Then, upon completion of the task, the teacher invites the group to
reflect upon its application of and skillfulness in using the Habits of Mind,
and the value of the habits. Teachers will want to invite students to reflect
on which additional habits were drawn upon, and to establish some goals
for further refinement of their use of the Habits of Mind:
•So, during this task, we were focusing on thinking interdependently
and striving for accuracy. What were some indicators in your group that
you thought interdependently?
•What might we work on next to get even better at it?
•The intent of this unit was to determine historical truth. How did
striving for accuracy and precision assist in drawing your conclusions?
•Besides thinking interdependentlyand striving for accuracy and pre-
cision, what other Habits of Mind served you as you worked on this task?
•When else in your life would it be important to be mindful of these
interdependent thinkingskills?
Assessment.Cognitively demanding tasks provide rich opportunities
for students to self-assess by documenting their reflections and insights in
journals, portfolios, PowerPoint presentations, interviews, and exhibits.
(See Chapter 11 for more about assessing the Habits of Mind.) Students
should not only monitor and record their understanding of and interest in
the content that is studied; they should also record and reflect on their
use of the Habits of Mind. When students share their portfolios and jour-
nals, teachers gain greater insight into their level of understanding of,
degree of commitment to, and skillfulness in the use of the Habits of
Mind. Next steps along the journey of continuous growth can thereby be
planned.
Building Intuitive Awareness
To b u i l d t h i s e x p e r i e n t i a l aw a r e n e s s o f t h e H a b i t s o f M i n d a t a m o r e
intuitive level, the teacher uses the terminology and models appropriate
use of the habits both in and out of the classroom. This modeling will
often include using Habits of Mind that are not the current focus of the
class, or using them in ways not required by the students at this time. Stu-
dents see and hear effective application of the Habits of Mind in a range
74 Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind