Habitudes

IQ is not as important as I Will
                               Pat Croce

I am sucker for educators paying attention to "soft-skills" - dispositions, habits of mind, affective behaviors, what you will. So it is always good to see another advocate for their development as an important part of schooling. Habitudes in the Classroom by Angela Maiers (a ChangeThis 11-page teaser for her book Classroom Habitudes) is a quick, thoughtful read aimed right at classroom teachers.

Ms Maiers defines a habitude as a "combination of habits and attitudes." (Attibit might have been more catchy but we'll let it slide.) And she lists these as the most important:

1. Imagination
2. Curiosity
3. Perseverance
4. Self-Awareness
5. Courage
6. Adaptability

OK, so we are not breaking a lot of new ground here, but the material is simple, teacher-centric and actually practical. She states:

We are the CLO’s, Chief Learning Officers, of our classrooms. We must be the learner we wish our students to become. As living, breathing exemplars of the Habitudes in action, we model
passionate curiosity, imagination adaptability, and persevere out loud and in front of our students.

and concludes:

Let the conversations begin!

A good document to share with your returning teaching staff this year.

Comments

[Mary J. Johnson]

The idea that "habitudes" can be taught and practiced in our classrooms also comes through loud and clear in the American Association of School Librarians "Standards for the 21st Century Learner." These standards include a number of "habitudes" under other names, but the concepts are the same (in no particular order):

-Respect diverse perspectives.
-Display initiative...
-Recognize how to focus efforts in personal learning.
-Monitor own information-seeking processes...
-Display persistence...
And the list continues.

Many of the Standards for the 21st Century Learner could be pulled out as "habitude" discussion starters to begin the school year, in terms of teacher learning and modeling as well as student learning. Without the soft skills, we don't ever get to the content skills.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Mary,

I thought of the standards as well when I read Habitudes. I made a little pledge, however, not to promote them until ALA relents and puts them in the Creative Commons.

But I won't take YOUR reminder down!

All the best and see ya in OK!

Doug

[Rati Singhal]

Hi Doug,
This reminds me of Montessori ( I am an ex-Montessori teacher) where you modeled what you wanted your students to learn. Some habits/lessons we taught in an early childhood class were completing a work cycle, leaving material they way you found it and where you found it, focus on personal learning and showing initiative. The "habits" listed in both the article and 21st century skills are also life skills /habits that we want students to learn. The attitude aspect was also talked about by Ginott--who talks about how the teacher's attitude affects that of the whole classroom. This document would be great reminder specially since it is practical.
Rati

[Spanish school in Spain]

I just read your blog about the habitudes, it just reminds me the early child hood incidents , necesarily teachers should teach the students about good and bad habits so that will make that student a better person in his life.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Rati,

My understanding is that Montessori always took a more "whole child" approach to education as you indicated. For many of us who attended public schools, we got these habits and understandings through things like Boy Scouts, sports and other extracurricular activities.

Thanks for the comment,

Doug

Hi Spanish School,

Thanks for the comment. Do your teachers address these skills today?

All the best,

Doug