mindsets in the classroom

9/8/2016

9/7/2016
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Welcome Cross Creek educators to the Mindsets in the Classroom Book Study! My name is Ali Thetford and we are going to approach professional development in a slightly different manner this year. First, we are using a book study format that has been creeping into our profession recently. Many teachers have commented on the depth of conversation taking place on blogs and have been surprised at their own involvement. In addition to the online element, we will come together at certain times during the study to talk about the ways we are applying the elements behind growth mindset within our classrooms and even our own life.

When students believe that dedication and hard work can change their performance in school, they grow to become resilient, successful students. Inspired by the popular mindset idea that hard work and effort can lead to success, Mindsets in the Classroom provides educators with ideas for ways to build a growth mindset school culture, wherein students are challenged to change their thinking about their abilities and potential. The book includes a planning template, step-by-step description of a growth mindset culture, and "look-fors" for adopting a differentiated, responsive instruction model teachers can use immediately in their classrooms. (From the publishers)

In this hybrid book study teachers will earn a total of 12 hours (1.2 ceu's) for reading each chapter, responding to discussion prompts online, and sharing application of ideas. You will be given no later than (NLT) dates for completing chapters.

I want to thank Melissa Storms for giving me much needed help with this study. In growth mindset fashion, I had to experience a little failure in order to become a better blogger.

Pre-assessment

Directions: Click on the button below. Read each statement, rate the level of your proficiency/knowledge/skill and post your results and goals online (see format example):

Growth Mindset Implementation Self-Assessment

Share your results and goals online:
*Complete the Mindset Implementation Self-Assessment prior to beginning the book. Share your responses below. You are welcome to comment on one other teacher's entry.
**Write a learning goal statement for the book study based on your self-assessment results. Share your goal statement below.

FORMAT EXAMPLE:
Pre-assessment
A. Thetford
9/8/2016

* When I read the self-assessment statements I started to think about my actual class practices versus how I think I embed a culture of "growth mindset" in my classroom. While I believe that all students have the potential to improve, not all students are going to take advantage of it. I guess that's part of my struggle as an educator. How many times have I taught obviously "gifted" students who are apathetic, only willing to do the minimum required? On the other hand, how many times have I taught "struggling" students who never gave up and may not be an "A" student, but their efforts have allowed them to move forward. How much more could the "gifted" student achieve if he, too, worked as hard as the "struggling" student? How much more could my students achieve if I promoted the ideas of work, persistence, and failure as stepping stones to improvement?

**My goal for this book study is to give the idea behind growth mindset a chance and to deliberately infuse growth mindset practices in my classroom.

36 Comments

Tammy Rappold link

9/18/2016 03:17:11 pm

Pre-Assessment:
T. Rappold
9/18/16

* After reading the Self-Assessment, I would consider myself a Practitioner (3) for numbers 1 (all students can achieve) and 6 (focusing on effort in my praise). Since all students come to me already speaking one language, it is easy to believe they can achieve some level of proficiency in their second language. Similarly, they are not expected to speak perfectly so praise is required to celebrate every attempt to communicate in Spanish. For numbers 3 (embedding age-appropriate lessons within my content) and 4 (embedding critical thinking), I would rate myself an Apprentice. Though I do some of those things I speak to language acquisition only. I am curious about how I can do that bettter based on the book study. Finally, I would rate myself a Novice (1) for number 5 (labeling students gifted). I call all of my students at Cross Creek gifted but never considered that this might result in complacency.

** My goal from this book study is threefold: 1. To learn more about Growth Mindset 2. To consider how it relates to learning another language 3. To implement the most relevant aspects in my teaching.

Ali Thetford link

9/19/2016 03:16:59 am

Thanks again, Sra. Rappold for your reply. Do you feel a teacher can make or break a student's love of language acquisition (especially in level one?)? Let's continue this conversation throughout the book study. Please forgive this submission if it's a duplicate. I am a novice and wasn't quite sure if the first post posted!

Kelley Hasapis

9/19/2016 07:14:43 am

After completing the Growth Mindset Implementation Self-Assessment I realized that I am better in some areas than others. When it comes to offering praise and believing my students can achieve at high levels, I am between Practioner and Expert (Questions 1, 3, and 6). I am actually proud of my growth mindset in these areas, and I feel that my strength resides in how I relate to my students; I constantly encourage and offer praise. However, I also realize that I have a ways to go in other areas (Questions 2, 4, and 5). Teaching critical thinking and learning more about how the brain works are areas that I need to concentrate on. I know that by learning more about this and implementing my findings in my lessons will be a key component in student achievement.

Alison Thetford link

9/20/2016 08:00:19 am

Thank you Ms. Hasapis for your reply. I am glad you constantly encourage and offer praise. As you will soon see, there is an extension to those elements and, as Dr. Dweck says, "It makes all the difference!"

I think many teachers wished they had more time to include "training" of skills as if it is a completely separate from the content. (I also think some of us believe students should already know how to . . . (fill in the blank). I contend that skills can be honed as the content is being taught. I know we all do this to a certain degree, but is this skill building deliberately and intentionally included?

I believe you will meet your goal.

Julia Little

9/19/2016 06:42:59 pm

Mindset Implementation Self-Assessment

Pre-assessment
J. Little
9/19/2016

As a Beginner Teacher, I am a NOVICE at all six of the growth mindset instructional components. I believe that every person in the world has some gift, and that, unfortunately, many of us go to our graves without ever discovering that gift. It is the duty of a teacher to help students discover their gift. I also believe that many students will be “successful,” however you want to define that word, without the classic approach of high school graduation-->college. The current college model exists, in part, because of the government student loan program. So many students would receive the encouragement and support they need if we expanded apprenticeship programs, entrepreneurship and business programs, and vocational training.

In reading the introduction to Edumentality, I related most to the following points:

--the importance of the size of the groups. Because I am inept at assigning specific roles/parts to team members, many of my groups are dominated by certain students.
--grading plan to include group grade and individual’s grade. I currently do not have a plan for this.
--rubric to spell out responsibilities of group work. I have been advised not to get too caught up in rubrics for grading, but a general group work rubric would be helpful
--the possibility of group work to squash student motivation, participation, creativity, and encourage outright conflict. I have two students, both high achievers, who DETEST group work. They are very, very grade conscious, and they end up doing most of the reporting to ensure the highest grade possible. They much prefer individual accountability. In addition, I have several students who just do not work well together because verbal bantering which escalates to potential insults results.
--the need for group questions in the planning.
--decide how all can actively participate
--require every student to produce something by the end of the group activity
--everyone must put something in writing. I need help with this, particularly on group lab writeups. Just today I implemented my own system requiring each group turning in a writeup to include a jointly decided on contribution percentage, ie. 90% = person X; 5% = person Y; 5% = person Z; 0% = person F. This may or may not work, because no one wants to be a “snitch.” I did see a method similar to this contribution method work last year, when a project done by a team of online students, who communicated by email, shared Google document, and online class, did a soil assessment project. When one student contributed absolutely NOTHING to the project--no verbal or written communication and no work, the self-appointed team leader sent an email to the teacher, separately from the assignment, reporting the student’s apathy. I believe the professor gave the nonparticipating student a 0 for his job. I suppose this was snitching more than a consensus on the amount contributed by each person, and that an anonymous submission of amount contributed would be better.
--need for a group manager/team leader
--use a group rubric to assess themselves and each group member. I would greatly appreciate seeing this.
--if groups get off task, end group work for the day. Today my students worked individually on an opener about looking at three different volcanoes on Google Images and comparing and contrasting them (1 similarity and 1 difference each). I do not know which protocol this was, but after 10 minutes of individual work, the students went around the room comparing answers until we had a list of similarities and a list of differences. However, first period could not seem to settle down to the task, and the laughing, distractions, talking to another student one-fourth of the way across the room, etc, by one student, bought that student an official “Dr. Little pink highlighter WARNING in her planner.

Perhaps most important is to note that human brains do not mature until the mid-twenty’s, so it is inappropriate to label students “regular, honors,gifted,slow, AP-qualified, IB-qualified, vocational tract, etc,” because it DEFINITELY puts them in a certain mindset.

MY GOAL FOR THIS BOOK STUDY IS TO EMANCIPATE MYSELF FROM ANY OF THE NEGATIVE MINDSETS THAT LIMIT STUDENTS' POTENTIAL.

9/20/2016 07:51:02 am

Thank you for your reply, Dr. Little. As you work through this year you will have many questions on how to best maximize teaching/learning experiences. One example of "everyone must put something in writing" is a simple exit ticket. Even if the group worked on a lab together and perhaps produced one report, you could ask for each student to produce a half sheet summary of the lab (no help from partners) or a 3-2-1 (effective, but don't overuse), just to name two.

One thing to remember is each student has been exposed to many experiences, positive and negative, about their performance as a student long before we meet them. Sometimes our efforts are not immediately seen, but stay the course and continue to fight against (as you say) "negative mindsets that limit a student's potential."

Jennison Shields

9/20/2016 07:30:59 am

After completing the self-assessment, I believe I am a practitioner for 1,3, and 4. I am an apprentice for 5 and 6, and a novice for 2. I actively try to teach critical thinking and the need for perseverance to improve in math. I also know that with effort, all students can improve in math. I am working on praising students for effort more, though I am not a practitioner yet. I'm also not quite sure how the labels fit in with differentiated work. Students quickly realize which groups have the more challenging assignment, and there are students who are always in the group with more challenging work. So though I am not labeling them, they self-label.

My goal is to learn more about how to incorporate growth mindset in my classroom and our school culture.

9/20/2016 08:18:57 am

Thank you very much for your reply Ms. Shields. Yes, creating moments for students to think critically (so hard that it hurts) means you instinctively know and subsequently offer opportunities for growth. Reminding all students (struggling and high fliers) that perseverance and persistence can be, at times, uncomfortable but necessary for growth and should be a part of every math teacher's mantra. Food for thought: what do we do when students give up (strugglers) or only willing to go so far (high fliers) in their learning? What is our response?

I loved that you mentioned students self-labeling. I refer back to my comment to Dr. Little that students have a lifetime of experiences that create both positive and negative perceptions of self. As you will see, one teacher can make a difference (sorry for the cliche), although you many never see the rewards of your immediate efforts.

Personalization Cadre is a perfect place to enhance (because I think we are already doing it) the school culture using growth mindset practices.

Kenny Huffman

9/20/2016 09:24:03 am

I believe I am a practitioner for all the questions except #2. I believe that through artful questioning, students begin to develop their critical thinking skills. Critical thinking can be applied to any aspect of a student's life. If students walk away from my classroom better prepared to make informed decisions, I feel that we've achieved growth. . .

9/21/2016 06:33:47 am

Hello Mr. Huffman, thank you very much for your response. Many responded as you did in regards to statement number two (conceptual understanding of how the brain works). Mindset research concludes that when students do have a working understanding of the brain in regards to mindset, students will be more open to the ideas therein. Food for thought-perhaps ACR or R-Time is the best place to introduce the ideas of neural plasticity and, as we've done before, when opportunities arise in the classroom to embed a growth mindset moment, we go for it!

Indeed, modeling "artful questioning" for students allows them to think critically about the answer but also shows students what a good question looks like. It has always been the goal to insert questioning to get students to think critically not only when in the teacher's presence, but all the time. (That's the overall goal, don't you agree?)

Some of the early college protocols are quite sneaky in getting students to think critically. On the surface a student may think that there is no value in them but I tell them it's just another way of approaching problems or challenges. While they may never experience a protocol in a college classroom, the skills they learned will transfer to other aspects of their learning career.

You didn't mention your overall goal for the book study. That's ok, you can comment now or just mention it in the next submission.

Tiffany Starling

9/20/2016 09:47:00 am

Looking at the self-assessment, I am a practitioner for 1, 3, 4, and 6. I am an apprentice for 2, and a novice for 5. I do believe all students can achieve and be successful, but they must think critically and work hard. Most students either love math or they hate it, so I try to encourage and praise my students on their efforts not just their grades. This seems to promote more enthusiasm for completing the math problems. I could incorporate how the brain works into math a little more. As far as not labeling the students, I need to work on that. I don’t necessarily tell them that they are gifted or smart, but I do let them know their work is more challenging then what they would have at their home school. I believe that everyone is intelligent, but like Albert Einstein once said, “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will go its whole life thinking it is stupid”. Every student might not be good in every subject, but it you relate it to what they are good at, then I believe they will be more motivated to learn. My goal is to learn more about how to incorporate growth mindset in the classroom and to incorporate how the brain works into math.

9/21/2016 06:54:40 am

Thanks so much Ms. Starling for your response. I am afraid to say, but math teachers are at the tip of the spear when it comes to mindset. As high school teachers we get students that have had a lifetime of math experiences and many times it's not the overt declarations of inability (or the opposite), but the subtle messages from previous teachers, parents, friends, and even self-talk.

Encouragement is only part of the story when it comes to growth mindset as you will soon see in the coming chapters. Many students are "naturals" at particular things and others have to really work hard to get to the same place. The overall emphasis is the value of the work. Even the highly gifted need to experience what persistence, perseverance, and or work feels and looks like or else they may refuse to go beyond their comfort zone.

So glad you are going beyond the text and thinking about how math/brain are connected. It will give perspective and validation on things I bet you already know or suspect.

Here's another Einstein quote: “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” – Albert Einstein

He truly was a genius!

Alexis Howard

9/20/2016 07:36:15 pm

After taking the self evaluation of having a growth vs fixed mindset in the classroom, I believe that I am more of a practitioner for numbers 1,3,4,6. I am a firm believer that any student,with enough hard work and perseverance, can excel in the classroom. I am constantly giving them opportunities to get outside of the box when applying the content they are learning. I do know I still have more room for improvement on this area though. As teachers, we should never get to a point to where we have no more room to grow. I regularly try to enforce a positive and safe environment in my classroom, that will encourage kids to not be afraid to ask questions and make mistakes. Sometimes, those moments are the most teachable moments. I do feel, though, I am an apprentice level for numbers 2 & 5. I do my best to break down the content to a level that they should be able to understand, but with the complexities of biology and chemistry, sometimes it is hard to do that.

9/21/2016 08:04:33 am

Thank you very much for your response, Ms. Howard. You will be excited to know that the upcoming chapters will give you practical advice/instructions on how to maximize students working in the classroom. The most challenging type of student, for me, is the high achieving, but complacent student. They need to know what struggle, persistence, and perseverance looks and feels like.

We need to have that conversation with our students that failure is a part of life and it's what we do with it (i.e. give up or try again) that will most like determine our overall success.

It's ok about statement two. If you refer back to Mr. Huffman's post and then my reply it may give you perspective.

You didn't mention your overall goal for the book study. That's ok, you can comment now or just mention it in the next submission.

Rod Hosking

9/21/2016 04:39:14 am

I would say that I am, for the most part and with varying degrees of success, a level 3 for all but #2. Many of these highlight the need for understanding and implementing rigor and its relationship to student potential.

9/21/2016 07:48:51 am

You didn't mention your overall goal for the book study. You can comment now or just mention it in the next submission.

9/23/2016 02:10:31 pm

My goal is to consider the merits of teaching students the conceptual understanding of how the brain works as this was the one I felt I was not a practioner in and may find through this book study the value of doing so.

9/22/2016 07:19:01 am

Hi Mr. Hosking,

Please reply and cite a couple of examples of how you are, for the most part, a practitioner (Don't forget to mention which statements you are referring to in your reply.). Is there one statement that you classified yourself as a novice, apprentice, expert? Why?

Thank you

9/26/2016 05:06:44 pm

Thank you, Mr. Hosking, for your reply. As Ms. Patrick mentioned in her post (Sousa) perhaps we need to look at the ideas behind brain function and see if we can use that information to help students achieve at a higher capacity.

Jane Merritt

9/21/2016 07:19:17 am

After completing the Mindset Implantation Self-Assessment I believe that I am a practioner for most of the questions. My goal for the book study is to learn more about growth mindset and how to incorporate it more in my classroom.

9/22/2016 06:58:49 am

Hi Ms. Merritt, Please reply and cite a couple of examples of how you are a practitioner (Don't forget to mention which statements you are referring to in your reply). Is there one statement that you classified yourself as a novice, apprentice, expert? Why?

K. R. McGinnis

9/21/2016 07:40:19 am

To claim that I am an expert in anything is, frankly, disingenuous. I would be remiss, however, to not mention that, of all of the areas, I feel the most like an expert in number 1, the belief that all students can achieve and be successful.

One area where I genuinely feel strongest in my practice is with the idea that success and growth are truly amorphous, nebulous terms which mean different things to different people. It is perhaps a product of a semi post-modern belief, but I am always less focused on "product" and more focused on "process." In my world, process begets product, ergo, growth and success are nuanced to each individual. This, of course, leads to a whole different argument about standardized testing and the meat-grinder approach to education, but I suspect that will be used at a different time.

This, of course, ties in with number 3. That is more to do with style and the perpetually peppy person just isn't my style. That said, I do often encourage the students and explain that even if their best isn't all that great, it was still their best and they have some takeaway from it all.

I think my area of weakness pertains to number 5 - so-called "labeling." We often find ourselves in a situation where a word like "smart" or "sharp" or "good" gets used to encourage, but also pegs the student into a certain group or expectation. The cynic would say "well, then be honest at all times and really say what you mean." The cynic would also find himself getting fired if he did that. We may use labels as a means of concealing our true sentiment about a student and that, truly, does not do anyone any good.

But how do we fix that? I hate to answer a question with a question, but I suspect that others share the same sort of sentiment.

9/22/2016 06:29:01 am

Thank you Mr. McGinnis for your thoughtful response. I am glad you mentioned your fundamental belief that all students can achieve. I think it is most frustrating (and perhaps our faith can be tested) when students seem to sabotage their own learning. There are plenty of examples of young people who quit school, only to come back, get their GED, go to college, and achieve a degree. So, what's the deal? Is it wisdom? Is it circumstances? It is financial? Combination of all these factors? Perhaps it is a realization that there must be work, struggle, and even failure to get something prized.

We've had plenty of examples over the years of parents who, after seeing their successful kids at FSU, return to school and seek degrees themselves. Belief in self is a powerful motivator.

Yes, I agree that if a "process" is sound and meaningful, products will be better and growth will occur.

You don't have to be a "peppy" person to instill a growth mindset culture within your classroom. As you will soon read, it's extending the whole idea of praise and encouragement to encompass (my words) honoring work and effort.

You made me giggle when you talked about number 5 statement. Labeling students, even in our minds, is a fact of life (struggling/high flier). The growth mindset idea may ask us to look at students based on what they are doing now versus a composite statement that "sums up the student in one word." I think you instinctively know that as a veteran teacher.

You didn't mention your overall goal for the book study. You can comment now or just mention it in the next submission.

P Patrick

9/21/2016 10:27:01 am

After the self assessment I need to pull out Sousa's book on How the Brain Works. I have not used Sousa's materials in some time.

Looking at all the other post #2 appears to be a common thread.
My personal goal after the book study is to "develop student's (staff) conceptual understanding of learning and the brain, The school goal is to build a mindset school culture.

P. Patrick

9/22/2016 07:10:06 am

I need to add to my post. That I am a Practioner in 3, 4, and 5. By no means am I an expert but questions #1 and #6 are questions based my beliefs and how I am commanded to treat others.

9/22/2016 07:32:19 am

Thanks Ms. Patrick for your post. Yes, I saw the same thread about brain research as you. I also looked at Sousa's work and I think you are on the right track. As I posted, Dr. Dweck's research suggests that even if students are just made *aware* of this thing called growth mindset they are more accepting of the concept. For CC educators, an overview of brain research/meta-cognition may be worth exploring. Neural plasticity is the hub to the spokes of growth mindset.

All of the things we have talked about throughout the posts center on our belief that all students can learn and achieve. Cross Creek is a wonderful example of this belief in action. Even in the event of a student leaving us early (for whatever reason), it is pretty clear that they are better for the experience. Image four years with us!

As for your goal . . .creating a enhanced growth mindset culture here at the Creek is achievable as we are well, well, well, on our way!

Gina Hickle

9/21/2016 01:08:42 pm

In applying the components of the self-assessment to counseling, I feel comfortable saying I rate myself as a practitioner (a "3" ) in all the mentioned areas. In counseling students, it is essential for them to know that you believe in their potential or a positive rapport will not develop. It is equally important for a counselor to gently prompt students into thinking critically about their actions, their beliefs, and their habits and the inevitable effect these have on their mental health and overall general well-being. Counselors are charged with the responsibility of helping others think through the choices they make and the resulting potential consequences they may or may not be equipped to handle. Essential to this endeavor is helping students realize they are capable of making sound decisions and part of that includes taking ownership of the outcome. My goal will be to make a conscious effort to implement the concepts of growth mindset into a counseling framework in my work with students in both individual and group counseling settings.

9/22/2016 07:06:01 am

Hello Ms. Hickle,

Thank you for your reply. Yes, indeed, a positive rapport is very important when working with students. I think that many counselors are inherently in the growth mindset business and, much like your comment, research says accountability (a.k.a consequences) is key for achievement (growth). Your goal is an achievable one and I am sure as these chapters unfold you will find many pearls of wisdom.

Tashiana Reynolds

9/21/2016 04:31:25 pm

After reading through the assessment, I found myself to be a practitioner of most goals. I hope to learn more about how the brain works and how to frame lessons that challenge my students to think critically.

9/22/2016 06:56:14 am

Hi Ms. Reynolds. Please reply and cite a couple of examples of how you are a practitioner (Don't forget to mention which statements you are referring to in your reply). Is there one statement that you classified yourself as a novice or apprentice? Why?

9/22/2016 08:29:01 am

I think that I am a practitioner of statements 1, 3, 5, and 6. For example, I think that every student I teach has the ability to be successful not only in my class, but in their other classes as well. There would never be a time in which would look at a student and think to myself "they aren't capable of success". I think part of our duty as educators is to help students realize their capabilities. Also, I do realize the negative effects of labeling students as "gifted". These students are often not challenged enough and when they do meet academic challenges, such as college level work, they are not prepared to handle the workload.

I would consider myself to be novice when it comes to how the brain works and how teenagers learn information. Often times I try to incorporate strategies that I believe would be engaging, and the response is not always the one I had hoped for. I think that I am an apprentice of the statement "I intentionally embed critical thinking opportunities into the curriculum". I am a beginning teacher and my subject area is new to me. But I think that as I learn more about my students and content area I will develop ways to make the curriculum more critical.

9/26/2016 04:48:26 pm

Hi Ms. Reynolds, thanks for adding a bit more information. There is much to learn the first few years of teaching and I think you have already experienced a few set-backs when your students do not respond as you "had hoped for." In an ironic twist you can use the ideas behind growth mindset for your own professional development. Instead of "giving up" on engaging strategies, try different ones or be willing to change certain aspects in order to get desired results. After getting to know you last week, I am positive that will be your course of action. We really can grow in the face of failure if we are willing to take the chance in the first place.

Keno Kerr

9/22/2016 09:19:43 am

Since completing the Assessment I have come to the realization that I am a novice in the area of teaching student a conceptual conceptual understanding of how the brain works ( number 2 ). I will put this into practice now that it has become apparent to me.

I also realized that I was merely a practitioner in the area of teaching students to believe that with effort they can be successful and grow intellectually (number 3). In my years as a teaching I have try to embed these ideas in the mind of students, sadly not as often as I should. moving forward I plan to implement this mindset.

I believe myself to be an expert on components 1,4,5 and 6. As a teacher one should always believe that every student once given the opportunity can be successful. Being a math teacher teaching students to think critically is a must in all lesson. I believe myself to be an expert when it comes on to giving labels to student and the effects it can have on the individual student and peers. One should never label a student gifted or otherwise, because that may put added pressure on the student and causes peers to doubt their own abilities. As a math teacher I believe that effort is very important, because great effort yields great result.

9/26/2016 05:02:36 pm

Good evening, Mr. Kerr, Thank you very much for your post. Throughout the entire blog postings, number two, conceptual understanding of the brain, seems to be the one statement that most on the faculty have in common for *needing improvement.* As I mentioned earlier, Dr. Dweck's research suggests that even if students are just made *aware* of this thing called growth mindset they are more accepting of the concept (and act upon the knowledge).

One of the things you will read about in the book is the idea behind praise and encouragement. I am sure you will agree that most teachers are great at praise and encouragement, but often it is praise when the student performs well and encouragement when the student may not perform to the standard. That's pretty basic, but Dr. Dweck, leading researcher in mindset, would say praise and encouragement should be emphasized at the work level, the process, not necessarily only at the end, the product.

As a math teacher I know students come with their own ability scale and sometimes it's hard to convince them otherwise. This book study should help you find practical ways to reach all students.

Milagros Rivera link

9/22/2016 09:11:17 pm

Mindsets-- Self assessment

After completing the self assessment I believe I am a practitioner for 2, 3 and 6 and an expert on 1 and 5. I am a firm believer that every student has the capacity to learn. Now, they have to believe in their ability to do so themselves. I praise my students regularly when they do good work by saying "Muy bien" (Good job), and lately we have being clapping when correct answers are given. The students respond well to praise.
When it comes down to labeling students as smart it puts extra pressure on them and every time they answer in class every one expects their responses to be accurate or on point. I am constantly reminding them that we are here to learn, and we can make mistakes.

9/26/2016 05:13:22 pm

Thanks Ms. Rivera for your reply. In the next few weeks you will soon see that this idea behind growth mindset goes well beyond signals of encouragement and praise. There is a place for those things, to be sure, but you will also find that we need to get students to think in a growth frame of mind even without the teacher present! Also, as I have said in numerous other posts, stay tuned for more information in regards to creating an enhanced growth mindset in your class and ultimately, in the school.

Cross Creek

Early College

Book Study