Mindsets in the Classroom 8

3/22/2017

Helping Students Adopt a Growth Mindset and Maintaining a Growth Mindset Culture

Greetings Teachers and Administrators!
In this, our last blog submission, we will focus on specific ways we can enhance our school-wide growth mindset at Cross Creek.

Summary of Chapter Eight:
Ricci outlines a sequence of learning for students as it relates to growth mindset in ten parts. I have whittled it down to four:
*Basics of the brain (pages 97-122)
*Intro to growth mindset terminology (pages 122-135)
*Teaching optimism (pages 136-137)
*Everyday growth mindset reminders within our school (pages 137-138)

Instructions for both Veteran and Beginning Teachers:

Read Chapter Nine in its entirety (pages 139-144). Click on blog "comments" to answer. Number your answer to correspond with the question.

What are three ways we can enhance a growth mindset culture at Cross Creek?
Within Chapter Nine, find and write down one sentence that struck you as significant and respond.

Ex. “To work toward a growth mindset school is a commitment that all stakeholders must make.”

I believe we must incorporate a growth mindset culture in our classes first and it will naturally impact the school as a whole. For this reason, periodic reminders from administration as well as colleagues will help improve growth mindset expectations.

3. Look at Figure 25 on page 142. Create one entry that is relevant to your subject

a. Content area:
b. Unit/book/resource/topic:
c. Growth mindset or fixed mindset example?
d. Additional information:

4. What is your greatest take-away thought on growth mindset as it relates to Cross Creek?

24 Comments

Rod Hosking

4/10/2017 11:02:19 am

1. Three ways we can enhance a growth mindset at Cross Creek are 1). Continue to do what we do with that regard and be aware of what we do well in that regard. 2).. Actively reflect on what we say and do in the classroom and avoid opportunities where we might resort to fixed mindset statements. 3). Have high expectations for all.
2. This question was harder for me as I did not find all that many brilliant lines in this chapter as opposed to others, so I decided to go with one of the sentences near the end which resonates what I firmly believe in and what is important to having a growth mindset. "Are expectations high for all students?" Clearly, a fixed mindset gives a few the opportunities of learning as opposed to a growth mindset which gives that same opportunity to all through expectations already in place. It is very important to believe that all students - when they work hard and are motivated and dedicated and serious about their learning - are capable of gains in learning. Many of these gains are substantial and significant.
3. a. History
b. Napoleon Bonaparte becomes emperor. He was not of royal blood or historic lineage but showed Europe that men who succeed based on their abilities can rise, conquer, administrate, and fall.
c. Napoleon changed the way European states governed and sought leadership. He overcame failure initially militarily which only strengthened his resolve as a future military commander and European "statesman."
d. High school World History
4. I think my greatest take-away for Cross Creek again is to keep doing what we are doing with regard to growth mindset. I have seen little(if any) fixed mindset with regard to what students can achieve - again with that aforementioned hard work, motivation, dedication, etc.... My resolve to have high expectations FOR ALL has been newly invigorated.

Alison Thetford link

4/13/2017 04:10:49 am

Thank you very much Mr. Hosking for your thoughtful submission. Awareness of what the faculty does well is critical to success. Some of the things that CC does well (as a community) and connects to growth mindset are the combined Parent-Teacher Conferences, SLICE, Rounds, and to an extent ACR.

I'm not sure if you went back and read the comments from the last post, but I think your assessment that high expectations is spot on.

World history/ Bonaparte is a great example of perseverance and struggle which includes the downfall (lessons there, too!)

When we first opened CC, we shifted from the idea of high school graduation as the prize to college graduation. The expectation was that all students would graduate from high school. Is it any wonder that we have consistently had high
grad rates? I think not!

Kelley Hasapis

4/18/2017 11:01:24 am

1. Three ways to enhance a growth mindset at Cross Creek is 1.) ensure that a growth mindset class culture exists and is maintained in each classroom 2.) ensure that new educators joining our staff get on board with the growth mindset goals and 3.) make sure that all classrooms are fear-free zones where students are not judged for taking intellectual risks. Basically students and staff are up-to-date on growth mindset and that we encourage one another to learn and grow following this model.

2. A sentence that stood out to me was as follows: "A growth mindset classroom must be a safe place where studnents do not feel judged and are free to take intellectual risks." I strongly believe that we must create a safe, nurturing environment where students feel safe to learn and free from fear of making mistakes. Students should be encouraged by their teachers and their peers and never ridiculed.

3. A. Content Area: English
B. Unit: Night by Elie Wiesel
C. Growth or Fixed Mindset Example: Give specific
evidence from the novel that shows Wiesel's
perserverance to live even if it meant hurting or harming
others.
D. World Literature

4. My biggest take away about growth mindset for Cross Creek deals with creating a learning environment where ALL students feel free to learn without fears of ridicule or failure. We are lucky because we are in a small learning environment where we get the opportunity to actually KNOW our students. I believe that all of my students can be successful, and I let them know that they can meet these high expectations.

Alison Thetford link

4/24/2017 06:07:43 am

Hi Ms. Hasapis,

1. I agree with you that in order for growth mindset culture to occur, all stakeholders must know and understand the concepts. Ricci and Dweck both emphasize that students are more likely to accept the tenets if they are taught them upfront.

2. Spot on. Sometimes teachers use sarcasm as a way to ridicule and students know full well what is happening. My advice to those teachers- be careful!!

3.I think you misunderstood C. Look at Mr. H's example and talk to me this week about your answer.

4.You are right--bottom line: never underestimate the power of messaging to students! High expectations truly is what makes this place work!

Julia Little

4/23/2017 04:41:01 pm

1. Three ways to enhance a growth mindset at CCECHS are: continue to reset to the starting gate with each new year, course, unit of study, week, day, and hour; rebel a bit against the focus on the highest NC final exam scores, EOC scores, and excess test taking that our students have grown up with, and focus on job, career and college readiness; and have an open mind as to what constitutes individual student success, even if it requires an adjustment to the college graduation model. For example, how about we admit that a college degree is not an end all and be all trophy to hang on the wall? How about we recognize that some students may be better served by vocational training, to include such fields as electrician, plumber, welder, aesthetician, medical assistant, or pharmacy technician, in which they can earn up to $70,000 per year? How about we recognize that the military offers young people, whose brains supposedly have not matured until their mid 20's, opportunities to learn a skill, respect a hierarchical command structure, and earn GI bill benefits? I understand that eighth graders and their guardians have decided that Early College High School is the model they wish to pursue. It is a tremendously noble pursuit and should be rewarded greatly. When the student is not able to realize the model, however, how about having a hugely open mindset to other possibilities? Finally, an additional way to enhance the growth mindset is to not share any grades, anecdotes, test results, opinions, or gossip about students between staff.

2. The sentence that stood out to me is "Empathetic teachers ask themselves if they would want someone to say or do to them what they have just said or done to a student, colleague, or parent." page 140. Golden rule reworded.

3. A. Content area: Science
B. Resource: The Fayetteville Observer, Sunday, 4/23/17
C. Growth Mindset Example: "Thousands rally for science, advocates speak up on Earth Day"
D. Additional information: evidence over dogma

4. My biggest take away about Growth Mindset is the importance of trying to walk a mile in someone else's shoes to establish a better relationship and foster true growth from whatever point you meet.

Alison Thetford link

4/24/2017 06:33:14 am

Hello Dr. Little,

1. I appreciate your passion in this regard. I believe I have said these very things when I was a teacher at Cape Fear High. There were over a thousand students and not all of them were interested in a degree, but somehow, the emphasis, it seemed to me, was always on students advancing to college.

Cross Creek IS a high school and students are still finding their way. But we are also an EARLY COLLEGE and so our efforts (our focus) concentrate on students being successful at both secondary and post-secondary levels. It is why we exist.

We graduate students that choose not to finish their degree and they do join the military or go to full employment, or trade school. Our job is to make them as college ready as possible, what they do after graduation is up to them.

2. Golden rule is a good one!

3. I see advocates definitely models of growth mindset. Perseverance.

4. Being empathetic is really important in growth mindset models. It encourages transparency and fosters trust- very important!

Milagros Rivera link

4/23/2017 08:20:16 pm

1. Three ways we can enhance a growth mindset at Cross Creek
are: teaching about the elasticity of the brain and educating our children about the ability each person has of making ourselves smarter by effort and hard work. I had heard the comparison of children's brain to a sponge and how it expands as you put information in it. Show videos on how this process takes place.
The brain grows stronger the more it is used. Second, we need to remind our students that all the greatest achievers experienced failures before their achievements were recognized. Persistence and hard work are the key to getting ahead in life. If at first you don't succeed, don' t give up. Keep trying! Put more effort into your work and you will see positive results. Last, but not least, their motivation is the third factor in learning. How much they care for the subject at hand? Motivation will drive them to make the necessary connections and enhanced their learning.
2. Within Chapter 9, one sentence struck me the most, "The learning environment must should be a fear-free zone." Fear is such a paralyzing force that keeps students from expressing ideas and thoughts. I remembered my own experience as a student in my ninth grade of school and how frightened I was of sharing answers in the classroom. Fear of failure in front of peers is a deterrent from discussions that might enhance much of the learning that can take place in the classes.
3. Content area: Spanish
Resource: When I was Puerto Rican
Book by Esmeralda Santiago
Growth Mindset:
The autobiography of Esmeralda as she moved from
Puerto Rico to New York and the struggles she faced as she
learned a new language and how she persevered in her
journey to become a successful writer and author.
Autobiography: High School
4. My greatest take away thought in growth mindset is one that
I have expressed previously, everyone has the potential to
learn, but it takes nurturing in some cases more than in
others. Also, the empathy factor, never make your students
feel inferior or say things to them that you don't want anyone
saying to you. We need to build bridges instead of tearing
them down.

Alison Thetford link

4/24/2017 07:45:54 am

Hello Sra. Rivera,

Thank you for responding. 1. I have encouraged teaachers and administrators to teach students about how the brain works! Awesome suggestion! Metacognition goes hand in hand with this idea. 2. I agree with your assessment of a fear free zone. Nothing good comes from teachers resorting to sarcasm or outright public humiliation. 3. Your example *When I Was Puerto Rican* is spot on in terms of a growth mindset model example. 4. Empathy builds trust, trust builds relationships! Good Job!

Gina Hickle

4/24/2017 04:59:23 am

1. Three ways to enhance a mindset culture at Cross Creek EC, include:
Utilizing hallway bulletin boards to display growth mindset messages vs fixed mindset messages as daily reminders to students and staff
Classroom lessons for students on brain development detailing how the brain functions during learning activities
Evening sessions and activities involving parents on how to support and adopt a growth mindset

2. In chapter 9, I found the following sentence significant: “The fear of making an error or experiencing failure is a big obstacle to learning.” To me, this is the most problematic issue in possessing a fixed mindset and many of our students are experiencing this dilemma. Oftentimes, students who come across as “lazy” or “unmotivated” are actually stricken with fear at the thought of being incapable of achieving success.

Content area: School guidance counseling
Unit/book/Resource/topic: 6 Most Important Decisions You’ll Ever Make by Sean Covey and The Essential 55 by Ron Clark
Growth Mindset example: Analysis of life choices across the personal, social, academic, and career domains using a growth mindset
Additional information: Middle/Secondary school; self-help, motivational

4. My greatest take-away thought on growth mindset as it relates to Cross Creek: All students deserve the benefit of teachers with a growth mindset adaptation, but in particular, our Early College students truly need this support. They are challenged with an accelerated high school curriculum followed by the expectation to successfully attend college classes with adults. Although these are achievable goals, as demonstrated by many Early College graduates, it does not negate the fact that many of our students are mired in self-doubt and fear in the face of these challenges and need the encouragement of supportive and non-judgemental educators to realize their academic potential.

Alison Thetford link

4/25/2017 03:16:23 am

Hello Ms. Hickle,

Thank you for your thoughtful post. 1. All of your suggestions are valuable. I really like the idea of an evening meeting with parents. Perhaps at the early part of the year? It could possible be in conjunction with a PTA Meeting. Let's talk about this during the summer. I'd be happy to be the presenter, if we coordinate when the event is . . . The power of school soley focus on the bottom line of grades-that will not change, but a healthy reality check (acknowledge we have a test based system) and within our class, focus on the work rather than the test. It should produce capable test takers and growth scores.
2. I am so with you on this one! The best thing to do is to talk about the miracle of mistakes and how it is an assessment of the student's place- it doesn't define the student's worth. I would like more teachers to stop judging a student's value based on grades and test scores.
3. Love the Ron Clark-he's the super example of growth mindset!
4.I agree. One of the main purposes of R-Time was to help students with these fears of inadequacy, their self-doubt, their seeming place in the world. I would like to see a more rigorous R-Time in place. Some teachers do not feel comfortable with affect development and that, too, gets in the way.

K. R. McGinnis

4/24/2017 07:14:33 am

1. What are three ways we can enhance a growth mindset culture at Cross Creek?
This can be accomplished in a number of ways. As my colleagues above have listed, there are some very text-specific ways to do this, so, allow me to go a little off-brand with my way of saying it (though similar to what others have posited).
A: By being open with the students about what a "growth mindset" is. It isn't a government conspiracy and it isn't stolen intel from the CIA. There's no shame in opening up to these kids about what a growth mindset it and how it can be achieved. If you don't define the objective, how can you ever hope to have success?

B: Creating an environment that is not only free of fear, but embraces "being wrong." Everyone falls down. Not everyone gets back up. We must craft an environment that allows for failures and below-standard performances to be the catalysts for greater successes. That's not to say we need to go out with the intent of failing, but we should demonstrate how no one failure is going to define you. Everybody takes the L once in a while. The best team will lose a game. It's all how the team responds to the loss. Our kids are no different.

C:Artificially inflating grades and focusing so heavily on testing data creates a mindset that is very, very difficult to change. These students have been conditioned from little tykes to be attuned to doing well on tests and nothing else. To truly have a growth mindset, we need to break those chains and defy the norm. Of course, there are a million different overlords telling us we need to get test scores up or we might lose our jobs. If you are doing what you need to in your classroom, and if you at least have something of a growth mindset, you can still do things your own way and focus less and less on testing and still get good-to-great scores.

2. Within Chapter Nine, find and write down one sentence that struck you as significant and respond.

"Fear is such an intense emotion that it can shut down cognitive processes and force the brain to only focus on the source of the fear and what to do about it."

This stuck out to me because there is a balance, and it is hard to strike, between high expectations/high rigor and creating an atmosphere of fear. Some students are afraid of tests. Others being called on in class. Others cannot handle speaking in front of a group. While you can't please everyone all of the time, you can please most people most of the time (adapting that old chestnut to fit the message here). You can't make it 100% fear-free, but you can do everything possible to make it less fearful. Sometimes the student needs to be challenged and do something he or she is deathly afraid of in order to grow.

3. Look at Figure 25 on page 142. Create one entry that is relevant to your subject
a. Content area: English
b. Unit/book/resource/topic: Research Papers
c. Growth mindset or fixed mindset example? Growth - students demonstrate a persistence with the paper and (generally) improve, developing confidence and actual skills, from one draft to the next. Genuine improvement becomes evident by the end of the term.
d. Additional information: Highly time consuming, but worthwhile. Improves writing skills (in dire need) and engenders in the students a willingness to take on something massive and emerge victorious because every child's victory is different.

4. What is your greatest take-away thought on growth mindset as it relates to Cross Creek?
The Creek does a lot of these things, but we aren't perfect. There is plenty of room for improvement, but, when compared to other schools and communities of learners, the Creek is doing a darn good job. You have a population who have the desires to prove themselves, but sometimes need to be both boosted up and reminded that they aren't the Lords of all Creation. You have a staff that is dedicated to ensuring these children have the best possible experience and preparatory pathway for their future.

Could we work on being more growth-oriented? Sure, but who couldn't? I think the bigger idea is that we can have great test scores and still embrace the true meaning behind a growth mindset while also not creating a monolith to an idea and being overly dogmatic in the approach.

Alison Thetford link

4/25/2017 03:36:17 am

Thank You Mr. McGinnis for your submission! I must confess I heard myself saying to myself *YES* to many of your comments.
The experts tell us that in order for students to understand the concepts, they need to be told what it is and how it works. It is NOT Top Secret as you say! Failure is the best teacher- that should be plastered in the classroom. I think if the teacher assumes the "we" stance ("we" working together as a team)

We do have a special program here and the work that it takes to help students really falls into the growth mindset arena, too. High expecations and accountability are two very important parts of why we are so successful.

Lords of All Creation--good one, I'll use that with my senior mil spouses!!

Finally, we must approach these ideas about growth mindset with authenticity. If the staff/faculty "phones it in" we get garbage in-garbage out!

Jane Merritt

4/24/2017 01:02:28 pm

1. What are three ways we can enhance a growth mindset culture at Cross Creek?
* Teachers need to continually reflect of their practices to ensure they are encouraging their students to have a growth mindset.
* Teachers need to make sure they develop a trusting, positive relationship with their students.
* Have a plan in place for getting new educators on board.

2. Within Chapter Nine, find and write down one sentence that struck you as significant and respond.

"Just as adults are affected by their environments, students and encouraged or discouraged, energized or deflated, invited or alienated by classroom environments." This comment struck me because we don't know everything a student is dealing with when they enter or leave our class. If they are having issues they may shut down, but if you have developed a positive trusting relationship with your students you may be able to encourage them when they want to shut down (fixed mindset).

3. a. Content area: ACT
b. Unit/book/resource/topic: Eprep ACT Math
c. Growth mindset or fixed mindset example? Fixed Students not wanting to complete this particular section because they feel the math is to hard.
d. Additional information:

4. What is your greatest take-away thought on growth mindset as it relates to Cross Creek?
My biggest take away is to continue to encourage the students to have growth mindset versus a fixed mindset. Also to be aware of the way I praise students.

Alison Thetford link

4/25/2017 12:01:05 pm

Hello Ms. Merritt,

Thanks so much for responding! 1. I loved the way you put the emphasis on *teacher* action. Teachers create the climate in the classroom. It can be dynamic OR a dud! The teacher is the setter of the climate-not the students!
2. "..., but if you have developed a positive trusting relationship..." Perfect! It is so important to work with students so that they know that you have their best interests at heart.
3. Keep working with those anti-math students! Make it a challenge!
4. Right-o: misdirected praise can be downright dangerous! Praise the actions, not the product! Thanks again!

Alexis Howard

4/24/2017 01:48:35 pm

Read Chapter Nine in its entirety (pages 139-144). Click on blog "comments" to answer. Number your answer to correspond with the question.

1. What are three ways we can enhance a growth mindset culture at Cross Creek?
a) By being flexible in and out of the classroom to how the classroom is structured. There will be times when the lesson just doesn't work, so we need to be flexible in changing it up to meet the needs of students and to show them that there are many ways of tackling obstacles.
b) By continually reinforcing them with positive feedback that will encourage them to continue to grow.
c) By continuing to get the student to be doing higher levels of thinking. We should remind them that things are very rarely simply black and white, but all varying shades. It is okay to think out of the box. That is when some of the best work can be produced.

2. Within Chapter Nine, find and write down one sentence that struck you as significant and respond.

"The learning environment should be a fear-free zone."
The reason why I chose this sentence is because it is so important to foster a safe environment in the classroom where the kids see it is okay to fail. One can not learn from mistakes if they never make any. It is in the classroom, that we take those mistakes and learn from them.

3. Look at Figure 25 on page 142. Create one entry that is relevant to your subject

a. Content area: Biology
b. Unit/book/resource/topic: Behaviors
c. Growth mindset or fixed mindset example? Trial and error learning that birds do when making their nests. They do not simply continue to sit on an uncomfortable nest, but make multiple revisions, until it is comfortable.
d. Additional information: Middle school/ high school, learned behaviors analysis

4. What is your greatest take-away thought on growth mindset as it relates to Cross Creek?

I believe that we are definitely onto growth mindset learning here at Cross Creek. One of the purposes of being college ready is getting the students in the mindset of being flexible. There will be times where they will fail unfortunately (not literally necessarily, but figuratively), but they need to know how to change their way of thinking to become better. This is important since things will not be handed to them in college.

Ali Thetford link

4/25/2017 12:06:17 pm

Hi Ms. H, thanks for your submission!
1. I'd like to add that "making mistakes" is allowed. So many times we look at failure as the end, rather than a beginning!
2. Perfect connection between one and two. Failure is so important, not something to be feared, but to be used to grow! Brava!
3. Birds and nesting perfect example of working until it's good/better/best!
4.The connection between growth mindset and college is why this book was selected! Ms. Howard, YOU ROCK!

Kenny Huffman

4/24/2017 02:54:30 pm

1. I imagine the best way to enhance the growth mindset culture is to present a united front. Make it something a student encounters consistently from room to room. It seems like a good idea to instruct the students about the physiology of the process as well, perhaps to build engagement in the process.

2. "To work toward a growth mindset school culture is a commitment that all stakeholders should make."
In the end, it still comes down to personal decisions. Collectively, a culture emerges, but I'm not certain a staff can coerce an individual to buy in, no matter the intentions of the author.

3. Content Area: Civics
Resource: Capitalism Rocks (Car Game)
Growth Mindset Example: Student teams design their own cars and try to sell them to their peers on the open market.
Comments: Some teams succeed, some teams fail. All students are asked to reflect on the process, and reflect on what was to be learned from the exercise.

4.I see the value in it. I find that much of it is intuitive in nature. In fact, I question why anyone would enter the profession without some innate sense of this idea. From a practical standpoint, it should be addressed from the early days of the new school year. The land is bit more fertile then, n'est-ce pas?

Alison Thetford link

4/25/2017 12:15:42 pm

Thanks Mr. H for your submission. You finished strong! 1. For a school culture to shift, most must be on board. There will always be outliers, but sometimes, even they will ride the wave, Keep working at it!
2. Yes, all you can do is bring individuals to the well. You can never make them drink. If we give students the information and we live it day to day, it's hard for them to resist the entire time. You are right, however, it is always up to the individual!
3. Car Game is a keeper- in the reflection- ways to improve-even with the successes--that's how innovation works!
4. You would be surprised how many professionals live in a fixed mindset world. Not seen often at the Creek and often do not last very long if they are here . . . Yes, many teachers have commented on teaching this early. Thanks!

Jennison Shields link

4/26/2017 03:15:58 am

Hi Alison,
Jennison Shields has just posted a comment on your blog post, Mindsets in the Classroom 8:
1. One thing we can do to enhance growth mindset is to specifically teach students about mindset and the process of learning. Perhaps we could create a unit for R-time at the start of the year. Second, teachers should discuss the benefits of a growth mindset, perseverance, grit, etc. with students frequently and in relation to the subject matter, when possible. As it becomes part of our vocabulary and culture as teachers, it will become a part of Cross Creek and our students. Third, and this is especially true for math, we can try to educate parents and guardians about growth mindset. Parents/guardians deliver powerful messages to their student. Hopefully, they will recognize, and change, some of the subtle messages they might be sending to their student.
2. "A growth mindset classroom must be a safe place where students do not feel judged and are free to take intellectual risks." I agree that fear of failure or looking foolish will stifle learning, so teachers must do everything they can to create a safe environment. I have found that it actually helps when I "make mistakes" in front of students. They witness/work through the process of failing and trying something else, etc.
3. Kinda stuck on this one. The only thing I could come up with:
content: math
unit: create equations from patterns
growth: process of deriving equation requires persistence
comments: This process is abstract and requires students to have a growth mindset. They must develop, test, and revise their equations repeatedly to find the best one to model the given pattern.
4. I think we have a growth mindset here at Cross Creek, but can definitely strengthen our school culture and be more deliberate in our discussion of it as a tool for success. Our students will benefit now, and later in life, if we continue to make the Creek a growth mindset school.

Alison Thetford link

4/26/2017 03:21:27 am

Thanks so much Ms. Shields for your blog post.
1. I love the idea of teaching the fundamentals of the brain in R-Time at the start of the year. Research says students are more likely to accept this idea if they fully understand it.
2. When teachers make mistakes, own it, and talk about it as a stepping stone to understanding is critical. I am so glad you recognize that you are already modeling this in your classroom.
3. Perseverance in math class is the overall need. You did well.
4. Yes! Keep talking about growth mindset and include the ideas when you can! Thanks again!

Tamela RAppold link

4/26/2017 03:26:06 am

1. We can continue to foster a growth mindset AT Cross Creek through the 3 primary stakeholders. For the faculty and staff, we should incorporate these growth principles in our PD. For our students, we should cultivate a growth mindset by helping them to shift the focus from the mere number of their average to the volume of their achievement (or lack of) in the classroom. Finally, we need to foster this mindset among parents. Perhaps through PTSA or through SLICE or even when conferencing over their child's progress, we teachers should foster the concept that learning is on a continuum and that their children never completely “arrive.”

2. “A growth mindset classroom must be a safe place where students do not feel judged and are free to take intellectual risks.” (p.140)
CCECHS Parents intuitively know that their child is not being served at their neighborhood school but may not know why. Most of our students want to know the “why” of the subject and are free to explore that here at Cross Creek. We need to encourage learning about the “why” we do what we do and discourage other students from mocking or redirecting their classmates' natural curiosity.

3. a. Content area: World Language
b. Resource:: ACTFL Proficiency Scale Pyramid
https://goo.gl/images/z9CPPw
c. Example of Growth Mindset
d. The idea is that students move toward proficiency eventually and there is no exact timetable for them to do so.

4. We are in many ways a learning lab at Cross Creek. We have many vehicles through which to demonstrate a growth mindset. Be it through working with student teachers on observations or trying a new protocol demonstrated in a colleagues classroom, we mix proven methods with new ideas and have results to show that we are being effective. What we cannot do, and still expect to continue to exist as a CIHS, is to become complacent. Thinking that we have already figured out the best methodology and therefore stop continuing to progress ourselves marks the beginning of the end to our brand of school.

Alison Thetford link

4/26/2017 03:33:20 am

Thanks Ms. Rappold for your submission. 1. Great suggestions. I especially like the parent idea. We already created a growth mindset statement. We should incorporate it into our syllabi!
2. Many, if not most, used this quote. I think it really rings true for us as professionals!3. Excellent! Time tables are both blessings and curses! We need to teach students to be timely, but not to the point they are overwhelmed. 4. I think you touched on something that most do not contemplate--that is, the innovative model that we have here at the Creek. Many teachers think that CC is an easy place to work. WRONG!!!! It has so many more levels of responsibility....there are only so many people to do the job. I am glad you recognized that! Brava!

patsy patrick

4/26/2017 12:43:00 pm

1. What are three ways we can enhance a growth mindset culture at Cross Creek?
I hope that as we model the growth mindset and work to maintain a growth mindset among our students, that a shift from a "fixed" mindset to a "growth mindset" will prevail school wide! The author gives us with 3 reminders about maintaining a growth mindset in our classrooms which then impacts the entire school culture: 1) classrooms should be safe zones with positive teacher-student relationships, 2) classrooms should be fear-free zones and 3) classrooms should be differentiated and responsive to all student needs. However, we should not just limit this to just 3 ways. I believe that practice and model a growth mindset. I like the idea of using 15 minutes of our staff meeting to focus on the “growth mindset”.
2. Within Chapter Nine, find and write down one sentence that struck you as significant and respond.
The one for me as an administrator is “Specific plans to maintain a growth mindset school culture should be embedded in the School Improvement Plan to ensure they are monitored”. In order for CCECHS to have a “growth mindset” we need to put this in writing. The driving force of our SIP that we remind ourselves at every meeting is “How does impact students and learning?” A growth mindset certainly address this.

3. Look at Figure 25 on page 142. Create one entry that is relevant to your subject

a. Content area: Administration
b. Unit/book/resource/topic: Mindsets In The Classroom. By Mary Cay Ricci
c. Growth mindset or fixed mindset example? Examples of both were clearly stated . in the book.
d. Additional information:

4. What is your greatest take-away thought on growth mindset as it relates to Cross Creek?
The greatest take-away is the need to embed a “growth mindset” into our school culture. This begins with having it part of the SIP, as well as in the curriculum. Everyone needs to learn perseverance and hard work.

Alison Thetford link

4/27/2017 03:36:30 am

Thanks Ms. Patrick,
1. I really like the idea of the 15 min. growth model mindset moment at the faculty meeting. Whether it's a discussion of what is happening or a teaching moment for the staff, keeping the ideas alive after a year-long book study is admirable.
2.Anytime we work towards student achievement with growth mindset means deliberate and intentional inclusion of ideas that have, as research tells us, improved student confidence and achievement scores.
3. OK! Good example
4.Everyone needs to learn and be reminded of growth mindset mentality. Thank you!

Cross Creek

Early College

Book Study