If we want children to take responsible risks, to think creatively, and
to think interdependently with others, then what learning conditions must
be established to cultivate these qualities? Chapter 7 describes how teach-
ers might use their verbal language to build trust, to establish warmth,
and to promote students’ self-esteem. In addition, it is more likely that
students will learn to listen with understanding and empathy if their teach-
ers model good listening skills as well.
Chapter 8 continues to explore teachers’ language by focusing on
classroom questions. Criteria for constructing intentionally complex ques-
tions are provided. Teachers learn how to construct questions that are
designed to elicit certain Habits of Mind, and many examples are pro-
vided. Of utmost importance, however, is the need to teach students the
art of skillful questioning as well.
One of the most powerful means of helping students know how to
think, question, and become more aware of their thinking is to display
their metacognition visually. In Chapter 9, David Hyerle, the foremost
developer, researcher, and teacher of Thinking Maps®, provides rich
examples of these visual tools and shares many connections with and
implications of the maps for the Habits of Mind.
—Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick96 Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind