Personalized Learning with Habits of Mind

Personalized learning with Habits of Mind create a pathway to learning that:

drives, motivates, and activates our intellectual capacities
sparks innovation and imagination
empowers students to take responsible risks on behalf of their own passions and aspirations

In weaving together these two significant bodies of educational knowledge, theory, and practice, we present a holistic model for learning that embraces a reflection of our curious and extraordinary human nature.

Habits of Mind Resources

The Institute for Habits of Mind was co-founded by Bena Kallick and Art Costa as a way to transform schools into learning communities where thinking and Habits of Mind are taught, practiced, valued and infused into the culture. To learn more about the Habits of Mind and take advantage of great resources visit habitsofmindinstitute.org.

Building a Classroom Culture with Empathy in Mind

Focusing on the first weeks of school with a personal reflection signals to your students what you value and how...

The Depth Behind Icebreakers

These icebreakers provide an opportunity to lay the groundwork for building relationships and identify the Habits of Mind that are...

A Turbulent Flight into a New World of Learning

It was July 2007 and I was on a red-eye flight from Argentina to San Antonio. Halfway into the flight...BAM!...

Safe Spaces for Voice

Engaging with others remotely requires trust and vulnerability for our students and ourselves. How do we establish and cultivate safe...

Building a Classroom Culture with Empathy in Mind

Focusing on the first weeks of school with a personal reflection signals to your students what you value and how you value them. So, using an empathy map as a personal reflection that can be shared with classmates is a great place to start. However, what we do the first few weeks of class also needs to continuously become a part of the classroom culture. We suggest that you might establish this by emphasizing students…

The Depth Behind Icebreakers

These icebreakers provide an opportunity to lay the groundwork for building relationships and identify the Habits of Mind that are critical behaviors for building the quality of those relationships.

A Turbulent Flight into a New World of Learning

It was July 2007 and I was on a red-eye flight from Argentina to San Antonio. Halfway into the flight...BAM! A loud noise ignited causing the plane to shake. Instantaneously, passengers awoke in a panic and unconscious state of mind. As I awoke my first thought was, "Please let this be a dream." To my displeasure, it was not. As I braced for the worst, panicked and dysregulated, I tried to keep a level head.…

Safe Spaces for Voice

Engaging with others remotely requires trust and vulnerability for our students and ourselves. How do we establish and cultivate safe spaces for voice? Before we focus on HOW we do this, let’s step back for a moment to examine practices that we may not have been conscious of in the classroom or school space. When thinking of practices that oppress or liberate students, I would say there is not a neutral. Think about the school…

The Growth Moment No One Anticipated

This year has been a journey! That’s how I intended to end this school year when speaking to the individual teachers I’ve worked with this year. Last summer when we started ramping up plans on how we would grow a mindset for personalized learning with Habits of Mind, we knew every teacher would be on a journey. Some teachers might be "bird-watchers" who observed what was happening. Other teachers could be "trailblazers" who take in…

Tips for Managing Impulsivity

Adapted from a blog post originally authored by Art Costa and Bena Kallick. When you are working more in isolation, your tendency might be to just get the work assigned done. However, when you manage the impulse to take the first answer as the "right" answer rather than thinking about what is being asked and how to investigate the topic, you may find that you are thinking more deeply. Here is some advice that is…

Self-Confidence with the Habits of Mind

This blog post was first published on the Institute for Habits of Mind website and is part 3 within a series. We all have heard the old adage "A picture speaks a thousand words," and if you are a movie buff, you should be able to recognize this photo. In the city of Brotherly Love erects a statue symbolizing the true meaning of perseverance, confidence, and the ability to never give up. The effigy…

Paying Attention to Life Skills as Part of Regular Instructional Practice

Zoe Zmuda -- a sophomore in high school -- created this YouTube video as a culminating artifact to reflect on how education leaders (from classroom to consultant) pay attention to life skills as part of regular instructional practice. Points discussed within the video: the many types of life skills that should be fostered from an early age why these skills are crucial for students and later in life, and how they correspond to Habits of Mind…

Small Wins for Every Learner

Let’s be real. One of the hardest things for people to do is build a new habit. It takes commitment, focus, drive, and a constant reminder or way to trigger that action. In the learning environment, deliberately using the Habits of Mind with our students help them to respond intelligently and empathically when confronted with problem situations, conflicts, and uncertainties the resolution to which are not immediately apparent. For students with learning disabilities, habits of…

Walking the Talk: How Leaders Grow a Personalized School Culture

Let’s engage in a storytelling challenge. What were some of your most powerful learning moments as an educator so far? What did you see in these stories? What are the patterns? What were the feelings expressed as you shared your stories? What can we learn from this storytelling challenge that might help us envision this next school year? The stories you tell help to build the culture you create and it all begins with personalizing…

Habits of Mind Resources

Personalized Learning with Habits of Mind – Content

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