Students performed the song, with dance moves, for the student body.
Students were overheard enthusiastically singing about elaboration on
the playground! The principal and the dean of students choose to be part
of each skit that is performed so that they can clearly model the featured
Habit of Mind. Time is provided for students to generate examples for
using the habit during their school day and leisure time. The assemblies
always begin and end with the school song, which also reinforces the dis-
trict’s outcomes and the school’s mission of creating lifelong learners.
Te a c h e r s r e c o g n i z e s t u d e n t s e a c h m o n t h f o r o u t s t a n di n g d e m o n s t r a -
tion of the highlighted Habit of Mind. Awards are presented, and students
proudly wear ribbons that say “I use Habits of Mind at Glacier Park Ele-
mentary.” Photographs of students who receive special recognition for
modeling the Habits of Mind are displayed in the hallway, with every
child represented at some point during the year. The message is this: “All
of us can and do demonstrate the Habits of Mind, and this is valued at
Glacier Park Elementary School.”
Connecting literature with the Habits of Mind was a recent goal for
the school. Staff members selected picture books that exemplify a partic-
ular Habit of Mind, and their photographs were taken with the books and
made into posters for display. The posters are valuable reminders of how
story characters display the attitudes and dispositions that we are striving
to embody. Staff members take the lead in reinforcing the Habits of Mind,
and they model the language and behaviors for the students.
As a result of the comprehensive schoolwide focus at Glacier Park, the
students use the language of the Habits of Mind routinely and effortlessly.
Positive student behaviors are the norm because the t argets and expect a-
tions are clear. A culture of thoughtful, deliberate choices demonstrating
Habits of Mind permeates the school environment. Glacier Park is not only
a wonderful place for both children and adults; it is also one of the highest-
performing schools in the state on the Washington State Assessment of Stu-
dent Learning. More than 90 percent of the students are meeting the state
reading standard, and more than 80 percent of the students are meeting the
standard in math. We believe that students improve their ability to learn by
demonstrating the Habits of Mind in their school environment.
Integrating the Habits of Mind: A District Perspective 375