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Matsuoka, Mindful Habits & P4C: Cultivating Thinking & Problem-Solving in Children

Mindful Habits & P4C:
Cultivating T hinking &Problem-Solving in Children

Teenagers beating up their peers because of what
they thought was said, or a first grader being shotand killed in class because a peer doesn't like her
are just some of the stories which fill our news today. Soc iety is faced with many violent tragedies in which students
are not making morally sound decisions and choices forthemselves. The news brings many stories of children whoseem to lack values and morals, which are seemingly not
being taught to our youth today by members of society suchas family and educational institutions. This is a problem
that needs to be dealt with. Waikiki School, where I teach,
is making a concerted effort in two ways to respond to thatneed. Waikiki School has adopted Dr. Arthur Costa’s Mindful Model and P4C, which address both academics and values in educating their students.
Waikiki School has made a commitment to systematically and thoughtfully address the skills necessary to become a problem solving and thinking individual who makes
good choices for him/herself. The hope is that students whohave attended Waikiki School will demonstrate the ability
to use their knowledge of the Mindful Habits by applying it
to situations in their own lives in order to be skillful problem solvers when faced with difficult decisions. The children are given a common vocabulary in order to discuss theMindful Habits and are provided with opportunities to practice these Mindful Habits every day. The school focuses on
16 habits of the mind, which are considered to be behaviors
important in developing thinking individuals who makegood choices.
A number of classes in Waikiki School at various gradelevels have also begun to address thinking, problem solving, and making appropriate decisions through P4C. In P4C,
the classroom community begins to take part in the inquiry
process in which the children begin to construct meaning
for themselves because meaning cannot be dispensed.
Meanings cannot be given or handed out to children. They
must be acquired (Sharp & Reed, pg. 99). Sharp and Reed(1992) go on to argue that meaning is constructed through aprocess of the child thinking and trying to make sense ofthings . . . children acquire meanings for themselves . . . it istheir meaning, and they acquire it because, to them, it is

CARYN MATSUOKA
meaningful. As the group participates in the inquiry process, the individuals begin to strengthen their thinking skills
and become more reflective thinkers by supporting theirideas with evidence, clarifying their ideas, and testing thetruth behind their beliefs.
P4C and the Mindful Habits share the goal of helping
students become more thoughtful and skillful problem
solvers by focusing upon thinking and giving students
thinking tools to help them make informed and appropriate
decisions for themselves. During the 2002-2003 school
year, over a period of several months, my sixth grade classat Waikiki School participated in P4C community circles
once or twice a week. I observed and recorded their progress by video taping each community circle meeting andby having the students respond in a journal at the end ofeach session. This field study examined the students’ abilities to practice the habits of the mind, use the Good
Thinker’s Tool Kit, and incorporate the two into their own
lives.
In examining the data, I noticed areas in which theMindful Habits and P4C wove themselves together. It became apparent that the two influenced one another andhelped students become better problem solvers and moreskillful critical thinkers. Evidence of this interwoven connection was observed in what the children said, did, andthought. It was interesting to see how the students themselves made connections between the Mindful Habits, P4C,and the ability to solve problems. The tables below aresome connections that the students have made between
Mindful Habits and P4C
These children, now in middle school, are going to be
faced with many tough and challenging decisions throughout their lives. I am hoping that they will have the necessary skills to overcome and resolve problems in a safe andCaryn Matsuoka received her Bachelors degree in Psychology fromSanta Clara University and her Masters degree in Curriculum in
Teaching from Columbia Teachers College. She is currently working
toward her doctorate in education degree (Curriculum and Instruction) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Caryn has been an educator at Waikiki School for nine years, and she has been using P4C inher classroom for three years.

Thinking: The Journal of Philosophy for Children, Volume 17, Numbers 1 & 2

Mindful Behavior•

Listening with Empathy•

Creativity•

Managing Impulsively••

Cooperation and Caring
Striving for Accuracy••

Problem Solving
Persistence•

Metacognition

peaceful manner. The tools of Mindfulness and P4C both
work toward that very goal. The problems in their lives area certainty, but have these students been sufficiently
equipped with the necessary tools to help them face andovercome those challenges in the future?
Having observed and documented during the 20022003 school year a connection between the Mindful Habits
and P4C in the way they provide students with necessary
tools to become more thoughtful problem solvers in a classroom setting, I now intend to examine whether a longer
range impact of the students ability to use these tools has
occurred. As noted, throughout the 2002-2003 school year,
the students demonstrated their knowledge of the Mindful
Habits and Good Thinker’s Toolkit, and the ability to usethem while discussing personal issues they faced in theirown lives. The next step, as I continue to research andwrite my dissertation, is to design a longitudinal study
which examines whether or not these students continue to
use their knowledge by making responsible, positive decisions for themselves as they maneuver their way throughmiddle school.
Middle school is a time in which teenagers are facedwith many challenges, such as, deciding the kind of person
they want to become, the kinds of friends they choose to beinfluenced by, and the type of actions they take when facedwith difficult choices. Discovering whether or not thesehabits and skills are sustained over time would enable us tosee what impact the Mindful Habits and P4C have in giving
our students the necessary tools to becoming better thinkers.
My interest in this research is in finding out if the Mindful
Habits and P4C have made an impact in these children’s
academic and personal lives over time.
During the 2003-2004 school year, I plan to bring thestudents together for focus group discussions using the P4C
methods of inquiry. I intend to videotape the sessions andhave the students write short journal responses at the end of55

P4C
One of the most important evaluation criteria is“How’s our listening”
By giving “E” (example) and “C” (counter example)
one is motivated to think creatively and flexibly
By giving “R” (reason) and identifying“A” (assumption) one tends to think deliberately before acting or judging
By verifying or asking “W” (what do you meanby…) one shows care for others points or opinions
and also confirm the accuracy of the points made.
One of the evaluations criteria “ Do we scratch beneath the surface” will enhance problem solving ability and reinforce persistent attitude.
The evaluation, after each P4C session helps to reflect on one thinking process and behavior during thesession.
each session. This will allow me to compare the videotapes
I took and the journal entries the students wrote in the 20022003 school year to the present and look at the interaction
patterns and dynamics between the children to see if theycontinue to practice intellectual safety, ask questions, andscratch beneath the surface. I’m hoping the questions wepose and the topics we discuss in our focus group inquiries
will elicit whether and to what extent the Mindful Habits
and P4C continue to impact and influence the children’s
lives and their ability to make good choices when facedwith difficult decisions.
The methods of gathering data using the focus groupinquiries, video taping, and journal reflection responses areimportant because there is no adequate means for assessing
and measuring this aspect of children’s thinking. The current means of assessment using the standardized tests formath and reading are not sufficiently geared toward answering the really important question, which is, are we helping
students make morally sound decisions and choices forthemselves? This is a vital question for educators, which
has many implications upon the future of education as wecontinuously work toward developing and cultivating thinking skills in truly mindful individuals.
References
Costa, A. L., Kallick, B. Ed. (2000). Habits of the Mind, a Developmental Series. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision andCurriculum Development.
Costa, A. L., Kallick, B. Ed. (2000). Habits of the Mind, a Developmental Series. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision andCurriculum Development.
Sharp, Ann M. & Reed, Ronald F. (Eds.) (1992). Studies in P4C:
Harry Stottlemeier’s Discovery. Temple University Press: Philadelphia.