Promoting Healthy "Habits of Mind" in Math and Science

1. Promoting Healthy "Habits of Mind" in Math and Science By: Susan Kim, Catherine Symes, and Rosanna Luzarraga

2. What is a Habit of Mind? A "Habit of Mind” means having a disposition toward behaving intelligently when confronted with problems,the answers to which are not immediately known. By: Arthur L. Costa, Ed. D. and Bena Kallick, Ph.D.

3. The 16 Habits of Mind 1. Persistence 2. Managing impulsivity 3. Gathering data through all senses 4. Questioning and problem-solving   5. Striving for accuracy and precision / organization 6. Communicating clearly 7. Applying past knowledge to new situations  (making connections) 8. Listening with understanding and empathy

4. The 16 Habits of Mind- continued 9.  Metacognition 10. Thinking flexibly 11. Thinking interdependently 12. Finding humor 13. Taking responsible risks 14. Creating, imagining, and innovating 15. Remaining open to continuous learning 16. Responding with wonderment and awe

5. How Do We Teach Habits of Mind? 1. Know your students. Which "habits" do your students      already have? Which "habits" would you like them to                develop? (differences between younger and older students) 2. Model the behaviors that you would like to see in your      students. Keep up to date with current events and research     in Math and Science. Stay informed and show students that     you are enthusiastic about your subject (these are      worthwhile conversational tangents!) - Be a proud nerd! 3. Think about what kind of skill each assignment is helping          your students to develop.

6. Persistence • Frustration is part of life - let students develop a threshold of tolerance (never let your teaching be the frustrating part though!) • Too much frustration will cause anyone to give up - give your students what they can handle (think about all skills and steps involved). • Allow students to work on problems and come back to them later. • Make sure students know the long-term goal or big idea • Praise for effort, not ability! • Let them know if something is going to be hard.

7. Managing Impulsivity • Know your students well enough to be able to tell incremental differences in effort - then praise them when there is improvement! Let them know that you notice! • Make sure that students plan in advance in their notebooks and show each step. • Teach students to think and plan using general goals and then teach students to break those down into specific steps. Show them how to complete big tasks using "itty bitty" steps. • Teach students to ask and answer prevention questions: What will I do if ..... happens?  • Have student ask themselves: What will I wish I had done next week? 

8. Gathering Data Through All Senses Encourage students to exercise skills everyday that are applicable to Math and Science. This includes:  • closely observing phenomenon and drawing or describing what is noticed  • keeping an "What I Don't Get" journal (also emphasizing that it is 'okay' not to 'get stuff') • noticing discrepancies between what is commonly believed and what is observed  • keeping a scrap book of interesting scientific articles with written notes and questions (add to this weekly) • giving students everyday examples of what constitutes an "experiment" = degrees of formality

10. Questioning and Problem Solving • Emphasize: Things are supposed to make sense! If something seems weird, investigate further! • Make sure students understand the big picture or goal. • Visualize the problem by drawing or creating a model. • Get students used to answering and asking the question, "What would happen if...?" • Promote healthy skepticism by asking, "What makes you think that’s true?" (without intimidating the student) • Encourage students to give their own explanations (theories) for problems/phenomenon without worrying about being wrong.

11. Accuracy and Precision/Organization • Force students to date and label everything in their notebooks. • Get students comfortable with sketching and labeling. • Use specifics whenever possible to describe objects or phenomenon. Use exact numbers if available. • An organized notebook does not have to be "perfectly neat" as long as the owner has his/her own system of organization. But use the notebook! • Keeping a neat notebook does make it easier to catch flaws in your thinking as you write things down.  • Have students do mini-checks during the process before they get to the end of a solution or project.

12. Communicating Clearly • Tailor content for the audience at hand. Take into account what they are likely or unlikely to know. • Observe your audience for signs of confusion. Use cues to include explanations or examples as needed.  • Try to say/write what you need to in the fewest, plainest words possible and know what you are going to say! • Include all steps when you are communicating a procedure.  • Utilize heading, bullets, and numbering for maximum clarity. • Use specifics whenever possible to describe objects or phenomenon. For example, instead of stating that an object was "heavy", give its exact weight. 

13. Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations • Have students go back and revisit problems and projects when they discover a mistake. Teach them that mistakes are valuable learning tools. Emphasize that it is better to get something wrong and understand why, then to get it right through "dumb luck".  • Create a portfolio of work and have students revisit their old work periodically throughout the year. • Constantly refer back and make connections between current and previous units. Emphasize the big ideas that units have in common. • Help students see math and science connections at school AND at home. 

14. Sources • http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/docs/habits.pdf     "Learning the Habits of Mind that Enable Mathematical and Scientific Behavior" • http://www.instituteforhabitsofmind.com/  • www.project2061.org/tools/benchol/ch12/ch12.htm • http://virtualinquiry.com/specialist/habits.htm

15. Memorable Quotes • Horace Mann "Habit is a cable; we weave a thread of it each day, and at last we cannot break it." •  Theodore Sizer (1964) defines “habits of mind” as "the willingness to use one’s mind well when no one is looking." • Lauren Resnick “[T]he sum of one’s intelligence is the sum of one’s habits of mind.” • George "Pinky" Nelson"You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to think like one."