Learning & Leading With Habits of Mind

Habits of Mind: A Journey of Continuous Growth 65

Developmental

Dimension

Learning Tasks

Teacher Facilitation

Assessment of Desired Results

FIGURE 4.2

(continued)

Framework for Teaching and Assessing Growth in Dimensions of the Habits of Mind (HOM)

ExpandingCapacities

• To become more skillful inthe application of the HOM.•To self-monitor which skillsand strategies are being usedand which ones need to beperfected and employed.• To build an ever-increasingrepertoire of tools andstrategies.•To apply the HOM insequence and in concert.


• Teach new strategies, refine old ones, and helplearners to select appropriate ones.•Provide guidance in integrating the use of the HOMin groups and sequences.•Invite students to describe what skills and strate-gies helped them when they needed to, for exam-ple, persist, manage their impulsivity, think flexibly.•Unpack each HOM to identify the metacognitiveskills and strategies appropriate to each; for exam-ple, use mind maps to answer the question “Whatcan I do when I get stuck?”Sample questions:• What goes on in your head when you use the habitof _?• What are you talking to yourself about when you___?• What will you be aware of in your own thinking asyou _?• What habit did you find yourself using when youwere ___?• What skills and strategies might you employ whenyou know you need to (persist, strive for accuracy,empathize, manage impulsivity, etc.)?

The student increases use of a wideningrange of strategies, skills, and tools anddoes so with greater sophistication insequence, accuracy, stamina, and elegance.Growth in this dimension will be recog-nized by learners being able to.. .•Select the appropriate tool at the appro-priate time.•Orchestrate appropriate sequences andgroupings of HOM.• Use greater numbers of supportingstrategies with increasing sophisticationand skill.• Increasingly use HOM in concert and insequence.•Apply the HOM to new contexts andareas in their life.