as “repeated exposure.” Although such instruction may result in some
degree of improvement in learning, we know that carefully designed pro-
grams that identify specific outcomes, employ targeted strategies, recog-
nize current ability, and assess the degree that learning has taken place
will be more effective.
If our goal is to truly develop skillfulness, alertness, valuing, and com-
mitment rather than simply recognizing and labeling Habits of Mind, the
“repeated exposure” approach alone is not satisfactory. Other comple-
mentary approaches are also required if we are to effectively and effi-
ciently develop students’ Habits of Mind. Therefore, we include three
approaches to lesson design.
•Exploring Meanings of the Habits of Mind.
•Strategic Application of the Habits of Mind.
•Building Depth, Complexity, and Elegance.These three approaches might be classified as “teaching ofthe Habits of
Mind” because the habits become explicit goals and outcomes of the
instruction.
A third category of instructional design we might label “teaching with
the Habits of Mind.” We include two approaches in this category:
•Diagnosing and Assessing Students’ Level of Mastery of the Habits
of Mind.
•Modeling the Habits of Mind.
The following sections describe the purposes, strategies, and assessments
associated with each of these approaches to lesson design.
Cognitively Demanding Tasks
As described in Chapter 2, the Habits of Mind come forth in response
to problems whose resolutions are not immediately known. Therefore,
this approach to lesson design calls upon teachers to present students with
problems, dilemmas, and dichotomies whose resolutions are not readily
apparent.
Is Your Instruction Habit Forming? 71