At our Opening retreat, I talked about one of our themes for the year being our INTERCONNECTEDNESS. I wanted to remind us that as a community of adults working with these students, we rely on each other:
in class
around campus
while on duty
at meetings
and
during assemblies.
We are trying to model "Ways of being a lifelong learner" and our own ability to takes risks and "walk the walk" with them, in the name of education.
When discussing MINDSET we named a student from the past (or ourselves) as someone who came to mind when we read MINDSET over the summer. Please respond to each of the following questions here. When you are done and have posted your answer, please respond to the postings of two colleagues.
1) With two weeks of classes behind us, what can you conjure from MINDSET about your own teaching practice that IS working for your students? Name it. Why is it working?
2) Is there anything in your practice that MIGHT need some shifting for a student or group of students so that they can learn more fully what you are trying to teach? What would you shift?
3) Describe one risk you have taken in your classrom this fall with your teaching. If you have not taken any real risks yet, name one risk you can/will take in the next week that you can reflect on at next week's meeting.
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1. I have reinforced the reality that there is often a collective lack of understanding or knowledge in a classroom so individual students should not feel timid, embarrassed or anxious about asking questions and offering comments.
what's working for Elizabeth: Showing students how to step sideways instead of backward when they meet an obstacle.
Why? Well, when I say "working..." it's a work in progress, n'est-ce pas? It's not as though the first time you act this through with a student she or he thinks, "Great! I will now always react to challenges not with overwhelm but with flexibility and tenacity!" But saying that there is another way around or through, and trying to model that, and practicing it when roadblocks (small and large) loom is "working" in that it is giving some students the idea that there are possibilities other than shutting down or backing off.
1) With two weeks of classes behind us, what can you conjure from MINDSET about your own teaching practice that IS working for your students? Name it. Why is it working?
I never criticize students when they contribute to classroom discussions. Rather I find something that they have said that has validity and compliment them for that even when it is somewhat off the knowledge base we are dealing with.
2) Is there anything in your practice that MIGHT need some shifting for a student or group of students so that they can learn more fully what you are trying to teach? What would you shift
I would eliminate grades entirely.
3) Describe one risk you have taken in your classroom this fall with your teaching. If you have not taken any real risks yet, name one risk you can/will take in the next week that you can reflect on at next week's meeting.
While working on abstracting thinking during class discussions I am considering eliminating the need to take notes so that they can focus solely on the thinking. If I do this I will provides notes.
1. What's working connected to Mind Set? I emphasize that we are all growing writers, that all writers have "shoddy" first efforts that they revise, and that all writers find themselves at a loss sometimes, and have to take it "bird by bird." (Anne Lamott inspired!) The way I frame writing is one that supports the growth mindset.
2. What could I shift? The passage I shared with Elizabeth was about receiving criticism. I give a lot of critical feedback on papers and I think I need to do a better job upfront of making it clear why I do that - to help them grow as writers, not to discourage them!
3. Risk? I don't know... I'm teaching several new books. Not sure that counts! It's hard for me to think clearly with everyone typing and talking around me right now. Ah, now I know what it is like for my students when I ask them to compose on the spot in class...
2. I may have to shift my mindset from always encouraging self-reliance in a student to being more flexible about offering warm support and figurative hand-holding. This has proven successful so far this year with students such as Aidan and Giacomo.
#1 Challenges...I find kids respond to challenges and warm-ups that help them think more for themselves.
#2 Asking questions...I think I could find a way to allow the kids to ask questions in an environment that doesn't feel too rushed.
#3 Graphing calculators...today was the first time I gave a lesson with the graphing calculator in regards to functions
2) Doubtless several things!
Right away I can say that with one student, I think I need to do some more modeling (i.e. literally writing in his planner for him), in order to enable him to take that next step in creating a work list for himself that he can read easily and use efficiently. (Elizabeth)
At the outset of the school year and repeatedly in class, I let my students know that we are all, including myself, in class to deepen our understanding of mathematics. I encourage them to ask questions about the material we are covering and remind them that they are not supposed to know all of the answers. This is part of establishing a safe environment in which students feel comfortable asking questions and identifying areas of confusion and hence, growth.
After two weeks of classes I have been emphasizing to my students that trying difficult problems with limited success is more satisfying than correctly solving an easier one.
I am shifting the emphasis from obtaining the answer to working as a partnership to explore possible solutions and directions.
1) I am a pretty growth mindset person so I tend to send the message in many ways in class that it's okay to take risks and try new things. Something concrete I do is make tally marks during communicative activities every time kids speak. It doesn't matter if they say things perfectly- that's not the point. When a student takes a risk and says something more complex or uses something brand new we're working with, I mark a star instead of a simple tally mark. This system is very encouraging and exciting for kids.
2) Something that needs shifting is that I need to make seating charts. I usually wait to see if this is necessary, and it is now.
3) Risk- I did a new quia game with my fancy 3M pen- it worked!
2)
I've been saying things like "I enjoy your enthusiasm and energy. Did you just hear what so-ans-so said?" Instead of saying things like 'settle down' I've been praising something about the student and letting them know that we are working together as a class to better understand the material. We're all here to learn. Praising effort, enthusiasm first.
Hey Don,
I would love to eliminate grades too! Oh how I would indeed. So not helpful to developing writers.
Laura
I began the year by asking students for full commitment and full effort. I told them that their effort would be noticed. I am also providing students will many options for how to study effectively. Not sure if my words have hit home yet but I am anxious to find out.
For some students in particular, I am giving praise for their effort. I think students really benefit from this type of praise.
One risk I took was to tell students they would never hear me say "you're so smart." I told them that I believe everyone in the class is smart--that is a (scientific) fact. I have caught myself a few times already. I feel its a great habit to get into.
1) With two weeks of classes behind us, what can you conjure from MINDSET about your own teaching practice that IS working for your students? Name it. Why is it working?
I'd like to think I have a flexible classroom, where kids are accepted at their level of maturity and ability and expected to do their best work from that vantage point. I've found MCDS kids generally accepting of each other and of a "growth" mindset. They are willing to read each otehr's writing with a critical eye yet with sensitivity towards differences.
2) Is there anything in your practice that MIGHT need some shifting for a student or group of students so that they can learn more fully what you are trying to teach? What would you shift?
I can be pretty fixed about deadlines and what I see as the essential skills that kids need to have, yet with all of the advances in technology, many of which I don't yet grasp, I need to be more flexible about incorporation new technology into my teaching ndseeing it as an opportunity rather than an intrusion.
3) Describe one risk you have taken in your classrom this fall with your teaching. If you have not taken any real risks yet, name one risk you can/will take in the next week that you can reflect on at next week's meeting.
All of the 7th grade curriculum and all of my students in 7th and
8th grade are new to me, so it feels like a great risk just starting my new job, but beyond that I seem to be taking risks every day. New writing assignments, working with new colleagues and students,etc. all require risk in terms of sublimating ego and having a willingness to take a risk that others may have a better idea of what I'm doing than I do!
1.) Although I feel like I was aware of this before, I'm more purposely conscientious about praising students' effort and engaging them in conversations about their own personal learning process and not just the product. An example from today: several students had to retake a quiz that they originally got 70% or lower on. Most students did significantly better, scoring 90-100%. But there were still a couple of students for whom Spanish has been hard traditionally who only did marginally better, scoring 60% or so. I tried to acknowledge their disappointment while still getting them to recognize that they did better and that, sometimes, learning is about taking two steps forward and one step back.
2.) I wonder about the discrepancy between the highest and the lowest achieving students. The challenge has always been: how do I balance those needs? Shift: different expectations for different students?
3.) Risk for the next week - slow down, teach ever more explicitly instead of teaching to how I personally learn best? Perhaps also letting go of some of the control that I feel I need to be effective - maybe experiment with watching some of the videos that come with the new textbook without feeling like I have to set them up beforehand, follow up with assignments afterwards?
'We need to make paradigm shifts' was a phrase I heard daily when I attended a six day seminar on Sustainability this summer. Whenever I hear this, my initial reaction is resistance. But having been at the tech conference before that, I realized that I had to shift some of my curriculum to accommodate the 'student of today', the student who is 'wired'. Consequently, I have initiated Ning, a form of social-networking, with my 7th and 8th grade students. The Ning is used by my students only and for English only. By doing this I have gone from feeling trepidation to experiencing joy. With it, however, comes the need for me to shift my assignments...to continually think about how whatever assignment I am thinking of can be revised to be a blog prompt that students can respond to.
The risk that I have taken this year so far is to create a schedule that calls for less set homework. This isn't really such a risk since I intend to replace my previous exercises with current event options dealing with the upcoming election. (The kids will also most likely embrace it so I am not risking much in that regard.)
1) I am continuing to work on incorporating more activities that cater to a wider variety of learning styles, as well as activities that have layers of levels, so advanced students are able to push themselves and weaker students are able to achieve greater success.
2)The passage about the difference between the behavior between girls and boys and the difference between the feedback both groups receive has made me more aware of how I am responding to my students. It is something I need to be more aware of and focus on, especially coming from an all girls' school background.
3) I have been using technology much more in the classroom, as well as using the class web page to enable my students to access resources for class more easily.
1) During family meetings I used mideset all the time to talk about PEL. I talked about how much HS are looking for kids who have a growth mindset without using those words. I pounded on the idea that PEL is all about pushing yourself to be your best self and that people who are life long learners are the ones who are truly successful and fulfilled. I said that that is more improtant to Ads than grades or test scores. they are the kids that tend to do the best in the process and are the most interesting kids to write for come recommendation writing season.
3) a risk I took was inviting HS placement counselors to a meeting so we could all bounce things off of one another. I thought that I wouldn't be a good facilitator of a group like this or that I might not have anythign intelligent to add to a group of people who have been doing this for so long. I found out I did have something to add, it did go well and it made me want to take risks like crazy. very gratifying!
Don,
I'm with you all the way to eliminate grades. tbc
I need to more actively address the learning differences of some of my students. Particularly the younger students are having difficulty being advocates for themselves in my classroom. They are shy, may feel isolated and may feel their abilities are inadequate to the challenge of 6th grade math. I need to continually reinforce the message that their abilities will grow this year through effort and commitment.
Written by Jamie M:
1) During family meetings I used mideset all the time to talk about PEL and high schools apps. I talked about how much high schools are looking for kids who have a growth mindset without using those words. I pounded on the idea that PEL is all about pushing yourself to be your best self and that people who are life long learners are the ones who are truly successful and fulfilled. I truly believe this and so it was an easy way to articulate what I have always believed. I believe and I told families that this is more important than grades and test scores. I think kids who have a growth mindset do better in the process and are mroe interesting kids to write about come recommendation season.
3) a risk I took so far this year was inviting HS placement counselors to a meeting so we could all bounce things off of one another. in the past I thought, I may not be a goof facilitator of a meeting like this, I may not have anything intelligent to add to a group of people who have been doing this longer than I have. well, I threw all of that out and decided that it would be more beneficial for me to push myself than to sit by and continue to be "safe" in my bubble of HS placement. now I have a community of people who do what I do, I found I did have something to add and I felt like I grew in a new way that made me want to takes risks all over the place at work.
Written by Curtis:
I loved reading this book. Of course, I felt the "fixed" mindset finger pointed at me numerous times not only in my teaching, but in my personal life. While I believe there are times when a fixed mindset has served me well, there are many areas where I would benefit from a "growth" minded approach.
Over the course of the first two weeks, I have launched in my 7th and 8th grades a NING page aimed at increasing collaboration and discussion amongst my students about math topics. I will also be implementing "voice thread" and tablet use in my class so that my students can both show how to solve a problem and tell me in words who they solved it. This is a whole new way for me to assess a student's underlying understanding.
Teaching techniques that have worked well for me so far have been both visual (daily agenda wheels) and various menomic devices during discussions of old and new material. I continue to learn how to move away from mere lecturing.
...I will, however miss the excitement in the 7th grade of the M&M Count & Crunch project this year:)
1. Although I have a general order and routine with the students, I am always improvising, adjusting the lesson to the dynamic and vibe of the classroom. In 6th grade I am about team building, trusting your fellow students, and allowing a project to fail or succeed collaboratively. Thinking, reacting and teaching with a flexible mindset.
2. I find that sixth graders, in particular, are learning the upper school 'language'. They are often about who can be 'loudest' and tend to not see the strength in teamwork. My task these first few months is to bring the individuals together, in 6th grade there are no soloists. And yet, I am also about the 'product'. This is an ongoing internal dialogue.
3. Every day there's a risk, perhaps calculated, but every time I introduce a new theory, a new assignment it evolves, it changes, it gets better (I hope). I am always fine tuning, and consequently, flying without a net.
Collective exploration leads to new insights and this in turn questions certain mindsets and allows for reflection and revision of a perceived mindset. It's a useful reminder for classroom learning.
Hi John,
I just read your post about making students feel more comfortable with new information and material and not expecting them to know everything. It is reminding me, as I review concepts from last year, to make sure they feel comfortable to ask questions and not to rush through concepts.
Thanks!
-Rachel
I have been making a push to talk to the kids about the idea that everyone can be an artist and that everyone can learn to draw, learn to see, learn to paint, etc. I tried started with a more open-ended project that didn’t involve judgment – the kids made a collage and then cut it up. (Build something up and then destroy it to find something new.) The intention was to break from the attachment to the product.
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