consequences for each. They should teach new strategies and focus on
transfer, linkage, sequences, and situations in which the habits are applied.
Assessment.Assessment at this stage can occur through teacher obser-
vation of performance, journals, writing samples, and interviews, and
through self-observation, as students assess their own use of the habits.
Rubrics, portfolios, and journaling can be part of the process. Sophisti-
cated assessments intended to reveal students’ degree of internalization of
the Habits of Mind are necessary. For example, assessments should deter-
mine whether students can do the following:
•Demonstrate the application of the Habits of Mind in problematic
situations.
•Develop rubrics and operational definitions of the Habits of Mind.
•Predict situations in which the Habits of Mind will be useful.
•Analyze current events, books, stories, and situations in world affairs
in which the Habits of Mind were or were not brought into play.
•Demonstrate how the Habits of Mind are clustered and related to
one another.
•Describe the steps and strategies they use when drawing upon the
Habits of Mind.
Building Depth, Complexity, and Elegance
The intent of the instructional strategies described so far is to create
and deepen an awareness of, understanding of, and skillfulness in employ-
ing the Habits of Mind in an increasingly wide and diverse range of situ-
ations. Ultimately we want students to use the habits, without prompting,
as a guide to govern their own decisions, thoughts, and actions.
Purpose.The purpose of this lesson design is to move students to more
sophisticated use of the Habits of Mind—to help them become more
“panoramic” in their views of situations in which the Habits of Mind may be
applied; to help them build greater value in the habits; to increase their incli-
nation to use the habits more spontaneously, without prompting; to cause
them to make a commitment to self-monitor, self-evaluate, self-modify, and
thus continually improve their own performance of the Habits of Mind.
86 Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind