Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind: 16 Essential Characteristics for Success

In Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind, noted educators Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick present a comprehensive guide to shaping schools around Habits of Mind. The habits are a repertoire of behaviors that help both students and teachers successfully navigate the various challenges and problems they encounter in the classroom and in everyday life. The Habits of Mind include

* Persisting

* Managing impulsivity

* Listening with understanding and empathy

* Thinking flexibly

* Thinking about thinking (metacognition)

* Striving for accuracy

* Questioning and posing problems

* Applying past knowledge to new situations

* Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision

* Gathering data through all senses

* Creating, imagining, innovating

* Responding with wonderment and awe

* Taking responsible risks

* Finding humor

* Thinking interdependently

* Remaining open to continuous learning

This volume brings together--in a revised and expanded format—concepts from the four books in Costa and Kallick’s earlier work Habits of Mind: A Developmental Series. Along with other highly respected scholars and practitioners, the authors explain how the 16 Habits of Mind dovetail with up-to-date concepts of what constitutes intelligence; present instructional strategies for activating the habits and creating a “thought-full” classroom environment; offer assessment and reporting strategies that incorporate the habits; and provide real-life examples of how communities, school districts, building administrators, and teachers can integrate the habits into their school culture. Drawing upon their research and work over many years, in many countries, Costa and Kallick present a compelling rationale for using the Habits of Mind as a foundation for leading, teaching, learning, and living well in a complex world.