Tuesday 26 January 2016

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom: Growth Mindset

WEDNESDAY'S WORDS OF WISDOM

"You have only FAILED IF YOU HAVE GIVEN UP, until then, it's LEARNING"

Carol Dweck researched "Growth Mindset" and she talks about the power of believing in that you can improve.  The power of the word YET or NOT YET allows the student to keep trying and not give up.

https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve?language=en



"If you have never failed.  You've never tried anything new."

Charles Schulz's,  Peanuts Comic Strip cartoonist became famous, however, in high school his work was rejected for the high school yearbook by the staff at his school.  If this stopped him he would never have become the famous cartoonist he became.As teachers and parents we should highlight the learning that happens through mistakes.  Students should be challenged and their accomplishments celebrated. Effort, practice and process should be praised not just the end result.



Growth Mindset with a Snoopy Theme.


GROWTH MINDSET WITH A SNOOPY THEME


I am so excited about the new resource I have developed.  I have used the Snoopy characters to help create a Growth Mindset Set to use in the classroom.   GROWTH MINDSET SNOOPYRIFIC SET is sure to develop a Growth Mindset with your students.

The Growth Mindset Snoopyrific Set includes:-


*POSTERS 

*FLY HIGH GOALS

*LEARNING POWER WORD WALL CARDS 

*SNOOPYRIFIC LEARNING with snoopy characters, awards and posters.

*SNOOPYRIFIC SKILL CARDS, QUESTIONS AND PHRASES.

I will be posting more information about this set and how it will be used in the classroom to develop a Growth Mindset with the students.  Here is a sneak preview of what is included in the set.

You can find this product on teacherspayteachers.com with the link below.














Tuesday 19 January 2016

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom:Growth Mindset.



WEDNESDAY'S WORDS OF WISDOM

GROWTH MINDSET

"No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you're still way ahead of everyone who isn't trying."
Tony Robbins



As Carol Dweck says in her pathbreaking book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, “If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. 
Professor Carol Dweck "Teaching a growth mindset" at Young Minds 2013.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXhbtCcmsyQ




Tuesday 12 January 2016

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom: Never Give Up!

WEDNESDAY'S WORDS OF WISDOM


"Never Give Up!"

Winston Churchill

(The Peanuts Movie)


"Snoopy rushed to his typewriter and began to write.The Flying Ace knew he could never give up on her.  He could never give up on himself."

(Blue Sky The Peanuts Movie - Schulz, Movie Novelization)
Chapter 20 : The Final Battle pg 123

Children will confront many challenges, some small and others big.  Research suggests that perseverance, the ability to stick with tough tasks, discipline, dedication as well as drive is linked to individual achievement more than talent. This has been also researched by Carol Dweck who found that children who had a growth mindset, who believed their successes are a result of their hard work were the achievers. The children with a growth mindset believed that the more you challenge yourself, the smarter you become.
Children need to understand that even geniuses must work hard.  They need to persevere through difficult tasks.  

The book "Mindset"by Carol Dweck from Stanford University outlines her research on achievement and success and her idea of the power of our mindset.


http://www.amazon.com/Mindset-The-New-Psychology-Success/dp/0345472322

Here are some of the reviews about the book...

Praise for Mindset

“Everyone should read this book.”—Chip and Dan Heath, authors of Switch and Made to Stick

“Will prove to be one of the most influential books ever about motivation.”—Po Bronson, author of NurtureShock

“A good book is one whose advice you believe. A great book is one whose advice you follow. I have found Carol Dweck’s work on mindsets invaluable in my own life, and even life-changing in my attitudes toward the challenges that, over the years, become more demanding rather than less. This is a book that can change your life, as its ideas have changed mine.”—Robert J. Sternberg, IBM Professor of Education and Psychology at Yale University, director of the PACE Center of Yale University, and author of Successful Intelligence

“If you manage any people or if you are a parent (which is a form of managing people), drop everything and read Mindset.”—Guy Kawasaki, author of The Art of the Start and the blog How to Change the World

“Highly recommended . . . an essential read for parents, teachers [and] coaches . . . as well as for those who would like to increase their own feelings of success and fulfillment.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“A serious, practical book. Dweck’s overall assertion that rigid thinking benefits no one, least of all yourself, and that a change of mind is always possible, is welcome.”—Publishers Weekly

“A wonderfully elegant idea . . . It is a great book.”—Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., author of Delivered from Distraction

Motivational Videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjP9r-HU4fk

"The Pursuit of happiness" with Will Smith



You can learn anything.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC82Il2cjqA

Khan Academy

The brain is like a muscle, the more you use it and struggle the more it grows.


Saturday 9 January 2016

Questions that Promote Critical Thinking and Problem Solving.



FREE PRINTABLE

QUESTIONS THAT PROMOTE CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

I have made a free printable for phrases and questions promoting critical thinking and problem solving.  You can download the printable at:-


https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Questions-and-Phrases-that-Promote-Critical-Thinking-and-Problem-Solving-2295494





Tuesday 5 January 2016

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom: Good teaching.



WEDNESDAY'S WORDS OF WISDOM





“Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers.”  

Josef Albers 

Questions are a powerful weapon to thinking.  If we ask questions that require a "yes" or "no" answer we limit the student.  Open ended questions require no right or wrong answer, however, open ended questions promote critical thinking and problem solving as well as encouraging discussion and language development.

Some examples of great phrases or questions to promote discussion are:-
Tell me about...
I wonder...
Show how you know...
Can you explain what you are thinking...?
What are you wondering...?
What questions do you have...?
What part is tricky...?
What would happen if...?
What did you notice...?
What did you learn...?
What do you already know that could help you...?
What would you do if...?
What are you visualising...?
What do you think...?
What strategies did you use...?
How did you come to that conclusion...?
How could you show that in another way...?
How could you draw/write about or demonstrate your thinking...?
How do you know...?
How can we...?


After working in a Preschool for 18 years promoting discussion and social interactions amongst the children was a high priority and required teacher reflection and daily planning.  The preschool program promoted the  project based approach and this approach allowed the children to come up with their own conclusions and the questions teachers asked promoted this.  Now working with K-6 children I continue to try to ask questions that allow students to discuss their thoughts openly.
Teachers and parents asking questions that promote thinking and discussion will benefit children immensely.