Book Review: Fostering habits of mind in today’s students: A new approach to developmental education by Fletcher, J., Najarro, A., & Yelland, H.

Abstract

Fostering of Mind in Today's Students is an edited volume that promises a approach to developmental education. Rather than focusing solely on how to teach content, it provides model lessons aimed at fostering holistic intellectual growth in students of diverse range and background. The book consists of research-based articles and lesson exemplars. The editors acknowledge in the preface that their intention was to create a practical book that would be useful to fellow educators. Their experiences as developmental faculty members led them to collaborate with 13 colleagues, supported by a Lumina Foundation grant, to develop a resource to address students' intellectual growth through improving engagement, persistence, motivation, and self-efficacy. Described as a new approach to developmental education, their will likely appeal to a variety of educators.Fletcher, Najarro, and Yelland note that the chapter contributors, consisting of tenure-track and adjunct faculty from two community colleges and one university, offer lesson plans and activities based on their unique personal experiences in deploying the methods described. Habits of are described as essential skills (habitual discipline, flexibility, resilience, and creativity) that support student success (p. xvi). The editors note that these often unseen behaviors contribute to deep and transferrable learning, and that developmental students, in particular, need to develop these skills to succeed. Readers are encouraged to read the book entirely or selectively read chapters and topics of interest.The organization of the book and the consistent format of the text throughout each chapter makes it easy to peruse, review, and return to lesson plans or assignments that might intrigue a fellow educator. To the authors' credit, the lesson plans and assignments are extremely detailed so that one could directly utilize each exemplar offered. The friendly tone in the preface regarding How to Use This Book is encouraging and provides inspiration for faculty to use this book in a variety of ways. For example,You may find it useful to skip around. Maybe one afternoon you'll read an introductory essay, but on Sunday night when you are looking for a idea, you'll scan the exemplars for assignments and activities that can be put to immediate use. (p. xvi)The foreword, written by Emily Lardner from the Washington Center, introduces the book as a tool for faculty who are intent on improving their practice as teachers. It is, as Lardner notes, a shared journey as educators who care about students sign on for the lifelong work of examining and considering resources, tools and approaches that will benefit them (p. xiii).In the introduction, Fletcher describes habits of mind as the principal organizing philosophy for the book. Fletcher emphasizes the critical importance of these skills for developmental students who may not have sufficient academic preparation. She notes that habits of mind are essential for these students because without a sense of curiosity, motivation, and confidence, students may disengage from academic culture before they have even started their college-level coursework (p. 2). By pointing out the nature of habits of mind as skills that can be taught, cultivated, and internalized by students, Fletcher effectively sets the stage for the remainder of the book as she entreats fellow educators to consider their practice and help students deploy habits of mind to support their intellectual growth.The six chapters that follow the introduction provide the building blocks, or scaffolding, to help students develop habits of mind and intellectual capacity. Chapters 1 and 2 are about helping students understand their inherent strengths while creating supportive classroom communities. Chapter 3 provides rich examples of the importance of engaging in challenging content (in an environment designed to promote risk-taking and growth) while Chapter 4 reminds educators that students need assistance in developing and sustaining their confidence as learners. …