Art Costa and Bena Kallick, who developed the Habits of Mind framework (2008), remind us that school should prepare students for the tests of life, not a life of tests. Tackling the complexities of life requires problem-solving skills—details that solution-oriented students may be tempted to bypass as they hurry to find the “right” answer to a problem. However, solving complex problems necessitates a thorough process of defining what the problem is, organizing information, executing strategies, allocating resources, monitoring progress, and evaluating solutions (Sternberg & Sternberg, 2016).
Digital tools have vastly expanded the ways in which students navigate this problem-solving process. While digital tools can be helpful, users who don’t know the fundamentals of problem solving are significantly disadvantaged in a global economy that values resolving uncertainties. Exploring how the Habits of Mind inform problem solving and how to embed problem-solving tasks into the classroom can help address this challenge.
Habits of Mind for Problem Solving
The Habits of Mind are 16 thinking dispositions that mirror how successful people resolve conflicts and arrive at solutions that aren’t easily in reach. For educators, fostering these habits in students helps young people become self-directed learners, capable of applying their knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems, thereby promoting adaptability to new situations. We highlight three of these habits that are especially pertinent for problem solving. View a chart of all the Habits of Mind.
Thinking Interdependently
Thinking interdependently is a Habit of Mind that emphasizes the importance of collaboration and collective wisdom. When individuals think interdependently, they understand that their own ideas can be enhanced through the insights and perspectives of others, leading to richer, more innovative solutions. This habit fosters a sense of community and collective responsibility where individuals are willing to listen, share, and build onto each other’s contributions.
For example, we observed students in a 5th grade social studies class who were studying pre-colonial Native Americans and their food supplies. One of the collaborative learning tasks involved researching traditional food sources and the influence of geography on the food supplies. Each learner had access to digital and print resources and was required to evaluate the credibility of each source, as some of the sources were questionable. As a group, they worked to reach consensus about the information to provide to the class. They were tasked with presenting their information to one another and then generating group summaries.
When asked about their processes, the students explained that one member’s contribution shaped the thinking of the entire group. “Amir was telling us about what he had found out about poisonous plants in his Scout troop, and it got all of us thinking about what could be dangerous in the food supply,” said Claire. “That’s what changed our investigation,” added Liam.
Schools should prepare students for the tests of life, not a life of tests.
Thinking Flexibly
Thinking flexibly is a Habit of Mind that involves the ability to adapt and shift perspectives in response to new information, challenges, or changing circumstances. Those who think flexibly are open to change and willing to let go of rigid thinking patterns, embracing the idea that there may be more than one right approach. By thinking flexibly, individuals can navigate uncertainty with greater ease and remain resilient in the face of obstacles.
In the video that accompanies this column, Jeff Bonine, a science and health educator at Health Sciences High and Middle College in San Diego, California, uses an approach called hexagonal thinking to promote cognitive flexibility. Hexagonal thinking is an activity where students connect ideas, concepts, or topics by arranging hexagonal tiles—each representing a different element—to form a web of relationships. The purpose of this activity is to encourage deep critical thinking around topics that may otherwise feel ambiguous and collaboratively foster connections between ideas.
Designing for Problem Solving
A third Habit of Mind is the ability to design for problem solving. Even as digital tools become more prevalent in nearly every aspect of life, the ability to solve problems remains a fundamental skill necessary for student success. To foster this skill, it’s important to build strong learning communities in the classroom. Keep in mind our recommendations for creating strong communities:
- Design tasks and experiences that invigorate learning through academic discourse.
- Ensure students have the necessary academic, social, and emotional skills and support.
- Foster shared agreements for individual and group success.
- Use thoughtful teaming practices to build cognitive, metacognitive, and emotional regulation skills.
- Leverage peer supports to amplify learning.
- Activate all students’ leadership skills to enhance their ability to succeed—alone and together. (Fisher, Frey, & Almarode, 2020)
The 5th graders in the earlier example are more than just a group of students working together. They became a learning community by demonstrating social sensitivity and willingness to entertain Amir’s somewhat tangential knowledge. They had to make rapid decisions about whether to include the information he provided and if it would be consistent with their shared agreement of success. Pretty impressive for 10-year-olds—and you can likely identify similar examples from your own students.
Fostering Equity in Problem Solving
As teachers, we must remember the purpose of our endeavors: We want our students to become better learners. We want to help them achieve cognitive learning outcomes, develop conceptual understanding, solve problems creatively, and communicate effectively. The Habits of Mind that fuel problem solving are a pathway for ensuring equity of access and opportunity for all learners to meet these milestones.
Video Reflection: Implementing Habits of Mind
After watching the video, use the following questions to reflect on and guide implementing Habits of Mind in your own teaching practice.
- Visit classrooms in your school or district. Where do you see students solving complex problems as described by Sternberg and Sternberg (2016) (defining what the problem is, organizing information, executing strategies, allocating resources, monitoring progress, and evaluating solutions)?
- Which Habits of Mind are strengths for your students? What can you do to build on these strengths?
- What types of tasks can be assigned to students to foster their ability to think flexibly?
- How might you use hexagonal thinking in your own work with students or adults?
