Habits of Mind and Heart

To Learn, To Value, To Do

ללמוד, להעריך, לעשות

In the Middle School, we encourage the development of these Habits of Mind and Heart. We know that ultimately in life, success depends on these habits of mind and heart. We work in every class to nurture the development of these essential habits.

• The habit of curiosity: The longing to always be a learner; to question and wonder and seek answers

• The habit of perspective: The ability to address questions from multiple viewpoints, to use a variety of ways to solve problems, and to appreciate the richness of multiple perspectives
• The habit of evidence: The ability to bring together relevant information to judge the credibility of sources, to find out for oneself, to question, the ability to wonder and pursue knowledge
• The habit of connection: The ability to look for patterns and ways that things fit together in order to utilize diverse material to form new solutions, using previous knowledge to build on new learning from one discipline to another
• The habit of conventions: The ability to acknowledge and use accepted standards in any area in order to be understood and to understand others
• The habit of service to the common good: The ability to recognize the effects of one’s actions upon others, coupled with the desire to make the community a better place for all, tikkun olam, understanding the power of one person to make a difference
• The habit of collaboration: The ability to work effectively with others, accepting and giving appropriate assistance; actively listening, accepting and embracing diversity and tolerance
• The habit of responsibility: The ability to fulfill obligations, whether as a student (being on time, organized, self advocating) or as a citizen in a community and in the world
• The habit of ethical behavior: The ability to understand how personal values influence behavior and to live one’s life according to ethical Jewish principles