Mindset

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.”

Mindset —
A couple years ago I took an online class from Jo Boaler, an incredible Stanford Math professor, about how students learn math. One of the things I learned from her was that I needed to change my mindset on how students learn. Mindsets frame what is going on in our minds. There are two mindsets. A fixed mindset or a growth mindset. The research Carol Dweck has done teaches us that a fixed mindset is an internal monologue focused on judging. A growth mindset has an internal monologue, but it is focused on implications for learning and constructive actions. The trick is to find what situations we use which mindset with and change the internal monologue from a judging one to a growth-oriented one. How does this apply to what we do here at school? How can a growth mindset change the way we teach, learn, and work with students? Curriculum? Student Engagement? Homework? Planning? Working within teams? Coke vs. Water (Anita, this ones for me). How does this apply to us? If you were able to go to the Insurance Presentation a few weeks ago, our presenter also talked about the Power of Mindset and how it applies to our daily lives. Tammara posted the presentation if you want to watch it. A growth mindset helps us to become a learner rather than a non-learner. Our school is full of growth mindset teachers. Full of learners.

Quote I’m pondering —
"Astrophysicists assure us the universe has no center. Therefore you cannot be it.” - David McCullough, Jr.
This one usually keeps me grounded. Usually.

What I’m watching —
Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration
One of my favorite Music Videos… about the American Revolution. I taught 5th grade for 10 years and it was fun to play this for the students after learning about the American Revolution and have them understand what they are talking about. And it’s just fun to watch Ben Franklin shredding on the guitar.

Favorite Website This Week —
schoology.washk12.org
This is the Learning Management System the district has bought into… and it is amazing. I just learned (thank you Kristen) that each student at Dixie Sun has an account, and we can use it to our hearts content. So I will be using it with teachers here and there for discussions we will have as a faculty. If you are unsure what a LMS is, many of you used Canvas it in college. Canvas is a LMS and is similar to Schoology, but not a good. Some schools use it in grades 3-5, but there are schools that use it K-5. It can be powerful. To sign in (all teachers have an account) sign into your school email account. Open a new tab and go to the link above. It should sign you in automatically. If it doesn’t, use your email and password. Look around. If you are interested, we will play and learn about it. Enjoy.

A Big Thank You —
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade you deserve a big thank you for your hard work on the GVC’s/Learning Targets. Fourth and Fifth really made some big breakthroughs that will help when planning curriculum. Third narrowed down their focus with their GVC’s/Learning Targets. What we are doing with curriculum is not easy work. It can be downright painful at times. I really appreciate the hard work and willingness to dig deep and work through what is really needed in our curriculum. Instead of going an inch deep and a mile wide, you are digging deep with each concept and building a great foundation of learning. I know it has seemed like a long process to get where you are. I hope you will be able to see that is will make your schedule a little easier to manage. Thank you for your hard work and willingness to do great things. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your willingness to work with Annette this week. She has amazing things to share. Have a wonderful weekend.