1. The Habits of Mind
16 Types of Intelligent Behaviors

2. These are thinking behaviors
 To use in school
 To use in your
activities
 To use in your LIFE

3. Persisting
 Stick to it.
 See a task through to completion
 Remain focused

4. Managing Impulsivity
 Take your time
 Think before you act
 Remain calm, thoughtful, and
deliberate
 Manage your behavior

5. Listening with Understanding &
Empathy
 Try to understand others
 Devote mental energy to another
person’s thoughts & ideas
 Think of the other person’s point
of view

6. Thinking Flexibly
 Look at a situation another way
 Find a way to change
perspectives, generate
alternatives, & consider options
 Find more than one way to solve
the problem

7. Metacognition
 Think about your thinking
 Be aware of your own thoughts,
strategies, feelings, & actions –
how they affect others

8. Striving for Accuracy
 Check it again
 Nurture a desire for exactness &
craftsmanship
 Get it right
 Don’t stop until you are sure it is
right!

9. Questioning & Posing Problems
 How do you know?
 Develop a questioning attitude
 Find problems to solve
 Be curious
 Wonder about possibilities

10. Applying Past Knowledge to
New Situations
 Use what you learn
 Access prior knowledge
 Transfer old knowledge to new
situations
 Make connections

11. Thinking and Communicating
with Clarity & Precision
 Be clear
 Strive for accurate
communication (written & oral)
 Avoid overgeneralizations
 Think before you speak

12. Gather Data Through All Senses
 Use your natural pathways
 Gather data using all five senses
 Be open to new information
 Be ready for new information

13. Creating, Imagining, &
Innovating
 Try a different way
 Generate new, novel ideas
 Seek fluency & originality
 Look for the creative solution

14. Responding With Wonderment
& Awe
 Let yourself be intrigued by the
world’s beauty
 Find what is awesome and
mysterious in the world
 Enjoy the beauty around you

15. Taking Responsible Risks
 Venture out
 Live on the edge of your
competence
 Try something new
 Don’t settle for the easy way

16. Finding Humor
 Laugh a little
 Look for the whimsical,
unexpected in life
 Laugh at yourself when you can
 Don’t take things too seriously

17. Thinking Interdependently
 Work together
 Truly work with and learn from
others
 Be a good team member
 Cooperate with others

18. Remaining Open to Continuous
Learning
 Learn from your experiences
 Be proud (and humble enough) to
admit you don’t know
 Resist complacency
 Look for opportunities to learn
something new

19. Now What?
 Use your knowledge of the habits of mind
to sort these cards
 Work with a partner to discuss what they
mean
 Be ready to explain your ideas!