Developing Habits of Mind in Elementary Schools: An ASCD Action Tool

Take educational outcomes way beyond facts and information with this collection of tools for teaching students how to think and behave intelligently when they encounter problems and challenges. A series of 42 tools, based on ASCD's ground-breaking Habits of Mind series, helps elementary school teachers plan lessons and classroom activities that teach students 16 thoughtful behaviors that promote successful learning in the classroom and beyond.

Each tool includes a brief explanation, step-by-step instructions, worksheets, samples, and resource pages. Plus, another set of tools helps you create teacher training sessions that introduce all 16 habits to faculty and provide a launching pad for teachers to teach these valuable lifelong skills. Interactive versions of all the tools are available for download at the ASCD website.

Building on work begun by Arthur Costa and Bena Kallick, Developing Habits of Mind in Elementary Schools translates the Habits of Mind philosophy of learning into practical classroom applications. Internationally acclaimed educators Karen Boyes and Graham Watts provide ideas, resources, examples, and strategies that address each Habit of Mind and scaffold learning across all content areas. The action tool's five major sections follow five dimensions of growth that help students to move from initial exploration through comprehensive internalization of the habits, using them as lifelong intelligent behaviors for effective communication, decision making, problem solving, and lifelong learning.

This action tool is valuable not only for student development but also for school improvement planning and teacher professional growth. When the Habits of Mind philosophy permeates an entire school and the habits become a part of everyday life for all the school becomes a transformed organization and a powerful learning community. Developing Habits of Mind in Elementary Schools comprises more than 50 tools to help teachers and administrators foster the Habits of Mind among students, staff, and parents. All tools are available for download.

Karen Boyes, an educator for nearly 20 years, is a leading authority on effective learning and teaching in New Zealand, a skillful professional development specialist, an author and international speaker, and the CEO of Spectrum Education. She has worked with teachers, principals, and students around the globe. Graham Watts has taught in schools from New Zealand to the United Kingdom. His practical ideas and expertise in the area of thinking skills are the hallmarks of his professional development workshops worldwide.