Arthur L. Costa

Arthur L. Costa, Ed.D., is an emeritus professor of education at California State University, Sacramento, recognized internationally for his work on thinking skills and the development of the Habits of Mind framework. He is cofounder of the Institute for Habits of Mind and cofounder of the Center for Cognitive Coaching, and has also served as a classroom teacher, curriculum consultant, assistant superintendent for instruction in the Sacramento County Office of Education, and director of educational programs for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Costa has been active in professional organizations, including serving as president of the California Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and as national president of ASCD from 1988 to 1989, and has received honors such as the Malcolm Knowles Award for Self-Directed Learning and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Urban Alliance.

Costa is the coauthor of several influential books on thinking and learning, including Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind: 16 Essential Characteristics for Success and Nurturing Habits of Mind in Early Childhood: Success Stories from Classrooms Around the World, and is widely known for his work on Cognitive Coaching and the promotion of “thought-full” instruction and assessment across the curriculum. He has authored and coauthored numerous other publications on intelligent behaviors, teaching for intelligent thinking, and