DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
PERSISTING
Definition:
Sticks to task by employing systematic methods of analyzing a problem; persevering on a
task even though the resolution is not immediately apparent. Has systematic methods of
analyzing a problem that includes knowing how to begin, steps to be performed, data
needed. Making an initial mistake on a task is not used as excuse to give up.
(despairs easily; writes down or says any answer just to be done with something quickly;
is easily detracted; exhibits attention deficits)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
MANAGING IMPULSIVITY
Definition:
Has a sense of deliberateness; thinks before acting. Withholds value judgments about an
idea until understanding is achieved. ACTS WITH FORETHOUGHT AND
DELIBERATION. Considers alternatives and consequences of several possible
directions before taking action.
( blurts out the first answer that comes to mind; starts to work without first fully
understanding task; lacks an organized plan or strategy for approaching a problem; takes
first suggestion/idea that comes to mind rather than considering alternatives and
consequences of several possible directions)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
THINKING FLEXIBLY
Definition:
Open to changes and considers alternatives. Knows when to think globally and when to
think with detailed precision. Has capacity to change mind based on new data.
Recognizes the wholeness and distinctiveness of other people’s ways of experiencing and
making meaning (recognizes social diversity). Tolerates confusion and ambiguity up to a
point. CONSIDERS OPTIONS, GENERATES ALTERNATIVES, CHANGES
PERSPECTIVES. Can approach a problem from a new angle using a novel approach.
Deals with several sources of information simultaneously.
(resists changing mind even in light of new data; does not know when to think globally
versus when to think with detailed precision; does not like to tolerate confusion and
ambiguity up to a point; cannot deal with several sources of information simultaneously)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
STRIVING FOR ACCURACY
Definition:
More interested in excellence than expedience. Takes time to check over product, that is,
reviews criteria that must be employed to confirm finished product. Takes pride in work.
Finds continuous reworking acceptable.
(is more interested in expedience than excellence; more anxious to get rid of
task/assignment than to check for accuracy and precision; willing to suffice with
minimum effort rather than investing maximum effort; does not take pride in work; finds
continuous reworking uncomfortable)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
QUESTIONING AND POSING PROBLEMS
Definition:
Knows how to ask questions to fill in gaps between what he/she knows and does not
know. Inquires into discrepancies. HAVING A QUESTIONING ATTITUDE. Is
analytical. Recognizes discrepancies and phenomena and probe into their causes.
(lacks overall strategy of search and solution finding when confronted with a
discrepancy; avoids asking questions to fill in unknown gaps; poses simple questions
hoping to derive maximal results)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
THINKING AND COMMUNICATING WITH CLARITY AND PRECISION
Definition:
Communicates accurately in both written and oral forms. Avoids overgeneralizations, and
distortions, and supports statements with evidence. STRIVING FOR ACCURATE
COMMUNICATION IN WRITTEN AND ORAL FORM. Takes care to define terms.
(uses vague and imprecise language; demonstrates fuzzy language and fuzzy thinking;
does not define ideas, etc. clearly)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
APPLYING PAST KNOWLEDGE TO NEW SITUATIONS
Definition:
Learns from experience. Calls upon his/her store of knowledge and experience as sources
of data to solve new challenges. TRANSFERS KNOWLEDGE BEYOND THE
SITUATION IN WHICH IT WAS LEARNED.
(always begins new task as if it were being approached for very first time; does not make
connections to what has come before or to what follows; does not draw from one event
and apply to another)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
RESPONDING WITH WONDERMENT AND AWE
Definition:
Is curious and feels compelled, enthusiastic, and passionate about learning, inquiry, and
mastering work. HAS FUN FUGURING THINGS OUT.
(perceives thinking as hard work and recoils from situations which demand “too much”
of it; avoids problems and is turned off to learning)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
TAKE RESPONSIBLE RISKS
Definition:
Goes beyond established limits. Is comfortable in situations where the outcomes are not
immediately known. VENTURES OUT. IS ADVENTURESOME. Likes to go against
the grain of common thinking to think of new ideas.
(is not willing to take a chance in the moment; fears failure; is more interested in
knowing the answer is correct than being challenged by process of finding the answer; is
consumed more by need for certainty than inclination for doubt)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
THINKING INTERDEPENDENTLY
Definition:
Thinks in concert with others and is interdependent and sensitive to the needs of others.
IS ABLE TO WORK AND LEARN FROM OTHERS IN RECIPROCAL
SITUATIONS. Shows ability to justify ideas and tests the feasibility of solution
strategies on others. Shows a willingness and openness to accept feedback from a critical
friend.
(prefers solitude; is unable to contribute to group work either by being a “job hog” or by
letting others do all the work; exhibits underdeveloped social skills; is unwilling and
closed to accepting feedback from a critical friend)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
LISTENING WITH UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY
Definition:
Listens to others. Paraphrases others ideas. Holds in abeyance his/her own values,
judgments, opinions, and prejudices in order to listen to and entertain the thoughts of
others. DEVOTES MENTAL ENERGY TO UNDERSTANDING OTHERS’
THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS. Detects others’ feelings or emotional states in their oral
and body language. Accurately expresses others’ concepts, emotions and problems.
(hears but does not listen, that is, pays close attention to what is being said beneath the
words; seldom paraphrases another’s ideas; fails to detect others’ feelings and emotional
states)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
DISPOSITIONS/HABITS OF MIND
THINKING ABOUT OWN THINKING
Definition:
Engages in reflective thoughtfulness; is increasingly aware of his/her own actions;
reflects on his/her experiences; wonders why he/she is doing what he/she is doing; plans
for, reflects on and evaluates the quality of his/her own thinking skills and strategies. IS
AWARE OF OWN THOUGHTS, FEELINGS AND ACTIONS AND THEIR EFFECT
ON OTHERS.
(does not take time to reflect on own experiences; does not wonder why one is doing
what one is doing; does not question self about own learning strategies, or evaluate the
efficiency of own performance)
Situation(s) when/where disposition/habit of mind might be demonstrated:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
Conduct demonstrative of disposition/habit of mind:
Classroom experience
Field/Clinical/Internship experience
Other school professional experience
Non-teacher preparation experience
ASSESSMENTS
Adopted from Arthur L. Costa & Bena Kallick, Describing 16 habits of mind. Retrieved
November 18, 2004 from http://www.habits-of-mind.net/whatare.htm