Adding to the Growth Mindset Conversation

There are 2 points in this article sent to me from a colleague that made me reflect. The first is the notion that Growth Mindset is more than praising students for hard work. A Growth Mindset "involves reflecting on and changing our strategies so we become more and more effective learners over time".  The second is the mistake matrix that is presented to help students understand the difference between "sloppy" mistakes and mistakes that "stretch" their learning. Have a look.  

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/11/16/growth-mindset-clearing-up-some-common-confusions/

Growth Mindset: Clearing up Some Common Confusions Carol Dweck's work has made growth mindset a hotly discussed topic in education. It has also spawned misunderstandings about growth mindset and what it means in education. Read more...

Remove preview

The Impact of Information Access

Our students today have infinite resources at their fingertips with personal devices in their pockets and free wifi growing everywhere. Never before has it been more important for teachers to be able to convey why the content they are teaching is relevant and important because our students have become much better at filtering information. They are bombarded with data and are constantly categorizing incoming information as either relevant/important or irrelevant/unimportant. I believe that their predisposition to filter incoming information is why it's crucial for educators to connect learning to relevant situations. This article in Edutopia offers a great perspective on "Why Math?". Have a look.

Genius Hour...A Systematic Approach to Inquiry

This video below was shared with me by a colleague as a starting point for "Genius Hour" in a classroom. I like the layout that is described and the supporting links that are provided. I especially appreciated that post regarding students who aren't sure about where to begin. "Don't Blame the Student" really made me think about the lack opportunities for students to follow their interests and motivations within school. I like the idea of getting students who are "stuck" to help out with a personal project - I've used helping our local food bank as a topic. Once students realized that there are an infinite number of ways to help others, the ideas became quite diverse. 

http://ajjuliani.com/webinar/

What to do when Genius Hour fails....

The Active Student

Our students today are always "on". They multi-task much more than I ever did as a child - texting, gaming, Instagram, twitter, selfies, social media......they are in a constant state of heightened "stimulation".  Students have become acclimatized to this state and may actually learn better when active. I recently took a course on Mindfulness and just taking time to be aware of the present moment. I believe that our students need support with this as well. This post on Edutopia pertains to ADHD students in supporting concentration but what I like is the implication for all students that learning can occur within a non-traditional setting. Students should be given the opportunity to move and, as educators, we do whatever we can to keep our students engaged. Have a look.

The Power of Play

I recently watched this video and considered its implications for what we see in our classrooms on a daily basis. I agree with Dr. Gray that play fosters independence, self esteem and sense of capacity to solve problems. The way children play has changed. Many students play video games with friends online. Would this form of play elicit the same results? Or is there something more needed - like more sensory/tactile-kinesthetic opportunities, social context, etc to develop coping skills? Within a classroom, I believe we can foster a similar play context through the use inquiry-based learning, regardless of grade level. Have a look at Dr. Gray's video.

Rethinking Math Instruction

This video sent out by the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic School Board highlights how we should be rethinking math instruction. Students should not be expected to simply follow a set of procedures to achieve a desired outcome. They need to be able to show that they understand. We often say that the best way to learn something is to have to teach it. By expecting students to justify and prove their response, it solidifies understanding. Have a look at the video.

Web Tools to Support Inquiry

As we continue to engage students' in their own learning through inquiry, there are a number of tools that can be of assistance. Have a look at this article from Education Technology and Mobile Learning about various web-based supports. Tools such as these are not device specific so teachers and students can used them regardless of their platform of choice.

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2015/09/10-educational-web-tools-that-support-inquiry-based-learning.html?m=1

Creating Growth Mindset Classrooms

What I like about the linked Growth Mindset blog post from Matt Bromley is the list of ways teachers can create this atmosphere within their classroom. I especially emphasis the importance of feedback through small group instruction.  When teachers embed this structure within their programming, students will receive immediate, non threatening feedback with which they can shape new learning. Have a look at the article below. 

https://mjbromleyblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/17/growth-mindset/

The Ever Changing Brain

As an educator, I subscribe to the belief in Vygotsky's "zone of proximal development." We need to provide learning opportunities where concepts and skills are within reach for a student based on their current level of achievement. I have to admit though, that I have been guilty of categorizing a student based on assessment data and, perhaps, have limited my expectations. The idea that we can alter neurological pathways through programming is something we need to keep in mind as we develop programs for students. Planning must consider not only the zone of proximal development but also that, if given the right challenges, the neurological plasticity of the brain will alter pathways. We can increase IQ.... something that I need to keep in mind when examining student profiles. Have a look at this simple video. I believe that it's important for teachers to educate their students to be aware of this concept in order to foster more perseverance and resiliency in children.

Are there Learning Styles?

In education, we have discussed the notion of Learning Styles to ensure we are meeting the needs of every learner. This TedTalks video by Teisa Marshik is compelling in refuting the importance, or even existence, of Learning Styles. 

While I agree with the presenter in many ways, I don't think we can simply discard it. Historically, teaching was auditory...the teacher stood at the front of the class and talked or lectured to the larger group. This doesn't work for everyone. Teachers need to consider the modalities or preferences of learning and ensure that they tap into the various domains regardless of the content. One way to view the brain is as a filing cabinet and by ensuring each style (I am using style and preference interchangeably) is addressed, we can store data in more "files" to be accessed easier at a later date. It makes connection to prior knowledge easier, which is the critical point the presenter makes when discussing the importance of meaning. Like I said, I agree with the video but I feel the most important point made is not that Learning Styles do not exist, but that for learning to occur it must be meaningful to the student. That is why inquiry-based education is so important.  

Growth Mindsets

There is a great deal of discussion about "Growth Mindsets" vs "Fixed Mindsets" I watched this TED Talk by Angela Lee Duckworth where she talks about trait of "grit" in success across a variety of domains. 
I have to agree with her. When I was in a Learning Support role as a teacher, I was fortunate to work with a student who demonstrated true "grit". By the end of Grade 1, he was still unable to recognize a letter single letter in his name despite small group intervention, explicit instruction, a variety of tactile-kinesthetic strategies and a psychological assessment. Many individuals were questioning whether or not he had a Developmental Disability, however the assessment showed he was LD. But he, along with his supportive family, worked diligently. He attempted and persevered with every strategy I tried with him no matter how challenging. Over time the amount of support he required faded. He is now pursuing post secondary education - I consider him an example of  the impact of"grit".
Within the TED Talk, Angela presents some great data but says that she is unsure of how to teach "grit". If those of us in the education field want to improve outcomes for our students, we have to find a way. Mary Cay Ricci's book, Mindsets in the Classroom, presents some ways to help students, parents and teachers develop a Growth Mindset. She starts with teaching physiology of the brain - even with young students. If students can visualize their brain growing as they persevere with a task, they are more likely to demonstrate and learn the benefits of "grit".