Ch.2-3
- Have your classroom routines and procedures supported or hindered a culture of thinking? How?
- If you had to choose 1 or 2 of the 5 belief sets listed on page 42, which do you think could impact your classroom the most and why?
- In what was will you turn what you are reading so far into an action plan for next year?
I remember discussing (at one of our staff meetings or PD days) the use of pronouns "we" and "you" for example, and language that we use in the classroom. Referring to the students as "scientists" and "readers" and talking to the children as if they are already successful in those roles so that they see themselves taking on those roles in the classroom. After the in-service, I was more mindful to make sure that I was using this language, but often times, I found that I was not. This gave me a chance to be able to re-route my teaching and use these words where applicable, knowing that I need to work on these things. To be honest, when thinking about next year, I had inadvertently put that on the back burner, thinking much more about curriculum and new little faces. I want to remember to begin the year using language such as this right from the start, so that I am more used to it as I build cultures of thinking into my classroom for 2016-2017.
ReplyDeleteMy action plan for this school year is to be more cognizant of the language I am using with my students to actively engage them. Instead of saying "work" (Is your work done?), I can use "learning" (Where are you in your learning?) I can work to change from a "work-oriented" teacher. As I reflect on my own teaching, I often use phrases like "Are you finished?" or "what number are you on?" My plan is to shift my language to say "What have you done so far?", "What questions are coming up for you?" or "What does that tell you?". I am thinking that I may make a poster with these phrases to keep as a reference until it becomes more automatic and natural for me. In Chapter 3, Ritchhart spoke of not checking responses for correctness, rather engaging students in deeper understanding. Using questions like "What did you mean when you were saying....?" or one that I have recently been working hard to incorporate is "What makes you say that?" I also like his suggestion of noticing and naming --being more specific in my comments to students instead of just saying or writing "nice work" I can give them deeper feedback and specific goals to work toward. I can also use more pronouns like "we, us" "our". I already use phrases like "readers, writers, historians" etc to make students feel more a part of the learning. These are some things that I hope to work on this school year.
ReplyDeleteFIf I had to choose 1 or 2 of the 5 beliefs sets listed, I believe focusing students on learning vs. work and promotimg independence vs. dependence would be the most impactful. For example, we conduct literacy centers in first grade to focus on reading, writing, phonics, guided reading, etc. At times, it can feel like a lot of busy work rather than focusing on learning and truly understand phonics patterns, reading strategies, and so on. In order to promote the work being a 'means to an end, not an end in itself" it would be helpful if we offered more choices and options to learn and acquire new phonics, reading strategies, and spelling patterns. Often times, I find myself "monitoring the work, making sure everyone is on task and getting things done: 'Are you finished?'" I would love to change my approach to truly focus on the learning and spend time with the students observing and working with them, asking questions to uncover misconceptions and how their understanding is evolving. When the focus is more on learning and choices are given, I think this will also promote independence rather than dependence. When the work is too controlled, there definitely may be a "diminished enjoyment of learning" for some students. I want to help my students take control of their own learning and understanding. In order to make these belief sets impact our classroom, an action plan would be to change our approach to teaching guided reading, phonics, wall words, and such during literacy centers and provide more choices.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to choose one or two of the belief sets I would choose Teaching for understanding vs. knowledge and developing a growth vs. a fixed mindset. The reason I would choose these two is because I feel that these two have a lifelong impact in every aspect of a person's life.
ReplyDeleteBy the time children get to fifth grade, they have been exposed to millions of "Good Job" and "You are so smart" that they often do have the fixed mindset and often really believe that they are labeled and put into a certain category. I personally have seen this in my little sister. Growing up, she believed that she was good looking, but not as smart. (Which is totally untrue) but it has affected her to this day. When it comes to test taking, you often hear someone say "I am not good at standardized test taking" and this we hear from adults as well as children. What I really want to encourage in my class is for the children to believe in the old saying "If there is a will, there is a way!" I am a firm believer in this. I also use the old idiom, "We all put our pants on the same way." and I truly believe that if we encourage this understanding the children will realize that they can do it!
The other belief that I strongly believe affects us for a lifetime is the understanding verses knowledge. The whole point in attaining knowledge is to apply it which requires understanding. We can all google information so what our society and in particular our future leaders need is a way to take the knowledge and digest it, manipulate it and apply it. So they need to understand information and really be able to take on real world problems while applying what knowledge they have.
This year, a goal is going to be really focus on the development of a growth mindset of the students and to strive to develop the students application of the topics we are learning.
One of the belief sets that will be most impactful for the students I see is encouraging independence vs. dependence. Too often, I see students looking to me to be "rescued" when the task becomes difficult. Rescuing them will lead to dependence and will perpetuate student beliefs that they can't do it on their own. It will also cause a "lack of resilience when faced with difficulties and challenges" (pg. 55). Instead, it is important for me to promote independence so when students go back to their classrooms and are at home they are confident in their abilities and continue their learning, even if a teacher isn't working with them directly.
ReplyDeleteAnother belief set that will have a strong impact on my students is developing a growth vs. fixed mindset. Unfortunately some of the students I see (especially in upper elementary) have a fixed mindset - "I'm not a good reader." This breaks my heart every time I hear it and as discussed on page 56, "individuals who see talent, ability, and intelligence as fixed - that is, as something you either have or you don't - are much more likely to give up when they encounter difficulty and to judge their performance harshly." While working with my groups, I am going to make a conscious effort to make comments that focus on student efforts ("I'm noticing that as you push yourself, your reading just keeps getting better and better") rather than on abilities ("You're a really good reader"). My goal is to help students see the progress they are making so they continue to grow and develop.
I am very intrigued by the growth vs. the fixed mindset. As far back as I can remember, I have always had a fixed mindset. Growing up, I would give up when faced with a challenge. My natural tendency was to shy away from learning opportunities especially because I feared failure. To some extent I still have a fixed mindset, but I also realize how destructive this way of thinking can be. I challenge my beliefs on a daily basis to see these experiences as positive learning opportunities and possibilities for growth. Don't I want the same expectations for my students? I want them to believe that learning is a continual process, and mistakes are proof that we are trying. We will continue to build on our thinking and understanding to develop them over time. I am interested in trying the two activities suggested on page 60 that are designed to explore and develop students' growth mindsets. From my own experience, I will definitely continue to reflect on my expectations for the students and way I can encourage growth mindsets.
ReplyDeleteThe first belief set I think that would impact my classroom is focusing students on the learning vs. the work. They words used to describe one of the teachers in this chapter was order, clarity and predictability. They very well could have been describing me. I sometimes feel like I am guilty of running a work orientated class where we keep moving, stay busy and accomplish our tasks. I really want to focus on the learning this year rather than appearing busy, just for the sake of being busy.
ReplyDeleteThe other mindset I think could be very helpful for me is promoting independence vs. dependence. I had a very bright group of kids last year, but the majority were so afraid to take a risk and think outside of the box, that they would simply wait for implicit directions. The amount of questions answered in a 5 minute period was exhausting and I found it to be the same at every special they went to. Some of the downsides mentioned, such as lack of resilience and decreased creativity, were definitely true in my class. This year, I want to give more open-ended directions and not key hole them into a certain required outcome.
As I read these two chapters, some parts of which I have read more than once now, I begin to look at the ideas not just at how I can apply them within my classroom but within our school culture as well. Thinking about the belief sets and language moves that I can use when interacting with parents and other staff members is going to be as important to me as within my classroom. I hope to work with parents so that they can see the importance of developing a growth mindset in their child is so important as well as promoting their independence. One language move I plan to use to help in this is to refer to home work as home learning. Teaching them not to focus on getting it done but spending time to enhance and grow their own learning. Another goal I plan to set for myself is to utilize the language of praise and feedback more effectively by naming and noticing student effort, thinking, and goals to move them forward. I already do this internally but don't often enough take time and write it out for students and parents to read. I hope as my language and expectations become more routine it will help shape that culture of thinking in my students and their parents as well.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I too feel guilty about running a work oriented classroom. In my personal life I take great pride in accomplishing tasks. I love check lists and love it when I can say that I have finished blah blah amount of tasks in a day. With the amount of curriculum we are expected to complete in a school year I have caught myself pushing along to make sure that all the math chapters have been covered so the students are not behind for the next year. After reading this book earlier this year ( this was our book for my teacher lab) I realized that I was not doing a favor to the students by pushing along, but I needed to slow down the pace to focus on learning vs. work. Since I am a rule follower and "need to finish" this was not an easy task for me, but I did slow it down in science and realized that having the students secure in fewer concepts was much better than having a hazy idea of many concepts. This coming year I hope to take a closer look at the curriculum in general and hopefully be brave enough to slow it all down and focus on the important concepts. Also, I need to offer much more descriptive feedback to help the students with their learning vs giving the evaluative feedback at the end. I have given many suggestions for future work in the evaluative feedback, but I have been putting my effort at the wrong end. The students do not read the final comments, they just look at their final grade. I need to spend that time earlier in their learning.
ReplyDeleteOne of the beliefs thats I think could impact my teaching a great deal is the belief that teachers should focus more on learning rather than work. I think this is a belief I struggle with due to the fact that much of my own experience with school as a child and early on in my teaching career were those where "work" was prioritized over learning so it is difficult for me to change my mindset. However, I can definitely see the benefits of focusing more on learning and it something that I want to strive for. One idea that stood out to me was that of providing more "choice and options in the completion of assignments." (p. 45) For example, I could give students the option to choose among various technology tools to demonstrate their learning.
ReplyDeleteAnother belief that I think is important for my teaching is that of independence over dependence. First, as a matter of practicality, I need students to be independent in the library because there are many times when I am not able to help them. With few volunteers and only a part-time tech assistant, there are a lot of times that I am not able to give students individual attention. My goal is to give students tools to navigate the library on their own or to designate several students to act as "assistants" when I am unavailable to help someone. Second, in terms of technology, I have often found that it is not so much my knowledge of a program or computer hardware, but my willingness to problem solve and try out possible solutions that allows me to do what I am able to do with technology. Besides, technology is constantly changing so the better students are at working out problems on their own, the better off they will be for the future.
One of the belief sets I am eager to begin applying in my classroom is the learning vs. work. This will take effort on my part to encourage students that the learning is the priority, and for them to change their mindset as well. Students always want to know how much time they have to complete an assignment, how long it has to be, and what grade will they receive. I want to create our classroom environment where we are focused on what we can and have learned!
ReplyDeleteAnother belief set I want to apply continuously is the deep vs. surface learning, which can also be active vs. passive learners. Students will learn more and retain more if they are the active learners, participants, and teachers.
Encouraging independence vs. dependence
ReplyDeleteIn first grade, we expect more of our students and give them more responsibilities in routine tasks, so it would make sense to also encourage it with visible thinking. As teachers, we are naturally controlling. I am guilty of that one! And while the book sites that that type of instruction may not “hurt” the students, it does not foster their independent. I want my students to be intrinsically motivated to learn. Last year, when we completed VT routines, it was very excited when a student would come up with an idea or different thought on their own. It truly impressed me!
One of the bullet points that really stood out to me about the benefits of independence is the “Development of Lifelong Learners.” I often tell parents my goal as a teacher is for my students to be lifelong learners. I want my students to have the desire to learn after they leave my classroom, and even as they are adults! If the students are depending on me to give them information directly, they will never experience discovering new information for themselves- which is very rewarding!
If you had to choose 1 or 2 of the 5 belief sets listed on page 42, which do you think could impact your classroom the most and why?
ReplyDeleteIf I had to choose a belief set that could impact my classroom the most, I would choose promoting independence vs. dependence. I have found that many of my students rely on me, as the teacher to help them before they have even attempted to solve a difficult problem. Jumping in and helping them further leads to dependence. Consequently, it can also lead to “decreased motivation, creativity, lack of resilience with difficult problems, diminished enjoyment of learning and deterioration of problem solving strategies” (pg. 55). All of which do not promote learning. Instead of jumping in and helping the students right away, I believe that it is important to use those moments as teaching moments to help further promote and teach independence. First, I believe that teaching students to have confidence in themselves and take risks is important. Teaching students that it is ok to make mistakes and how to learn from those mistakes is very important. When students are able to attempt problems and recognize that it is incorrect, that demonstrates learning and understanding. By teaching students how to respond to that instead of immediately asking for help further promotes independence. When students are independent, it leads to resilience, openness and willingness, greater motivation, engagement, ownership and lifelong learners (pg. 55). This could impact my classroom and learning positively and lead to deeper understandings. Moreover, it would promote confidence and allow for deeper more meaningful conversations. Consequently, it would also provide me with more time to further work with students instead.
If I had to choose 1 belief to implement first that would impact my classroom the most would be the first belief, Focusing Students on the Learning Vs. the Work. The idea stated by Ron Ritchhart on page 43 of work is the reason I would want to start with this belief. “The metaphor of work-learning as work, students as workers, and classrooms as workplaces-is well entrenched in our notions of schooling and education” (2015). I feel that parents put this idea on their students when they enter school and then this idea transfers into homework. I have found that many parents feel that learning only is happening when ‘work’ is being done, as if learning has to be hard or a struggle. In addition, if I addressed this belief first, it would help to create more independence for learners. The idea of work is that of completion and in a classroom of dependent learners, the work is not done for themselves but for someone else. Ron Ritchhart states (2015), “the focus becomes completing work, getting it done and over with, and possibly pleasing the superior”(p. 44). In a first grade classroom, students constantly want praise and verbal affirmation for their artwork, for their tasks, for their kindness. Targeting learning as the focus verses the work would be a good first step in order to help first graders see themselves as independent. Also, this would help first graders feel less dependent of the 'superior'.
ReplyDeleteThe belief set that would have the biggest impact on my classroom would be developing a growth mindset vs. fixed mindset. The ability for students to learn from their "mistakes" is such an important part of growing and maturing as an individual. Setbacks can be difficult for students to overcome. However, learning from those setbacks can be a more important piece to understanding than if the setback didn't happen in the first place. In life, there are many setbacks, challenges and obstacles. The ability for an individual to overcome those and not be deterred is a life lesson I hope my students begin to understand.
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