During the Carol Dweck TedTalk I reviewed the idea of a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. A fixed mindset is when a student believes that they cannot improve or a student feels defeated by an assignment or problem before they even start working on it. A growth mindset is when a student believes that they can improve or a student feels challenged by an assignment or a problem but they are willing to work on it. Involved in the growth mindset is the idea of "not yet." The idea of using the words "not yet" to describe a student's learning is interesting and innovative. I will use it when I am talking with my students about their learning. Carol Dweck mentioned that the importance of praising the process and not the results. While I agree with her that the process is as important as the results much of our society gives more value to the results. How do we balance what is good for students with what society expects from them?
My final thought is that teachers would benefit from a growth mindset because the administration, school districts and state are always giving us new procedures, standards, curriculum and guidelines to learn every year.
Hi Alana,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you had a chance to view the New Tech agency rubric for 5th grade but I think the 2nd grade one would be more helpful. It is also in the folder from last week's class and I want to share with you the online link right here. https://32dkl02ezpk0qcqvqmlx19lk-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/NTN-Agency-Rubric-2nd-Grade-.pdf
2nd grade is the youngest grade they have but it is representative of the goals for students to be able to make decisions as learners and to be agents of their own learning paths.
I agree with you 100 percent that in early childhood students are definitely building capacity for independence and do require scaffolding and support and most of all, encouragement and opportunities for this work. In looking at the second grade rubric with your students in your current fall pbl unit where would you say most of them are? I like to use this rubric with early childhood as less of a student assessment tool and more of a planning reflection tool. I look at it to ask myself where along this trajectory are my students currently and what opportunities for this am I providing students to grow in this area. It always leads me to consider possibilities for my current and future pbl planning. I am glad that you found the Dweck Ted Talk compelling regarding growth mindset and your question of how do we balance what is good for students and what society expects...I think the answer depends on the transaction between the teacher's beliefs and experiences and her students. I also agree with you that our education system as a whole would benefit from a growth mindset. Thank you for considering the rubrics, the Ted Talk, and the possibilities I provided for personalized learning in this past unit.
Sincerely,
Dawn