Arthur L. Costa is professor emeritus of education at California State University, Sacramento, and co-founder of the Institute for Intelligent Behavior in El Dorado Hills, California. He has served as a classroom teacher, a curriculum consultant, an assistant superintendent for instruction, and the director of educational programs for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He has devoted his career to improving education through more “thought-full” instruction and assessment. Arthur is a founding member of HOM and co-director of The Institute for Habits of Mind. (Retrieved from; http://www.habitsofmindinstitute.org/about-us/us/)
The Big Question?
'For educators, the question is what knowledge do we teach and how; AND how do we teach processes to support students’ using knowledge creatively and effectively? We believe the Habits of Mind so skillfully articulated by Drs. Art Costa and Bena Kallick are the necessary backbone of educational processes that are and will be foundational for an ever-changing future. We really do need continuous learners for a future that we cannot see' (Sommers., n.d, pp. 8-9)
What are Habits of Mind?
The Habits of Mind consist of 16 habits as defined by Arthur Costa and can be described as knowing how to behave intelligently when you don't know the answer. Some describe them as dispositions. The habits are descriptions of the attributes of what human beings do when they behave intelligently. These behaviors are seldom performed in isolation. These habits employ metacognitive strategies to enhance problem solving, decision making and intelligent thinking by individuals who are engaging in lifelong learning. Art Costa describes the 16 habits as;
Persisting
Managing Impulsivity
Listening with Understanding and Empathy
Thinking Flexibly
Thinking about thinking (metacognition)
Striving for accuracy and Precision
Questioning and posing problems
Applying past knowledge to new situations
Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision
Gathering data through all senses
Creating, Imagining, and innovating
Responding with wonderment and awe
Taking responsible risks
finding humor
Thinking interdependently
Remaining open to continuous learning.
The 16 habits will be discussed in greater depth later on within this site. Below is Art Costa himself describing Habits of Mind.
Key Features:
To engage with the Habits of Mind one must first know how to engage in the chosen habit and the ability to know when to implement it.
Each Habit is clearly articulated and is able to be adapted for age appropriateness to be used directly with children as tools to encourage metacognitive strategies 'Thinking about their thinking' or as classroom displays.
Being able to self-reflect on its use is key and to continually develop the habit with a self-directed approach, evaluating abilities and setting goals. These all contribute to ones personal development.
The habits of mind link with today's New Zealand Curriculum through incorporating Values and thinking skills but delves deeper requiring a deeper level of engagement with these values and ways of thinking within the Habits.
"Knowledge, thinking skills, and Habits of Mind are directionless without the guidance of the values we install in our students" (Retrieved from www.habitsofmind.org/content/where-do-habits-mind-fit)
The habits of mind give all learners of any age and at all stages of learning, opportunities to connect and be autonomous lifelong learners.
Habits of mind is about valuing one pattern of thinking over another when faced with problems and implies choice making about which habit should be employed at any given time and for which benefits towards resolution of the problem.
The habits can be described as an "internal compass" used to guide an individuals decisions,choices and solutions to problems faced within daily life.
Habits of mind attend to the following:
Value: Choosing to employ a pattern of intellectual behaviors rather than, less productive ones.
Inclination: Feeling the tendency toward employing a pattern of intellectual behaviors.
Sensitivity: Perceiving opportunities for, and appropriateness of employing the pattern of behavior.
Capability: Processing the basic skills and capacities to carry through with the behaviors.
Commitment: Constantly striving to reflect and improve performance of the pattern of intellectual behavior.
Taken together,these four key elements are critical to how schools work. The content tells students what is important about the world. Thinking Skills enable them to interact with that knowledge. The Habits of Mind give them ways of working that are typical of successful people, and the values we impart give students a sound moral and ethical compass to direct their endeavors.