Thinking Flexibly Archives - The Institute for Habits of Mind

Leading With Habits of Mind in Mind: Positive Thoughts During Unprecedented Times

By Art Costa and Bena Kallick While we can all agree that the Habits of Mind pervade all subject areas and can be infused throughout most of all the activities in learning, we may never have thought of putting them to the test of being challenged during this COVID-19 crisis. Yet, the Habits of […]

New Rule: Navigate VUCA with Habits of Mind

By Bill Sommers So, as I sit here in my home under COVID19 stay at home restrictions, one question keeps reverberating with me in how to lead during this time: “How do we respond in a VUCA world that doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon?” When I was a principal, a […]

Leveraging The Habits of Mind In The Midst of Disruption

By Craig Gastauer March 13, 2020 was the day we received the news that all districts in San Diego County were shutting down physical operations due to COVID-19. A week later, our teachers were directed to begin thinking in terms of what was essential for students to learn between now and the end of […]

Leaning on Habits of Mind in Times of Fear and Uncertainty

By Dr. Nick Bruski “The Easter Bunny came! He took a responsible risk!” (heard from a 3rd grade student) The Institute for the Habits of Mind has a vision, “To create a more thoughtful, cooperative, compassionate generation of people who skillfully work to resolve social, environmental, economic and political problems.” Just over two years […]

What have you failed today?: Strategies on how to deal with our bad days

By Lory Walker Peroff It had been a tough day. After the bell rang, I collapsed into my chair and reflected on the failures of the day. The list was long. I had failed to communicate effectively with a student resulting in his mother telling me he thought I didn’t like him. I failed […]

The 9 Habits of Mind for Powerful Writing

For many individuals the ability to select a topic, conjure up ideas, and then write about it is a tough process. Even more arduous is the action of physically building focused behaviors to continue writing with reader appeal in mind. It takes persistence, focus, pacing, planning, questioning yourself, developing your senses, and thinking outside the […]

Habits of Mind and Resiliency: Tools for Success

Hello Habits of Mind community! Welcome back to this new school year. I hope that the summer gave you time to ponder and to find wonderment and awe in just relaxing, managing your impulsivity by basking in the summer sun, remaining open to continuous learning by taking adventurous trips, thinking flexibly in creating summer time […]

Subject-Based Habits of Mind

Daniel Vollrath (@HabitsofMindInc) is a special education teacher at Hunterdon Central Regional High School in New Jersey, and a United States Professional Development Trainer for the Habits of Mind Institute, with a strong passion for developing curriculum, classroom culture, and mindfulness based on the Habits of Mind. Over the past five years, Daniel has […]