This image beautifully captures the organic way the Habits of Mind are developed over time. Each leaf of the tree represents one dimension of growth that must be focused on in order to improve the Habit of Mind.

• Meaning speaks to the the need to deepen and expand a persons understanding of what the Habit of Mind means.
• Capacity relates to the individuals skills, tools and strategies with which they engage in the Habit of Mind and the need to continually add to and refine these.
• Alertness highlights the need to become increasingly aware of the cues in the environment that signal to us the need to engage in a particular Habit of Mind and allow us to transfer the Habit to new situations.
• Value is a reflection of the importance a person places on the Habit of Mind over other, less productive patterns of behaviour. This speaks to the need for educators to make the connection between success and the Habit of Mind clear and explicit
• Commitment is the degree to which the individual is able to self evaluate their ability to apply the Habit of Mind, and set goals for improvement.

Taken together these 5 dimensions represent the way the Habits of Mind are developed over time and can provide a useful guide to educators seeking to develop students' Habits of Mind.

Poster design by James Anderson

size: 60cm x 40cm – A2