► Finding Humor – Liberates creativity; provokes higher level thinking skills such as anticipating, finding
novel relationships, visual imaging, making analogies.
Evidence: not taking oneself too seriously; increasing productivity; relieving tension
► Thinking interdependently – Ability to set aside one’s own ego needs to serve others; enhances the
group’s resourcefulness; derives satisfaction from others’ success.
Evidence: language reflecting a desire to understand others’ thinking; building on other people’s ideas.
Listen for: “What do you think?” “We haven’t heard from Rick yet” “Thanks for showing me how to….”
► Remaining open to continuous learning – Sees the worth in growing, learning, modifying and improving
themselves; views problems, situations, tensions, conflicts and circumstances as valuable opportunities to
learn.
Evidence: willingness to use feedback; seek new resources to modify knowledge; able to admit to not
knowing; willing to use the resources of others.
Listen for: “That’s an interesting idea. How could we find out more about it?”
Adapted from Discovering & Exploring Habits of Mind and
both by Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000.