributions.
Here’s an opportunity for feedback, please respond:
Toronto Public School Board proposes specialized academies – March 26th
TDSB mulls sports and arts based schools - March 27th
Elementary Programs of Choice
Dr. Chris Spence, Director of the TDSB, is re-thinking public education. He is looking to provide “private school opportunities” within the public system. The plan of action is called Elementary Programs of Choice. The TDSB is looking to launch 4 specialized schools in September 2011 that focus on leadership, music and sports.
The specialized schools include 2 single gender leadership academies (All boys JK - grade 3, All girls grades 4-8) as well as a choir school and a sports academy. Access to these schools has become a hot topic. Issues surrounding segregation arise in the minds of parents, as no clear explanation of admission procedures was offered.
Dr. Spence claims that schools will be located in “needier” areas and that equity of access is the core driver. Superintendent Karen Grose adds that passion will be the top admission criterion, rather than innate skills. Neither of these comments addresses admission procedures and may leave doubt in the minds of the public. What would be a democratic way of choosing school locations and determining student admissions? The public awaits.
There will be no auditions for the choir school and no try outs for the sports academy, another mystery within the methods of admission. Superintendent Grose states that any child will be welcome at these schools, unlike the private schools. But, mentions nothing about how this will be determined. Facing a 17-million dollar deficit, this ambitious initiative is looking to boost enrollment and attract other students that go to the private system.
The Board will review the feasibility study this month and decide whether or not to move forward. Do you think this project is feasible? What method of admissions would be fair?
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