Explicit Instruction

Instructions

Effective teachers are always alert for and seize opportunities to engage, reinforce, illuminate, and practice the Habits of Mind (Costa & Kallick, 2009b, p. 36). Last week you used modeling and a meaningful activity to engage students in the first steps in developing Habits of Mind, character strengths, and a growth mindset. As you continue your HM Journey, consider compelling evidence in the resources this week of the power of explicitly teaching habits, mindsets, and character strengths. Explicit instruction provides the structure to ensure students learn these essential behaviors. For this Assessment, you will conduct a lesson on a Habit of Mind or character strength, or on a growth mindset.Instructions:Identify the specific Habit of Mind, character strength, or aspect(s) of a growth mindset that you will teach explicitly. It may be a habit or mindset that you introduced in Week 3 or a different one.Create the lesson. Draw from strategies presented in Chapter 5 of the text or the optional reading, adapted from lessons in the videos and on the Character Counts website, or using your own ideas.Prepare all materials needed and implement the lesson. During the lesson, take note of students responses and your own, including students level of attention, questions, evidence of understanding or application; and what worked in the lesson and what you would do differently next time. If possible, have a colleague observe the lesson and take notes as instructed above.After the lesson, analyze the impact that explicit instruction had on your students, individual students, as well as the class as a learning community.Write a 2-to-3 page summary of your experience and the results you achieved. Add to your summary your thoughts about the use of explicit instruction as an approach to use in conjunction with the less formal, more spontaneous approaches addressed in Week 3. Just like last week. your reflection should not just be based on the classroom experience but needs to be informed by the readings and resources in this module. You should fully analyze the interconnections between what happened in your classroom and what the resources said might happen. The key to a true reflection is not only stating and describing what happened, but also diving into what you learned because of the experience. As always, when you are referencing resources and ideas you should provide proper citation and attribution. SourcesCosta, A. L., & Kallick, B.(Eds.). (2009b). Habits of Mind across the curriculum: Practical and creative strategies for teachers. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.Chapter 5, "Teaching Habits of Mind", (pp. 36-66)Drs. Arthur Costa and Bena Kallick present classroom applications of the 16 Habits of Mind and strategies for direct instruction of each, drawn from recommendations of teachers and schools. You are encouraged to read the entire chapter, even though you may want to go directly to the strategies for teaching the specific Habits of Mind that you have targeted to address first with your students. View the following Websites as a part of this module's requirements.Josephson Institute Center for Youth Ethics. (n.d.a). Character Counts lesson plan bank. Retrieved from http://resources.charactercounts.org/free-resources/lesson-plans/This section of the Character Counts website features lesson plans, identified by grade level and keyed to each of the six character strengths that are the pillars of the Character Counts program. In order to access the lesson plan bank you will need to create a free account with Character Counts. Browse the lesson plan bank for ideas and strategies that you might adapt for the lesson that you prepare this week to teach a specific Habit of Mind or character strength.OptionalJohnson, B., Rutledge, M., & Poppe, M. (2005). Habits of Mind: A curriculum for community high school of Vermont students. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Consultants for Language and Learning. Retrieved from http://doc.vermont.gov/programs/educational-programs/wdp-materials/habits-of-mind-curriculumThis curriculum features lessons for explicitly teaching each Habit of Mind, as well as lesson handouts, pre- and post-assessments, and portfolio materials. Browse this optional resource for strategies and materials to adapt in preparing the lesson you will teach this week.

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