What Adults Can Learn from Little Big Minds

Marietta McCarthy’s bestselling book, LITTLE BIG MINDS, may be about teaching philosophy to kids, but McCarthy’s lesson plans include reminders for people of all ages about how to interact when discussing ideas in a group.

Avoid generalizations. Statements including “all,” “they,” and “those people” are rarely correct, and always misguided. If you catch yourself generalizing, don’t be afraid to correct yourself. Kids generalize because they don’t know any better – we do. Be specific when you speak.

Dominating conversations destroys dialogue. Spend equal amounts of time talking and genuinely listening. That doesn’t mean “listening until I have a chance to speak” – it means asking questions to show you’re interested, and engaged in the conversation. Listening also means not interrupting.

Eliminate sarcasm. There is a marked difference between constructive criticism and just plain criticism. Providing feedback without being catty is not only kinder, but it makes your suggestions much less likely to be ignored.

Pretending you know doesn’t help. Not only is it okay to admit you don’t know, it’s good to reevaluate what you thought you knew, and give someone the opportunity to teach you. Kids aren’t pretentious – they’re always asking questions. It’s how people grow.

Be awed. The world is huge, and even in this age of globalization and technology, there are still things science can’t explain. Take a moment to be awed by the little things, like warm sunny day in late November. Kids find wonder in every moment of the day, and we could stand to learn from them.