In this reflection, Amy clearly shows evidence of her disposition for problem
solving and drawing from previous experiences to reflect on her learning.
When classroom communities require that students use portfolios to
build narratives of their own learning, and when they focus on the oppor-
tunities for student reflection as Tracy’s and Amy’s teachers did, the Habits
of Mind are a powerful frame to guide them through their work. Teach-
ers and students often ask, “What goes into a portfolio?” A better question
is “What will be the frame or structure of the portfolio?”
In Kathleen Reilly’s 10th and 12th grade English classes at Edgemont
High School in Edgemont, New York, the students’ portfolios are framed
with the Habits of Mind. Each student has a list of the habits permanently
fixed to the inside of the portfolio cover. Students also work with check-
lists that help them look for the Habits of Mind in their work.
Their work with the habits begins with the teacher’s response to indi-
vidual essays on the specific terms of persistence, precision, and accuracy.
In the space at the bottom of a checklist, students are asked to choose
which of those Habits of Mind they think will help them write better essays.
Later in the school year, students are pushed further in their reflec-
tions about essays. They must ask peers to assume the role of coach. For
example, 10th grader Sam tells Michael that Michael’s essay illustrates
his flexibility in thinking when he “uses many metaphors for the journey:
development, emotional progression, humility.” Sam also notes how
Michael’s precision of language shows in his “good use of synonyms.”
After he reads Sam’s reflection, Michael notes that he can improve his
essay “by listening to others—taking fellow students’ advice to heart.” He
adds that he will get better at this writing stuff when he “applies metacog-
nition,... trying to understand how I came to my thesis and prove it.”
In Reilly’s class, stretching the Habits of Mind to serve as a structural
frame for character analysis was a natural outgrowth of earlier work. Stu-
dents could not resist writing about character strengths and weaknesses.
Wo r k i n g w i t h 1 0 t h g r a d e r s o n Huckleberry Finn, Reilly created portfolio
assignments that asked direct questions about the students’ thinking pat-
terns, the intellectual and emotional choices of the literary characters,
and the way the students thought about their essays. Overall, the Habits
of Mind provided a sensitive structure for the portfolio. Students easily
208 Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind