Habits of Mind

Habits of mind are... “What successful people [including students] do when they are confronted with problems, the resolutions of which are not immediately apparent.” 

-- Costa and Kallick (2008)

Habits of Mind are what young children do when they face new situations and challenges in which adults are not controlling or determining their actions​.​ 

A ​habit of mind​ is a combination of attitudes, cues, skills, past experiences, and tendencies that guide one’s behaviors and help us choose one behavior over another. 

As habits of mind are supported and practiced over time they influence a child’s brain architecture and the development of the brain’s executive function. Children who weave constructive habits of mind are engaged in the practice of becoming intentional, intelligent learners. 

We refer to these visible behaviors as “traits” that give us information about the habit the child is developing. The five habits with traits represent a prioritized synthesis of habits that Helen Galinsky identifies as “essential life skills,” in her book, ​Mind in the Making​ (2010) and what Costa & Kallick refer to as “essential characteristics for success” in their book, ​Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind​ (2008)

(Teaching Preschool Partners, 2020)