Lecture Notes: Habits of Mind

Introduction

• Discussion on the common journey teachers share with the Habits of Mind.
• Emphasis on the importance of viewing these habits to increase effectiveness in teaching.

Key Points

Starting the Journey

• Everyone is already on this journey with Habits of Mind.
• Experienced teachers have utilized these habits but lacked a common language.
• The Habits of Mind have always been important in education, appearing in curriculum and assessments.

Importance of Common Language

• Teachers often use terms like work ethic, passion, and dedication without explicitly linking them to Habits of Mind.
• Example: Writing reports on students without a clear connection to developing positive work behaviors.

Focus and Intentionality

• Encourage teachers to reflect on their existing curriculum and recognize where they are already including the Habits of Mind.
• The goal is to be more focused and deliberate in teaching these habits.

Shifting Language in the Classroom

• Transitioning from general language to specific language related to Habits of Mind.
• Use of common terms like "thinking interdependently" and "persistence".
• Teachers should identify, label, and require Habits of Mind from students.

Moving Beyond Identification

• A common mistake is to treat Habits of Mind as a topic rather than integrating them into everyday teaching.
• Importance of fostering real change in teacher practice and student outcomes.

Relationship Between Habits of Mind and Achievement

• Understanding that mature Habits of Mind lead to success in challenging tasks, not merely the setting of those tasks.
• Need for teachers to build and develop these habits in their students.

Reflecting on Teacher Responsibilities

• Shift from asking students to use Habits of Mind to focusing on how to help them mature and develop those habits.
• Dual learning outcomes: improving content knowledge and habits of mind.

Dimensions of Growth

• Importance of describing clear improvement in Habits of Mind.
• Use of Wiggins and McTighe's backward design to align content and Habits of Mind objectives.

Practical Examples

• Karen Watson’s experience integrating Habits of Mind in the classroom.
• Positive changes observed in both teacher practices and student outcomes.

Essential Shift in Teaching Practices

• Moving from treating Habits of Mind as topics to focusing on long-term development over students' lifetime.
• Understanding and defining levels of maturity required for students to achieve success.

Conclusion

• Encourage a mindset of development, improvement, and integration of Habits of Mind into all aspects of teaching.
• Align the teaching of content with the development of the Habits of Mind for holistic education.