High Tech High North County's "Habits of Heart and Mind" were developed so that students and staff can share a common language that encourages critical reflection on academic and personal growth.
We want every one of our graduates to take these "habits" with them when they leave us.
Habits of Heart
Self-Advocacy: Communicating your interests and needs. Making decisions for yourself and taking responsibility those decisions.
students exhibit self-advocacy by
Intellectual Curiosity: A deep and persistent desire to learn more. Constantly asking questions and seeking answers or solutions.
students exhibit critical curiosity by
Integrity: Being honest and having strong moral principles.
students exhibit integrity by
Cooperation: Working together.
students exhibit cooperation by
Unlimited Potential: Knowing that you are capable of anything and pushing yourself to always grow and accomplish great things.
students exhibit unlimited potential by
Habits of Mind
Evidence: a student uses data and examples to support statements and ideas.
Questions to ask:
Supposition: a student reflects on how things would/could be different under other circumstances.
Questions to ask:
Perspective: a student reflects on - and articulates - different points of view.
Questions to ask:
Significance: a student who can critically analyze and discuss the importance of projects and activities.
Questions to ask:
Connection: a student makes connections between their experiences in school and out of school, between different historical events, between fiction and life, and between academic disciplines (for example, between Humanities and Science).
Questions to ask:
We want every one of our graduates to take these "habits" with them when they leave us.
Habits of Heart
Self-Advocacy: Communicating your interests and needs. Making decisions for yourself and taking responsibility those decisions.
students exhibit self-advocacy by
- speaking up when they are confused or concerned about something
- holding themselves accountable for their choices
- being prepared to create high-quality work every day
- pushing themselves to take on new challenges
- persevering in the face of challenges
- behaving professionally in their interactions with peers and adults
- respecting themselves
Intellectual Curiosity: A deep and persistent desire to learn more. Constantly asking questions and seeking answers or solutions.
students exhibit critical curiosity by
- seeking out new ideas and unfamiliar perspectives
- becoming aware of the advantages and limitations of their own perspectives
- thinking critically
- asking thought-provoking questions
- embodying hope
- seeking solutions.
Integrity: Being honest and having strong moral principles.
students exhibit integrity by
- grounding their actions in an ethical basis
- respectfully questioning their ethical and moral assumptions
- acknowledging and acting on their responsibility to our academic community, and the wider communities around us
- recognizing that personal freedom requires personal responsibility
Cooperation: Working together.
students exhibit cooperation by
- supporting other individuals in their community (both teenagers and adults)
- treating peers and adults respectfully
- recognizing and appreciating the diversity of our academic community
Unlimited Potential: Knowing that you are capable of anything and pushing yourself to always grow and accomplish great things.
students exhibit unlimited potential by
- being constant and lifelong learners
- making choices with a moral purpose
- being dedicated and determined to achieve personal goals
- remaining open to unexpected possibilities.
Habits of Mind
Evidence: a student uses data and examples to support statements and ideas.
Questions to ask:
- What argument is being made?
- What facts are used to support the argument?
- How do you know they are facts vs. opinions?
- Where is the evidence in the text that supports your thoughts and opinions?
- What evidence do you have outside of the text that supports your thoughts or opinions?
- What evidence do you have to support your ideas?
Supposition: a student reflects on how things would/could be different under other circumstances.
Questions to ask:
- How would life be different if this wasn't true or didn't happen?
- What would happen if you changed part of the problem?
- How could the story be different?
- What events in the text influenced the direction of the story / lives of the characters?
- What would happen if the story kept going/ took place in a different time period/ different place?
Perspective: a student reflects on - and articulates - different points of view.
Questions to ask:
- What are the perspectives of the characters / people involved?
- What other perspectives are important / would help you understand more?
- How has your perspective changed since learning about this issue / reading this text?
- How does your emotional response to this work bias your interpretation?
- What would an opposite perspective be?
Significance: a student who can critically analyze and discuss the importance of projects and activities.
Questions to ask:
- Why is this important?
- What is the importance of what the author is trying to say?
- Is this relevant to everyone? Who is it relevant to? Who is it not relevant to?
- Why would a person choose to read this?
Connection: a student makes connections between their experiences in school and out of school, between different historical events, between fiction and life, and between academic disciplines (for example, between Humanities and Science).
Questions to ask:
- How does this work connect to the real world?
- How has it been influenced by the past?
- How could it affect the future?
- How can you connect this to other things you've read?
- What personal connections can you make?
- How does this connect to other parts of your learning?
- What would this inspire you to read or create in the future?