Learning & Leading With Habits of Mind

258

Reporting Growth

in Habits of Mind

Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick

14

Useful communication must always be in the language of the

receiver.

—Edward de Bono

We a r e a l l f a mi l i a r w i t h r e p o r t c a r d s t h a t a s s i g n l e t t e r o r nu m b e r g r a d e s f o r
academic progress. However, do you remember the days when report
cards also included a grade for conduct? Schools have always deemed it
important to report students’ academic progress and how students con-
duct themselves as citizens of the school, but most schools never convey
how students conduct themselves as learners. The Habits of Mind are an
excellent framework for explicitly describing the behaviors expected of
all learners. This chapter describes a variety of ways for reporting students’
growth as learners.
Traditionally, parents, administrators, and members of the board of
education are the most significant audiences for reporting. Teachers report
to parents and to building-level administrators. Administrators report to
the board of education. The board reports to the community. Many
schools are expanding this concept of reporting to develop Habits of Mind
related to continuous improvement and learning. In these schools,
students report to parents or board members. Parents report to teachers.