Activities

CRT Activities

FRN Critical/Creative Thinking – Sister Act: critical thinker
 * Good listener
 * Understands that criticism can stifle creativity
 * Involved the quiet nun and drew her out
 * Used visualization techniques to draw out the quiet nun
 * Communicated w/ body language
 * Puts the baton down not to intimidate
 * Approaches the older nun for “permission”
 * Sanctioned by peers and also by the older nun
 * Did not overpraise
 * Leadership – shows humor and keeps people tied together
 * She breaks the complex task of singing down to digestible steps
 * Starts from where the students are
 * Let the discussion go on a little longer so that there are more obsevations – deeper and profound
 * You might view the film again – you need ot see the artwork twice – the play twice – read the article 2x, etc.
 * Exercise between showings of film clip: this group take the shape of straight lines, that group of curvy lines, this group open, this group closed

Blue hat: T: gives rules and parameters & assignment: question – should we allow cameras to be placed in jury rooms (deliberation rooms)?

Note taker Keep eye on clock

1st hat: white hat (4 min) 2nd hat: yellow (4 min) 3rd hat: red (.5 min) 4th hat: black (5 min) 5th hat: green (5 min) 6th hat: blue (3.5 min)


 * Helps us keep from taking a side and consider a side or position that we normally would not consider
 * Green hat: how did it feel to put it on? Sometimes you feel that you cannot turn it on and off immediately it forced us to come up with alternatives …forced to do it! It’s part of the game…
 * [how do you determine the order? You can use the hats more than once. You don’t necessarily use all the hats. You don’t have to use them in the same order all the time. Let’s 5 minutes to discuss the process how we’ll use this meeting – put on the blue hat – usually end with the blue hat to get conclusion or summarize]
 * even if people are not ikely to change their minds they at least put our thoughts/focus on other opinions.

Recap: White hats points of info
 * need to know why thisis an issue
 * no existing videotapes of jurors deliberating – find something similar to study
 * how the judge feels with cameras in the room –how they feel?
 * Is it done other placesin thewordl?
 * How does it affect our constitutional rights?
 * Will the cameras be known to the jurors
 * Who will have access?
 * Will there be exceptions?
 * Will there be editors?
 * Will jurors be ableto shut it off?
 * Are there other protocols that we should know about?
 * State and federal laws regulating these?
 * Costs and benefits?
 * Cameras currently are not allowed

Yellow hat
 * Reform the process
 * Evidence in case of unfair decisions
 * Document or history
 * Give judges better chance to improve jury instruction
 * Discovered bias may force appeals
 * Jurors might pay more attention in the deliberations
 * May demonstrate active judicial process

Black hat Green hat
 * May inhibit democracy
 * Inhibit expression – or active participation in deliberations process
 * Endless process of appeals
 * Could put jurors at danger for retribution
 * Product placement – jurors might begin wearing t-shirts advertisiting products
 * Some people may be influenced by camera –
 * Develop guidelines and protocols
 * Develop security policies
 * Have a court steno record what was said
 * Have one of the jurors record

De Bono has taken the black and white in SWOT and made a game of it…strict timelimits – organize and structure the time to the question…

Thinking tools – each of the hats are smaller tools – challenge tool – focus tool – random entry tool – students can use the hats for research projects they re working on.

There are 3 worms that crawl out of a separate hole in the same side of a hill – a mother a father and a baby. The baby looks back and says, “I see 2 holes.” Why? (a baby worm cannot count)

Ethical problems: assumptions and values

The Pig that Want to be Eaten: 100 Experiment for the On-Chair Philosophers : Julian Baggini

What assumptions are at play? What values are at play? What should the person do with this money?

It’s not the right thing to do It's a question of right and wrong: if it’s not yours you don’t keep it We assume that others assume our values Justify this with the

What values, principles govern this sitation and what should be done. How you see this is determined by your world view…if someone truly believes in miracles this person may think that this money has been sent by an all powerful being.

If you are going to be ethical you have to be consistent…. Oscar Wilde to young woman – would you go off with this old man for $1 no for $100 no what about $100,000 yes for that sum…ok well we’ve established what you are … we’re just haggling over the price.

It’s not fair to take advantage of someone’s mistake, particularly if they are going to be hurt by it.

You’ve got a used car and you know what it’s worth. The other person has no idea. You know it’s worth $1500 but you ask $2500 knowing that the other person has no idea…is it unethical?

Baseball A woman’s son and husband went to a Red Sox baseball game. A fowl ball was not hit and when the outfielder went to get the ball the kid coaxed the outfielder to throw it to him another father asked the kid for the ball for $30…the kid looked at his father and said what should I do…the father said ask $50 …they negotiated and the kid finally got $40…all seemed satisfied … the mother is uneasy.

What are the ethical questions in this situation? What values are being instilled in this child? Can everything be comidified? They are trying to put a price on something that may not be prinot be priced. Sandel //Justice: What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets//

The moral limits of markets:

Experience Random Word Write down a focus (identify a focus) Choose a random word Brainstorm for words that are connected to that word Choose 4 words – write each word on a line Generate new ideas to address the problem

Focus: how to improve low morale Random word: diamond: clarity, cut, cost, color, carat, sparkle, bling, hard, symbolic, investment,

Chose: sparkle, investment, symbolic, clarity

We could create a sunshine fund that would take care of presents and special awards for faculty on special occasions. We could establish a special award like Teacher of the Month. For sparkle, we could give each person an opportunity to shine, give each person the opportunity to contribute. For clarity, make sure that expectations and instructions are clear so that there is no ambiguity about what it is that we have to do on the job and also make clear what the returns are in initiatives/responsibilities. We can make an clear investment in faculty through faculty development. Glitter or sparkle: actively recognize all ideas and actions that actively promote all colleagues and bring them into the spotlight: personal commitment to recognize achievement. Clarity: the more transparency the less complaining in the office: eliminating lawyer speak and administrative. “blood” Make them feel like the lifeblood of the college – restore shared governance –

‘hard’ recognize hard work of faculty eliminate hard work of faculty

diamond in the rough: find something good to develop what each person has…polish the rough in each person – where are our rough spots/rough edges. Self-study.

This is an iterative process. The goal is to generate ideas and to harvest the best of the ideas. That is negotiable in the group. Then we step back – we have the best ideas now how will be implement them?

Reports emphasis and judgments: Helps us to know what it is we don’t know. Reports are testable: they are verifiable. “The lights are not working very well in this room.” (involves a value judgment)

There are 23 lights in this room: report – it can be verified.

Inference: statement about the unknown based on the known: NYU has a high electrical bill.

It’s a waste of money to keep the lights on all the time. They should run more FRN sessions.

Reports, inferences, judgments?
 * She goes to the opera only to show off her jewelry.
 * Stocks prices were up slightly today in light trading. Report? – not precise. The more specific and precise the report, the more useful.
 * The Iraqi people do not want war. (inference)
 * Beauty is only skin deep. (judgment)
 * An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
 * Mixing beer with wine or scotch leaves a terrible hangover.
 * America has never lost a war. (report that is verifiable)
 * A credit score of 650 is good (judgment)
 * East blueberries and walnuts as both foods are healthy for your heart. (inference)

This exercise is to complicate the meanings of words so that students can see the complexity of the words…

VACATION=travel, beach, free-time Dictator law authority mean A sq + b sq = C sq algebra, triangles, geometry Home heart, my space shelter Prunes sweet, laxatives, dried, H2SO4 chemical formula, atoms, fear Myocardial infarction heart attack, condition, serious Mother nurturing caretaker genuine

Word associations are based on your experience Some have more connotative power than others

Average: outstanding Average: mediocre Adventurous: reckless (both take risks but the adventurous person takes responsible risks whereas the reckless person takes unnecessary risks) Playboy vs. eligible bachelor (philanderer, unmarried, user – successful, single, good looking dependable reliable)

In 1960s in NY Kitty Genevese was stabbed in Queens Daily News NY Times Herald Tribune

“Queens woman stabbed in front of home” NY Times

“Help cry ignored, Girl dies of knifing” Herald Tribune

victim is girl vs. woman; one seems to be indicting the neighbors, first seems more factual like a report, no mention of death in first,

what value is this that newspapers use headlines in different ways: the first you feel informed but the second engages the emotions…

focus of the first is the stabbing whereas the 2nd herald tribune: indictment…

“Queens Barmaid Stabbed Dies” Daily News What is conveyed by this ? judgment?

The visiting ethicist… Philip Levine: The New York Times Magazine

Dialectic: a tool for thinking:

Conflict resolution: you can move up and down the spiral and change your position through a dialectic process

Getting to Yes how do you get beyond the conflict?

2 kids want an orange, the adults come along and slices it in half, and says now you’re happy. Neither is happy .. why ? because one wanted the rind and the other wanted the pulp. The idea is to get to the underlying ideas or desires, etc. of each side in a conflict.

PMI (de Bono)

Plus Minus Interesting (PMI) The idea is to get beyond the idea that there is a plus and minus only. What is interesting about this that makes it neither a plus or minus?

Kids should be paid to get good grades in school. Gives an incentive Getting a concrete reward for a smaller task can establish benchmarks of success Helps students learn that if they work hard there is a reward Greater probability that more students will complete the assignments The students can earn some money They own their own labor Use their intellect to make money Early lesson in capitalism May help them understand that education can be interesting Helps students set goals Diminishes extrinsic motivation for learning If the child wants something special then they might associate the academic grades with that item?

Minuses May prevent some children from seeing the value of learning for learning’s sake May not transfer to other assignments once the money runs out Sets up a capitalistic system of competition Establishes that money is the most important thing to work for Contributes to low self-esteem for those who do not get the monetary reward I should be paid for whatever I do May be regarded as a form of bribery --- there must be something bad about it if they have to pay me to do it? Ss learn how to manipulate other people Encourages ss to seek out the easier course to get the higher grade The children from higher socioeconomic background are advantaged Demotivate: unless you pay me I won’t learn Encourages an emphasis on grades and fosters academic dishonesty Makes learning motivated by extrinsic motivation

Interesting
 * Who will pay them? What happens if the parent pays? The school? The government?
 * Notion: that college should be looked at as an apprenticeship that prepares you for the real world
 * What are the long-term consequences of this types of practices?
 * Is it reversible? Could there be penalties for poor grade?
 * How are the grades defined?
 * This works in a work system so why not try it in an educational situation?
 * I like to get rewards so why shouldn’t I allow students to do the same?
 * What would be a reasonable amount of money as a reward? What would be too much? Too little?
 * Why is this such a touchy issue What is our relationship with money that makes it uncomfortable for us adults? Why is money a negative motivation?
 * What if we extend the notion of payment?

Perception Broadening technique: PMI: Perception is the basic driver of thinking.

New Think, 1960 de Bono Six Thinking Hats Serious Creativity

Thinking Fast and Slow Handman Imagine Lehrer

What is our model of good teaching? What is our goal? What are the outcomes that we want?

Metaphors are important and the metaphor that we are experiencing now is a windowless room. It’s a beautiful day outside. In the previous class we took walks …

To generate what if’s you have to have anumber of tools.

The Arrival Shaun Tan

Eugene Smith Minamata – village ravaged by industrial pollution

Protocols of Reading Robert Scholes

Brainstorming regarding keywords of a reading pssage might help us begin a discussion of the topics of the passage. Asking questions beforehand taking the pulse of the students’ perspecitives before beginning…using art again in my class – the power of images to evoke feelings to tie together the emtoinal and the cognitive…use the Eugen smith photo and then present the daily show clip on Simplot and then discus the notion of corporate responsibility and activism for social change…and responsibility

Using pictures to encourage students to talk…bring in diverse disciplines as topics for discussion…making sure that I design varoious activities in which sudents are engaged rather than hogging the time for mysef. I have to remember that most of the learning occurs through application.

The dictation was a good exercise to get people to work ore closely with the text as they read – to be come active readres. However I also learned that peope have a certain impression of you based on what they have notice you doing or picked up on something that you are doing that stands out.

To allow people to express diverse opinions and just go with it without trying to convince someone of my opinion…to allow differences to flourish.

To stand back and resist the temptation to have to speak all the time but to watch people around me, consider different viewpoints. Not to just protect my ego an dmy standing in the class. Really what matters I sthat you demonstrate that you care. B

Respect the differences of other people and their different opinions – don’tbuild barriers that are really not so clearly preventing discussion/action/concensus.

Seeki some kind of consensus but access that.