Habits of Mind

The back wall was annoying me, it faced me, blankly, black and empty, and I intended to use the space for a Mantle of the Expert display. But then I had an idea...

We discussed the Habits we would focus on as a class, what fit with what we were doing, and chose 5. Listening with Understanding and Empathy will be a focus throughout the entire year and is not on the display currently, but these ones can be changed easily, I just have to make new speech bubbles! The children took photos and cut out their faces which were stuck onto coloured paper (some more accurately than others) and a velcro sticky dot on the back allows them to put their photos up when they've been practising a particular Habit in class. In order to keep record the children devised a tally chart that can be added up at the end of each month. This should work well. I have yet to decide on a reward system - they suggested McDonald's, but I can't bring myself to reward them with that (seems more like punishment to their health in the long run!) so perhaps I shall go book shopping and choose some nice books, then I can add a little certificate with it and hope that will be enough extrinsic reward, and motivation to keep practising those Habits!