Habits of Mind

A Habit of Mind is knowing how to behave intelligently when you DON'T know the answer. A Habit of Mind means having a disposition toward behaving intelligently when confronted with problems, the answers to which are not immediately known: dichotomies, dilemmas, enigmas and uncertainties.

The 16 Habits of Mind identified by Costa and Kallick include:

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 humour
Questioning and posing problems
Applying past knowledge to new situations
Remaining open to continuous learning

See habits-of-mind.net for further information