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of Mind are fully integrated into the recommendations Remaining Open to
because in many cases they are at the heart of the Continuous Learning
actions the student now needs to action to improve
achievement. Clearly this is an ongoing journey. What we
have achieved to date is a work in progress.
This has been favourably received by our parents and
it is interesting to note how parents are now using that Our journey continues as we explore new and better
same language at parent interview times. In fact we fully ways to incorporate HOM’s beneficially into our learning
infuse the Habits of Mind into our reporting language community. To do so we must keep our minds open
and it is clearly becoming a framework for us to report to continuous learning and seize the opportunities to
to parents in a meaningful way. Some of our Deans promote good teaching, quality learning, flexible thinking
who have a key responsibility for pastoral care have and improved achievement, using powerful tools like
found the Habits of Mind a precise framework to report Habits of Mind.
to parents about student behaviour. Its power is in its
precise language and the fact that it offers a positive and
pragmatic way forward. Barry Musson
Specialist Classroom Teacher
Our journey is ongoing. Schools are dynamic places; musson.b.w@lindisfarne.hb.school.nz
staff change. New students arrive so there is an ongoing Matt Allen
need to maintain and review. We have had problems. Martin O’Grady
When we have not seen an obvious solution or direction September 2007
to follow we have tried to reflect on what we should now
do and invariably applying the Habits of Mind has meant Acknowledgements:
we can progress and move forward. But you need to Alan Cooper acooper@clear.net.nz
know that it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Some staff Gill Hubble vorpal@ihug.co.nz
remain sceptical and unconvinced about the benefits Georgette Jensen g_jensen@ihug.co.nz
of Habits of Mind. Some have positively accepted their Charlotte Humphrey chumphrey@stgeorge.school.nz
value and made changes which have proven beneficial Matt Allen allen.m.j@lindisfarne.hb.school.nz
to student success and achievement and others have
embraced them and are hugely enthusiastic, passionate
and competent with them. Reference
We don’t believe we are too different from any other Costa, A., & Kallick, B. (2000). Habits of Mind: A
school in how Habits of Mind have been accepted and developmental series, Alexandra, USA: Association for
embraced, but we have been persistent in giving our Supervision and Curriculum Development
staff the opportunity to incorporate the benefits. At the
Expo we will present a pragmatic presentation which will P O Box 2341
give anyone present a number of very usable strategies Hastings
for infusing and incorporating Habits of Mind into the Telephone: (06) 873 1136
teaching, learning, thinking and behaving culture of their Fax: (06) 878 6955
schools. Email: office@lindisfarne.hb.school.nz
Finally, our journey with Habits of Mind as a thinking Website: www.lindisfarne.school.nz
strategy and tool has been further vindicated by the
New Zealand Curriculum Draft Consultation document Applying past Knowledge to New
in 2006. In that document thinking is included as one Situations
of the five key competencies. The key competencies
are defined as the capabilities people need in order to ‘Some of our best lessons we ever learn, we learn from
live, learn, work and contribute as active members of our mistakes and failures. The error of the past is the
their communities. Habits of Mind are powerful tools, success and wisdom of the future’.
strategies and habits to deliver this competency. Albert Einstein
In the same document thinking is defined as being about
students who have well developed thinking and problem
solving skills, are active seekers, users and creators of
knowledge – again Habits of Mind can deliver. If one
reflects, Habits of the Mind seem to have been designed
to precisely meet and deliver these two aspects of the
2006 draft document.














24 • Habits of Mind International Expo, Melbourne / Auckland October 2007
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