Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind

By Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick

I really enjoyed the Habits of Mind. I will be identifying maybe 6 which I can discuss and teach my class about. I look forward to seeing them put them into practice. The problem with the Habits of Mind is that they are not particularly "cognitively portable" meaning they don't naturally sping to mind like the coloured thinking hats of De Bono or the zone of proximal development. It's a long list without a helpful mnemonic. Which is why I will be teaching my seven and eight -year olds perhaps 6 over the course of this year.

Synopsis

In Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind, noted educators Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick present a comprehensive guide to shaping schools around the Habits of Mind.
The habits are a repertoire of behaviours that help students and teachers successfully navigate the various challenges and problems they encounter in the classroom and in everyday life. The Habits of Mind include:
Persisting
Managing impulsivity
Listening with understanding and empathy
Thinking flexibly
Thinking about thinking
Striving for Accuracy
Questioning and posing problems
Applying past knowledge to new situations
Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision
Gathering data through all senses
Creating, imagining, innovating
Responding with wonderment and awe
Taking responsible risks
Finding humour
Thinking interdependently
Remaining open to continuous learning

Authors

Arthur L. Costa is professor emeritus of education at California State University, Sacramento.  He has served as a classroom teacher, a curriculum consultant, and assistant superintendent for instruction, and the direction of educational programs for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.  He has devoted his career to improving education through, more “thought-full” instruction and assessment.  

 

 

Bena Kallick is a private consultant providing services to school districts, state departments of education, professional organizations, and public agencies throughout the United States and internationally.  Her area of focus include group dynamics, creative and critical thinking, and alternative assessment strategies in the classroom.  Kallick has taught at Yale University of Organization and Management, University of Massachusetts Center for Creative and Critical Thinking, and Union Graduate School.  She served on the board of Jobs for the Future.