on a particular topic over time. They demonstrated persistence—
an important ability in nearly all walks of life. Tanya, whose parents
were recovering addicts, ran the data over and over again in order
to make sure her findings were correct, and then she ran them
again with a new set of variables. We saw papers, videos, speeches
that were rehearsed and nearly errorless, because students had
developed a consciousness of audience and correctness. (p. 201)Anecdotal Records
As teachers strive to be constantly alert to students’ demonstration of the
Habits of Mind, they document student work. The most significant part
of this strategy is to be systematic about record keeping. One teacher
found that she was able to observe all the children in her class when she
designed a special notebook. She tabbed each section with a student’s
name and used sticky notes to jot down information when students
demonstrated various Habits of Mind. When she wanted to write narra-
tive comments about students at the end of the first marking period, she
had a good pool of data from which to draw.
Parents and caregivers can also be asked to record students’ growth.
Many teachers send a copy of the Habits of Mind home and ask parents
to notice when the child is using the behaviors. When conference time
comes, the parents share their observations with the teacher. Figure 11.11
shows a tool that educators in Maple Valley, Washington, use to encour-
age parents to track how students demonstrate thinking behaviors. Par-
ents also receive a two-page guide explaining how they can strengthen
students’ thinking behaviors.
Besides documenting performances, teachers are also alert to students’
comments before, during, and after learning activities, projects, and assign-
ments. Students often reveal their awareness, understanding, and applica-
tion of the Habits of Mind as they plan for and reflect on their work. Here
are student comments about the Habits of Mind collected by Michele
Swanson at Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo, California:
- Persisting.“In the last project when I couldn’t have been more
stressed, I wanted to quit and walk away, but no matter how much I
wanted to give up because I had no idea what I was doing or how it was
Assessing Habits of Mind 213