Sunrise Valley Elementary School
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Habits of the Mind
Parent session information on Habits of Mind presented by Bena Kallick in 2008 Specifics on each of 16 Habits of Mind
Sunrise Valley ES was awarded an FCPS grant to become a Habits of Mind Focus School. We have been working with Art Costa and Bena Kallick, internationally renowned educators, who have defined and described 16 intelligent behaviors they call "habits of mind." These habits of mind assist both students and adults as they encounter problems, dilemmas, and enigmas in everyday life. Costa and Kallick maintain that critical to success in life is not only knowing information but knowing how to act on it. For more information please click on the following link. Habits of Mind The mission of SVES is to provide a variety of learning opportunities and challenges in a supportive, educational environment that makes success possible for every Sunrise Valley student To accomplish this mission, SVES has become an FCPS Focus School for Habits of Mind, and faculty members spent two powerful days learning from Dr. Arthur Costa how to build an even more thought-full learning community. As we know, this mission is more likely to be accomplished if parents, teachers, and students work together. Therefore, in this and future issues of The Sun Times, I will devote a section to Habits of Mind describing each habit, suggesting ways to strengthen it at home and sharing resources. Listening To Others with Understanding and Empathy - Dr. Costa describes this habit as the “Queen” of them all. It requires us to learn how to “turn ourselves over to another.” Listening with understanding and empathy asks that we listen with thoughtful attention to another's thoughts, feelings, and point of view. Individuals who have acquired this habit demonstrate active listening skills such as eye contact, pausing, and paraphrasing. Only when we are assured that we truly understand another individual, do we follow up with questions that deepen the understanding of themselves and abilities to plan or problem solve. This habit requires that we refrain from giving solutions to problems and sharing our own personal stories. Clearly, this is a habit that takes a lifetime to acquire. As parents, you might try to find time during your busy day to listen to, not just hear, your child. Sometimes, this is best done in the car when you have those private moments. It may also be practiced at the dinner table or before bed. The hard part, of course, is to let the child lead the conversation and devote your full attention to them. Elizabeth W. English, Ph.D. Habits of Mind The mission of SVES is to provide a variety of learning opportunities and challenges in a supportive, educational environment that makes success possible for every Sunrise Valley student. To accomplish this mission, SVES has become an FCPS Focus School for Habits of Mind below find a description of an important habit you may want to foster with your child at home. Sense of Humor At this time of year a sense of humor is an essential habit of mind. Dr. Costa describes this habit as a willingness to bring appropriate humor into situations. Humor positively affects our psychological functioning, liberates creativity, and provokes higher-level thinking skills. People who engage in the mystery of humor have the ability to perceive situations from an interesting vantage point, because having a whimsical frame of mind, they are able to laugh at situations and themselves. To encourage this important habit of mind you might consider modeling laughing at your own human foibles, explaining humor that your child does not yet understand, reading humorous books aloud, and sharing the joy of simply laughing. Elizabeth W. English, Ph.D.
Dear Parents and Guardians, As we leave 2006 and approach the winter holiday, I have decided to combine my end of year message with my discussion of an important Habit of Mind. In thinking about this message, I realized I should have begun our exploration of habits with a definition. Webster defines habit as “an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary,” and this is what Dr. Costa has in mind. He believes that if human beings acquired these habits of mind, much as we acquire the habit of brushing our teeth, we would be much more successful in daily life, able to face the challenges we encounter. With that in mind, I'd like to address the habit of Responding with Wonderment and Awe. We live in an amazing world, one we often take for granted. This habit encourages us to be curious, to observe the world around us, to reflect on its changes and patterns, to find beauty, intrigue, and enthusiasm, and to begin to perceive the delicate worth and connections among everything we encounter. During winter break and continuing into 2007, take the time to share the beauty of a sunset, the changing of the seasons, and the geometry of a spider web. Visit an art gallery, museum, and planetarium or simply take a walk with your child, noticing all that you encounter. Most importantly, find wonder and awe in the accomplishments and delights of your child. The greatest gift we give others is to see their gifts, beauty, and uniqueness. Observe, note, and praise. Each day I am awed by our Sunrise Valley community, the enthusiasm for learning of our students, the passion for teaching of our staff, and the support of our parents. Best wishes to you over the holiday and continuing into 2007. Happy New Year! Elizabeth W. English, Ph.D.
Habits of Mind: Persisting (January 12, 2007 Sun Times) Each year, as tradition would have it, many of us make New Year's Resolutions. They are always well intended goals that we know will improve the quality of our lives. Nevertheless, we often fail to persist with these resolutions, giving up easily before they are habituated into our pattern of living. They appear too hard or insurmountable for a host of reasons. However, we know that “efficacious people stick to tasks or goals until they are completed. They don't give up easily.” They recognize problems, analyze them, and develop a plan, strategy, or system for their solution or accomplishment. Because these individuals are able to persist, they are able to handle uncomfortable or ambiguous situations. Students often give up too quickly and crumple their papers or write down any answer that comes to mind. They have difficulty staying focused for any length of time or lack the ability to stick with something if they feel frustrated. Students who persist, have a repertoire of strategies for pursuing difficult problems. They develop confidence that if they stick with it, there will be a satisfactory resolution. To develop your child's habit of persistence, you may consider modeling your own ability to persist and be flexible in trying multiple solutions to problems, explaining and verbalizing the strategies you are trying. In addition, you might consider encouraging students to stick with difficult tasks, sports, or assignments – not giving them an easy out and helping them come up with strategies that will help them to feel more successful. Playing board games, working jigsaw puzzles, completing crossword puzzles and Sudoku, and reading solve-it yourself mystery books encourage flexibility and development of multiple strategies. The major goal is to help your child analyze difficult situations and develop multiple strategies that enable him or her to handle the situation satisfactorily instead of giving up. Elizabeth W. English, Ph.D. Habits of Mind: Metacognition (January 24, 2007 Sun Times) This session should prove enlightening and invaluable for all. In preparation, I have decided to focus on the important habit of metacognition. This habit encourages us to think about our thinking processes. Specifically, this habit encourages us to know what we know and don’t know, to be conscious of the steps we use to solve problems, and to reflect and evaluate the effectiveness of our own thinking and behavior. Though metacognition begins to develop around the age of five, it generally does not become evident until the age of eleven or older. In fact, not all humans acquire this highly complex form of thinking. This may occur because they do not take the time to stop and reflect on their experiences, question their own learning, or the effectiveness of their thinking and behavior. Intelligent people plan for, reflect on, and evaluate their thinking. Caring individuals become increasingly aware of their own actions and the effect of those actions on others and their environment. They understand Wayne Dyer’s comment that even under the most challenging of circumstances, “I cannot always control what goes on outside. But I can always control what goes on inside.” We can all support the development of this habit by providing children with opportunities to share what they know, what they need to know, what information is lacking, and their plans for solving problems. We can encourage them to describe a plan of action before beginning to solve a problem and the steps they took to arrive successfully at solutions to problems. We can encourage children to talk about what worked and what they would do differently next time. Clearly, the more aware that we all become of our own thinking and actions, the more control we have over behaving in intelligent and caring ways. Sincerely, Habits of Mind: Thinking Interdependently (Feb. 9, 2007 Sun Times) Dear Parents/Guardians: This strong sense of interdependency can be recently viewed in the GRACE Art murals that adorn our walls, the first issue of the Sunrise Sentinel, as well as our upcoming Eye on Learning and Show What You Know. None of these learning opportunities for our children would be possible without the collective thinking, time, energy, dedication, and caring of parents and teachers. As social beings, we congregate in groups and recognize that collectively we are all stronger, smarter, and more successful in our endeavors than we are as individuals. We recognize that complex problems require the collective wisdom of many because no one person has access to all the information necessary to make critical decisions. Thinking interdependently is therefore an important habit of mind that we want all students at SVES to acquire; one that will serve them throughout future schooling and in the workplace. We recognize that some students feel isolated and prefer solitude. They seem unable to contribute to collaborative learning opportunities. On the other hand, some students assume too much responsibility and are unable to enlist the assistance of peers. Working in groups requires a willingness to be open to contributions of others, to listen with empathy, to seek consensus, to give up an idea to another person, and to show support for group work. At school, we provide students with numerous collaborative opportunities to learn these important skills. At home, these skills are best learned within the context of family problem solving. You might consider enlisting the thinking and assistance of your children as you make weekend plans, prepare for an outing, or accomplish a family task. The more opportunities that children have to participate in give and take, the better able they will be to work cooperatively with others. The interdependency of SVES is evidenced throughout the school: the sun tile wall, our Milestone Community walk, the third grade quilts, and numerous school wide events. The list goes on and on. Sincerely, Habits of Mind: Managing Impulsivity (Feb. 23, 2007 Sun Times) Dear Parents/Guardians: It is my sincere hope that you enjoyed the unexpected mid-winter break with family and friends. At SVES, staff members report they spent time playing games with their children, cleaning out numerous closets and cupboards, catching up on their sleep, and sledding on the ice. I know you and your family also enjoyed this unexpected gift of time. This week's discussion will focus on the important habit of managing impulsivity . We know that successful people are deliberate and effective problem solvers who think before they act. They know how to manage impulses and resist jumping to conclusions. They intentionally set goals as well as craft plans. These individuals are reflective and consider the consequences of their actions and words before acting and speaking. As we know, young children often blurt out their first thoughts, start to work without fully understanding directions, or jump to conclusions before evaluating pros and cons. We need to remind them to slow down, think, and weigh the consequences of their actions. You can help your child manage his or her impulsivity by encouraging him or her to explain the steps of a task before beginning or the directions for a game before playing. You can talk over plans for solving a problem or explore alternative problem solving strategies and give them opportunities to talk about the consequences of their actions. Most importantly, as your child's first and most important teacher, you can share aloud your thought processes as you model managing your impulsivity. Rest assured that spring is just around the corner. The birds were singing loudly as I entered school this morning. Sincerely,
Dear Parents/Guardians, Our third annual Show What You Know Expo is quickly approaching. Each year the number of participants grows for this event. Furthermore, the breadth of topics increases as does enthusiasm. This year students will be sharing their knowledge and passion for such topics as vegetarianism, the future of Reston , the history of Teddy bears, poison dart frogs, and air. The topics are wide, fascinating, and illuminating – certainly not to be missed. As we know, people who are successful throughout their lives are in a continuous learning mode. In this information age, the habit of being a continual learner is essential. Not only is it essential that our students be knowledgeable, as importantly, our students must know how to learn. Being a continual learner requires a combination of inquisitiveness and confidence. We want our students to be eager to learn and have confidence that when confronted with a learning opportunity, they know how to find answers to their questions. Most importantly, we want them to be humble about what they don't know, which, as Art Costa states, is “the highest form of thinking we will ever learn.” Paradoxically, it is only when we recognize what we don't know that we are capable of and able to acquire new learning. The crowning glory of all learning is the willingness to admit that we don't know and are not afraid to find out. As you already do, enjoy learning with your children. Share about new learning experiences that you are having. Come to the Show What You Know Expo and truly use it as an opportunity to learn. Take time to visit with numerous children, asking them about what they know and how they became interested in their particular topic. Crouch down to their level, meet their eyes, and listen carefully to all they have to share. I can assure you that the event will enrich your lives and your learning and give each child you speak with an opportunity to shine. Thank you and enjoy,
Habits of Mind: Striving for Accuracy (April 13, 2007 Sun Times) Recognizing that at SVES the Standards of Learning assessments do not drive our instructional program because they are focused on minimum expectations for students in grades 3 – 6, we nevertheless want our students to demonstrate to the best of their ability what they have learned. With that in mind, it is important that our students use the important habit of mind referred to as Striving for Accuracy . Striving for Accuracy recognizes that an important habit for people who value precision and accuracy is to take time to check over their work or products. Individuals who strive for accuracy take pride in their work, seek accuracy, and continuously check and double check to be certain that their work truly reflects their knowledge and skill. Students who do not strive for accuracy often settle for minimum effort which consequently results in minimum results. These children are more concerned with completing the task than with demonstrating their best. During the next few months, you can support your student's acquisition of this habit by encouraging them to review homework assignments, confirming that their projects meet expectations established by the teacher and/or class, and helping them by setting standards: “If you were to do a really excellent job of cleaning your bedroom, what would that look like?” Rather than point out errors on homework assignments, simply say, “You have three errors on this page. See if you can find them and fix them!” Thank you for partnering with us to develop these important habits, and please do not hesitate to speak with your child's teacher about additional ideas for supporting his or her development. Yours truly,
Creating, Imagining, and Innovating (May 11, 2007 Sun Times) Finally, as we approach the end of the 2006-07 school year, I would like to take this opportunity to describe the important habit of Creating, Imagining, and Innovating . Some people believe that creativity is inherited. Increasingly however, we have come to realize that all human beings have the capacity to be creative – not necessarily in artistic ways but in ways that enable them to generate creative solutions to challenging problems. Generally speaking, creative people are open to criticism and seek feedback on their thinking. They continually thrive in ambiguous situations, which our current culture and future require, and are willing to take the risks necessary for learning. As parents you are encouraged to support the development of your child's creativity by posing questions and situations that require multiple solutions or perspectives. You might ask your child to find connections and relationships among two or more unlike objects. For example, “In what way is the ocean like happiness?” In addition, you might provide them with opportunities to generate solutions to challenges that in reality have no right answer. Thank you for working with us to develop these habits throughout the year and into the future. It is our partnership that makes Sunrise Valley ES the incredibly unique school that it is. Yours truly, Habits of Mind: Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations (May 25, 2007 Sun Times) Dear Parents/Guardians, As we approach the end of the school year, it is our sincere hope that not only has your child learned a great deal this year, but that she will be able to apply the knowledge learned to new situations. This is an important habit! For it is the ability to apply knowledge and lessons learned from experience to new situations that forms the foundation of learning. All of us have had an “Ah Ha” experience that occurs when the light bulb turns on. This phenomenon occurs when we are able to connect new learning to something we already know. In preparation for new learning it is always advisable to think about what we already know. This is true whether we are preparing to study something new or reading a book about a new topic. Take the time to ask your child what she already knows about a subject. This will enable her to draw upon stored information and experience to make sense of new learning and form strong connections with what is already known. Learning and understanding are dependent upon connections. In this ever expanding world of knowledge, episodic understandings are likely to be forgotten. If new knowledge can be linked with past knowledge, connections are formed that lead to increased understanding and therefore memory. You might consider deepening understanding of learning that took place this year by furthering your investigation and experience with concepts introduced. Take time to read a book about something learned, visit an historic site related to topics under study, or watch a movie from a time period investigated during this school year. Forging connections and providing your child with opportunities to apply this year‘s learning will only deepen understanding and build even stronger connections with new learning in future school years. Thank you for partnering with us to enhance your child's learning. As partners we all benefit!!! Sincerely,
Dear Parents/Guardians, It’s hard to believe that the end of the year is upon us. 2006-07 has been an incredible year! With the assistance of the PTA and all community members, we have come together to provide meaningful learning opportunities for our students, celebrate their strengths, and appreciate the diversity of the Sunrise Valley ES community. We maintained some of our important traditions such as our fabulous fine arts performances and Show What You Know Expo, while initiating some new ones to include Heritage Night and our school newspaper, The Sentinel. We truly demonstrated that Sunrise Valley is an elementary school where all children shine! Thank you for making our mission visible and viable. As we enter our second year as a Habits of Mind Focus School, we look forward to the support of Art Costa and Bena Kallick, who will be working with staff members for two days in August and throughout the school year. We will continue to explore the Habits of Mind and apply them to our teaching and learning environment. During the summer months, you may choose to help develop the habit that encourages children to gather data through all senses. It recognizes that successful people realize that to truly learn something, it must be experienced. This habit encourages us to develop sensitivity and awareness of textures, rhythms, sounds, colors, and patterns. It encourages us to provide children with opportunities to explore and enjoy music, art, dance, nature, building, and simply getting their hands dirty. Think of the numerous ways that you could encourage your child to touch, smell, see, and handle the world in which they live, and provide them with opportunities to use their senses to more fully appreciate their daily lives. Please have a fun and safe summer. We look forward to seeing you in August and hearing about your adventures, your summer reading, and the numerous ways you found to enjoy one another as a family. Sincerely,
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