About the Institute for Habits of Mind

Welcome to the Institute for Habits of Mind

The mission of the Institute for Habits of Mind is to transform schools into “Mindful Schools” where thinking and Habits of Mind are taught, practiced, valued and have become infused into the culture of the school and community. Our vision is to create more thought-full, cooperative, compassionate generation of people who are skillful in resolving social, environmental, economic and political world problems.

Leaders in education, business, industry and government  suggest that to prepare for success throughout the 21st Century, students today need such skills as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and leadership, agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurship, effective oral and written communication,  curiosity and imagination and the capacity to access and analyze an overabundance of  information.  All  are necessary for learning not only in school but also in the workplace and in life. And, most importantly, this age of change will require remaining open to continuous learning.

Central to developing this education for our students is a curriculum of process that gives students practice engaging with complex problems, dilemmas and conflicts the resolutions of which are not immediately apparent.  And, what is most significant about these processes is that they are as valuable for adults as they are for students. As a result, the Habits of Mind can become the vision of the entire school and the community in which it resides.  We refer to these processes as Habits of Mind—dispositions or attitudes that reflect the necessary skillful behaviors that students will need to draw forth as they become more thoughtful in their learning and in their lives.