The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) in its Learner Profile offers a set of ten attributes for learners to acquire. IBO communities are expected to work towards developing individuals who are: inquirers; knowledgeable; thinkers; communicators; principled; open-minded; caring; risk-takers; balanced; and, reflective.
Costa and Kallick (2000) named 16 habits of mind: persisting; thinking and communicating with clarity and precision; managing impulsivity; gathering data through all senses; listening with understanding and empathy; creating, imagining, innovating; thinking flexibly; responding with wonderment and awe; thinking about thinking (metacognition); taking responsible risks; striving for accuracy; finding humor; questioning and posing problems; thinking independently; applying past knowledge to new situations; remaining open to continuous learning.
A variation of some or all of these these attributes, dispositions or habits can be found in school mission statements, belief statements, or student objectives. There is acknowledgement that academic and personal development cannot consistently and effectively take place without the discipline of certain habits of both mind and heart. This underscores the importance of introducing, teaching and reinforcing these dispositions and integrating them throughout the learning experience.
One habit that could help connect all the others together is individual reflection. Regular and purposeful reflection is a powerful way to personally assess, correct and guide development of the habits of mind and heart. Journaling or even blogging would be a simple, effective and versatile approach to reflection. A more formal approach could involve the development of appropriate reflection guides and rubrics used at regular intervals throughout the school year.
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.