Minds Wide Open is a whole school approach to the teaching and learning of critical and creative thinking skills and of the seven learning dispositions required to foster agile thinking. The seven learning dispositions are:
- Open-minded
- Flexible
- Risk-taker
- Resourceful
- Patient and persistent
- Ubiquitous learner
- Reflective
In Term 1 and of each year, students are exposed to each of the seven dispositions on a weekly basis and explicitly shown instances of when each disposition was or could be applied. The program begins with students self–assessing their own abilities with each of the identified seven dispositions. At the end of the term, students again evaluate their proficiency with each of the dispositions in order to recognise improvement. At each weekly whole school assembly, 'Captain Disposition' announces the disposition of the week and offers suggestions as to how each student can improve on their learning.
During Term 2 and 4 of each year, the Minds Wide Open program continues with the implementation of the Critical and Creative Thinking Crunches scope and sequence (CCT Crunches). This program begins with students completing a divergent thinking assessment in order to identify their baseline for critical and creative thinking. Students are then explicitly taught a series of critical and creative thinking exercises each week (one creative and one critical thinking exercise each week). At the end of the term, students again complete the same divergent thinking assessment in order to measure growth over the term.
