Resource Library

Jason Baehr's, Deep in Thought(An introduction to intellectual virtues--the personal qualities and character strengths of good thinkers and learners--with a practical and implementation guide.)

Nathan King's, The Excellent Mind. (An accessible explanation of intellectual virtues and their impact on our everyday life.)

Ron Ritchhart, Intellectual Character: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Get It. (The best book available on the “how to” of educating for intellectual virtues or what Ritchhart calls “thinking dispositions.”)

Ron Ritchhart, Creating Cultures of Thinking. (A helpful guide to explore the forces that shape thinking cultures and examine how those forces are guided by beliefs about learning.)

Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church, Karen Morrison. Making Thinking Visible. (The most practical facilitation guide to create opportunities for thinking and understanding in the classroom. IVA teachers have seen the greatest growth in their instruction through these thinking routines.)

Paul Tough, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character. (This recent New York Times bestseller provides an overview of recent research from a variety of disciplines supporting the idea that success in school and life in general largely depends on intellectual character virtues like curiosity, intellectual perseverance, and “grit.”)

Shari Tishman, David Perkins, and Eileen Jay, The Thinking Classroom: Learning and Teaching in a Culture of Thinking. (Covers the theory and practice involved with teaching for good thinking. Chapters 3 and 4 are a great discussion of intellectual virtues or “thinking dispositions.”)

Richard Paul and Linda Elder, Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life. (Written for a broad audience, this book has several illuminating chapters on the character traits that give rise to and regulate critical thinking. See especially chapters 3-5.)

Thomas Lickona, Educating for Character. (This is a classic work in traditional character education, which focuses on fostering moral and civic virtues. However, many of the ideas and strategies are easily adaptable to educating for intellectual virtues.)

Parker Palmer, Courage to Teach. (This book is on IVA's faculty & staff bookshelf and helps educators understand the place from which all good teaching comes. IVA recommends this read to encourage and revive the teachers' heart.)