Te a c h e r s m i g h t p r o m p t t h e s t u d e n t s ’ aw a r e n e s s a n d u n d e r s t a n di n g
of the Habits of Mind with questions such as these:
•What does [Habit of Mind] mean to you?
•What might be an example of [Habit of Mind]?
•What are some other words or phrases that might mean the same
as [Habit of Mind] for you?
To p r o m p t s t u d e n t s ’ r e c o g n i t i o n o f t h e H a b i t s o f M i n d , t e a c h e r s
might ask questions such as these:
•What might you see (hear) someone doing (saying) if they were
using [Habit of Mind]?
•In the story, what were some of the Habits of Mind the character
displayed? How did you recognize them?
•What Habit of Mind is __ using when you see her
doing __?
•Which of the Habits of Mind is this story about?
•List the three Habits of Mind you feel you are best at. What are
some of the things you do that show you’re good at this habit?
Students can be involved in developing meaning for the Habits of
Mind by doing a number of things, including the following:
•Looking up the meanings of their defining terms in the dictionary
and then preparing a PowerPoint presentation to share with the class.
•Making posters and charts.
•Making analogies (“Thinking interdependently is like a chain
because.. .”).
•Drawing cartoons illustrating each of the Habits of Mind and post-
ing them in the classroom and throughout the school.
•Completing a “word splash” by generating synonyms, phrases, or
other terms that are similar in meaning to a particular Habit of Mind.
•Completing “Looks Like, Sounds Like, Feels Like” charts for each
of the Habits of Mind.
Is Your Instruction Habit Forming? 79