The 17th student wrote the dedication page and did the artwork
for the cover. Last year, I began teaching Habits of Mind all year
long. The students became very familiar with them and authored
their own personal book on how they used the HOM throughout
their life. Of course, I once again engaged the Iditarod mushers as
people who incorporate these thinking strategies into their lives.
This recognition of the use of the Habits of Mind in others allows stu-
dents to begin discussing and recognizing whenit is appropriate to use
particular Habits of Mind and to develop sensitivity to these situations.
Recognition of the habits in others and in themselves leads students to
make judgments about the value of these habits—whythey are important
to use instead of other less productive patterns of behaviors.
Within this lesson design, focusing activities on the what, how, when,
and why of the Habits of Mind is a useful strategy. Teachers will, of course,
inject their own examples and personal vignettes, definitions, and appli-
cations to assist students’ awareness and understanding.
Strategies. The terminology, meanings, values, and uses of the Habits
of Mind are explicitly introduced to the student through a wide range of
activities. They are described and explored in a general way to both reveal
and expand upon students’ current understanding.
Some teachers have found it useful to introduce the class to all 16
Habits of Mind by posting a list with a brief description of what they are
and why the class is focusing on them. The teacher might then explore
one or two habits more deeply. Most teachers have found that introduc-
ing all 16 at once, however, may be a bit overwhelming.
Some staffs have prioritized the list based upon the needs of their stu-
dents. In departments at the secondary level, some teams have chosen to
focus on the habit most needed and displayed by scholars in their disci-
pline. In math, for example, questioning and problem posing, metacog-
nition, striving for accuracy, persisting, thinking and communicating with
clarity and precision, and drawing on past knowledge might be of partic-
ularly high value. In the arts, thinking flexibly, creating, imagining and
innovating, questioning and problem posing, and striving for precision
and accuracy might be stressed.
78 Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind