Habits and Mindsets Checklist

Name: Sylvia Date: 2/1/18

Use the below checklist to record observation notes over the next several days regarding your
students’ Independent use of the 16 Habits of Mind, 24 character strengths, and characteristics
of a growth mindset.
To use the checklist:
 Draw on the module resources to review the definition of each Habit of Mind, character
strength, and growth mindset. Be aware of habits and mindsets that are similar and
support each other. For example, when you observe students persisting, consider that
you have observed a Habit of Mind, a character strength, and evidence of a growth
mindset.
 Review the Framework for Teaching and Assessing Growth in Dimensions of Habits of
Mind on pages 64–68. (The text is available from the JHU online library, click here to
access it) In particular, note developmental learning tasks and assessment of desired
results for each dimension to aid your observations. Apply the framework to assessing
character strengths and growth mindset as well.
 Consider the habits and mindsets that you have emphasized with your students.
Observe for those in particular for evidence of how well students are internalizing those
behaviors and dispositions and their impact on your classroom and achievement,
including your big goals and mission for the year.
 Each time you observe one or more students or the entire class demonstrating
Independentent use of habits and mindsets, check the behavior/disposition and record
your observations. Whenever possible, identify the Dimension(s) of Growth observed
and add other anecdotal notes, with particular attention to impact on student/class
achievement.
 Observe for as many days as your schedule allows. Aim for at least 3 days of
observation using this checklist. Evidence you gather will support you in setting goals for
Dimensions of Growth to emphasize with students and specific habits and mindsets to
target for greater growth in Independentence.
 After you complete your observations, make sure to include them in your Student
Independentence and Growth write up.

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Habits and Mindsets Checklist
Revised September 22, 2017 1
Habits and Mindsets Checklist

Focus: 16 Habits of Mind

Habits and Observation of Students Dimensions of Growth and

Mindsets Independent Use Anecdotal Notes
What did you Observe? What is the impact on student or
class achievement
Trying on the review, despite They know the end goal, which is
Persisting
getting question incorrect to do well on the quiz. Motivation is
(confusion over simplifying easily garnered when you know
radicals) the purpose and it feels tangible.

Limiting the amount of talking and Students got their work done and
Managing
Impulsivity disruptive behavior, getting work told me that they plan on finishing
done while conversing unfinished work and correcting
mistakes for homework. They want
me to be proud.
Student was silently crying and I Emotional intelligence! Empathy is
Listening With
Understanding went over to hug her. Two friends powerful…
and Empathy saw me hugging her and consoled
her over the loss of her brother.
They began sharing their brothers
who died on the same day.

Switching around the a and b The student is able to create and

Thinking Flexibly
values (the legs) of the derive knowledge from course
Pythagorean theorem and still content aka the purpose of
recognizing that it is correct Common Core.

- 1 of 2 classroom door handles They care (somewhat) about my

Thinking About
Thinking broke off and students asked what classroom.
(Metacognition) would happen if the other door
handle broke. (this might be better
suited for humor)

Practicing multiplication They know that they have to gain

Striving for
Accuracy basic skills prior to building their
knowledge.

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Habits and Mindsets Checklist
Revised September 22, 2017 2
Habits and Mindsets Checklist

Habits and Observation of Students Dimensions of Growth and

Mindsets Independent Use Anecdotal Notes
What did you Observe? What is the impact on student or
class achievement
Asking clarification problems They want to learn and understand
Questioning and
Posing Problems during lesson on Pythagorean the material.
theorems

- Pythagorean theorem lesson: Feeling proud of their work and

Applying Past
Knowledge to some students rejected help ability.
New Situations because they remembered the
basics from middle school

Wanting to accurately take the Math is all about precision.

Thinking and
Communicating square root/multiplying numbers
With Clarity and out to test the square
Precision

Showed them a video on

Responding With
Wonderment and Pythagorean theorem wheel of
Awe water, which they asked to
replicate

Pythagorean theorem: playing

Taking
Responsible around with the sides of right
Risks triangles and figuring out what is
and isn’t correct

Student, while trying to solve a Students are taking joy? Or at the

Finding Humor
math problem involving getting a very least applying the math
table through a door said, “Ms. situation to real life.
Lam, no offense but I’m Black and
that table is going to get through
the door. But for you I’ll say it
won’t”

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Habits and Mindsets Checklist
Revised September 22, 2017 3
Habits and Mindsets Checklist

Habits and Observation of Students Dimensions of Growth and

Mindsets Independent Use Anecdotal Notes
What did you Observe? What is the impact on student or
class achievement
Instead of following the formula, a This is higher level thinking!
Thinking
Independentently student switched the variables
around prior to substitution and
simplifying to find the answer

Focus: 24 Character Strengths

Strengths of Wisdom and Knowledge

Habits and Mindsets Observation of Students Dimensions of Growth and

Independent Use
What did you Observe?
While submitting projects,
Creativity
students wanted to borrow
markets to make it look nice
Anecdotal Notes
What is the impact on student
or class achievement
They care about the content
of the work that they are
submitting or are trying to
meet some sort of
expectations.

Strengths of Courage

Habits and Mindsets Observation of Students Dimensions of Growth and

Independent Use
What did you Observe?
- getting frustrated over
Persistence
special right triangles but
completing the worksheet for
homework anyways
Anecdotal Notes
What is the impact on student
or class achievement
Learning is making mistakes
and learning from those
mistakes.

Strengths of Humanity

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Habits and Mindsets Checklist
Revised September 22, 2017 4
Habits and Mindsets Checklist

Habits and Mindsets Observation of Students Dimensions of Growth and

Independent Use
What did you Observe?
Coming up to me towards the
Love
end of the day and giving me
hugs (even when they’ve
missed or skipped class)
Anecdotal Notes
What is the impact on student
or class achievement
Strong relationships, not
solely based off grades. This
will help when I fail them.

Being aware of my facial Increasing metacognition and

Social Intelligence
expressions when I’m waiting self awareness.

Strengths of Justice

Habits and Mindsets Observation of Students Dimensions of Growth and

Independent Use
What did you Observe?
Getting others on task,
Citizenship
especially friends. Offering
help on command or when
they can see that I’m too
busy
Students called me out on
Fairness
giving zeros to certain
students and ignoring/not
paying attention to other
students who were
committing the same actions
Anecdotal Notes
What is the impact on student
or class achievement
Building a sense of
camaraderie and
accountability.
They want standards, across
the board. Or they’re not too
happy with one another and
are vindictive

Multiple students ask a

Leadership
classmate to help them out
and she did it without
complaint. She said, “Okay.
Give me a moment.”

Strengths of Temperance

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Habits and Mindsets Checklist
Revised September 22, 2017 5
Habits and Mindsets Checklist
Habits and Mindsets
Humility and Modesty
Strengths of Transcendence
Habits and Mindsets
Appreciation of Beauty and
Excellence
Gratitude
Focus: Growth Mindset
Habits and Mindsets
Johns Hopkins University School of Education
Habits and Mindsets Checklist
Revised September 22, 2017
Observation of Students
Independent Use
What did you Observe?
- while modeling an incorrect Students are taking control of
mistake, a student noticed his their learning and teaching
mistake immediately and
began going off on a tangent
and verbally guiding me
through the correction
Observation of Students
Independent Use
What did you Observe?
- students asked to resubmit
their work on a new sheet of
paper so that I could be
“happy” when I graded it
Asking for help between one
another
Observation of Students
Independent Use
What did you Observe?
Dimensions of Growth and
Anecdotal Notes
What is the impact on student
or class achievement
me.
Dimensions of Growth and
Anecdotal Notes
What is the impact on student
or class achievement
- this relates to math
precision and wanting to put
forth best work possible
This is breeding respect
Dimensions of Growth and
Anecdotal Notes
What is the impact on student
or class achievement
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Habits and Mindsets Checklist
Habits and Mindsets
Responding to failure with
resilience and willingness
to continue working to
improve
Johns Hopkins University School of Education
Habits and Mindsets Checklist
Revised September 22, 2017
Observation of Students
Independent Use
What did you Observe?
- student groups wanted me
to leave them alone after I
pointed out a mistake and
they realized it
Dimensions of Growth and
Anecdotal Notes
What is the impact on student
or class achievement
- they want to take pride in
completing their work
independently
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