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Habits of Mind and Heart

Wildwood’s middle and upper school program is built around developing Habits of Mind and Heart that will serve students in their lifelong pursuit of learning. Our curriculum, assignments, and assessments are based on these Habits*.

Collaboration is crucial in creating the kind of learning community that allows students to take intellectual and artistic risks. We believe it is essential to success in life, in work, and in relationships.

Habits of Mind


The Habit of Perspective: Addressing questions from multiple viewpoints and using a variety of ways to solve problems

The Habit of Evidence: Bringing together relevant information, judging the credibility of sources, finding out for one’s self

The Habit of Connection: Looking for patterns and for ways in which things fit together in order to bring together diverse material and form solutions

The Habit of Convention: Meeting accepted standards in any academic area in order to be understood and to understand others

Habits of Heart


The Habit of Collaboration: Making appropriate provisions for accepting and giving assistance

The Habit of Ethical Behavior: Demonstrating how personal values influence behavior and a set of principles by which to guide one’s life

The Habit of Service to the Common Good: Demonstrating an awareness of the effects of one’s actions on others and a desire to make the community a better place for all


*based on the work of Ted Sizer

Wildwood teaches students how to think—not what to think—challenging them to evolve into creative problem solvers.

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What Makes Us Wildwood: A Participatory Adventure

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