68 The Habits of Mind: A Holistic System

Summer 2019

I am a teaching lecturer of Mandarin Chinese, and also an adjunct staff at PSU. I proposed to teach a Tackling Wicked Problems session on the Intercultural Conflict. When I was designing the TWP topic, I received many help from Cathie LeBlanc who patiently addressed my questions and provided insightful advice. I really appreciate it!

The meetings, presentations, discussions and workshops of CPLC and TWP that I participate in were eye-opening. I learned some good models, tools and methods in the cluster pedagogy. In late July, I was noticed that my TWP session was cancelled due to under-enrollment. I understand the rationals and look forward to teaching TWP sessions in the future.

My primary takeaway from the CPLC experience is the Habits of Mind. The four components of HOM, although independent from each other, make a holistic system that leads to the effective learning. The HOM greatly benefits my teaching at PSU in the upcoming year. In my Chinese classes, I will try to use messages that involve the purposeful expression of ideas and are designed to increase knowledge and foster understanding of Chinese culture and tradition. I will encourage students to recognize that individual beliefs, ideas, and values are influenced by personal experience as well as multiple contextual factors—cultural, historical political, etc. I will stimulate among my students the continued desire to learn, assist them to set personal goals for learning, and guide them into a self-monitored learning process.

I will also seek help and support from Co-Lab. Thank you very much for the valuable efforts of Co-Lab staff.