Many of us are two weeks into a new school year and with that comes the opportunity to think reflectively about what has worked and what hasn’t. Here are a couple of ideas that may help to create a positive learning environment and set the tone for the rest of the school year.
Have EVERY student create an IEP (Individualized Education Plan)
We understand that students who are accessing student services are legally entitled to an IEP, but wouldn’t it be useful if all students communicated their strengths and needs to their teachers? Not only might this be a great opportunity for teachers to get to know their students, but it would also eliminate the stigma of an IEP. Heck, I wish I could give some conference presenters my own IEP!
Foster a Growth Mindset
“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” Benjamin Franklin
Some students (many of whom have been told they are failures in school since Kindergarten) don’t believe that they can learn, that trying is futile. Undoing these beliefs takes persistence and a caring adult who genuinely believes every student in front of them can learn and who provides opportunities for growth and reflection.
So Teacher mindsets make a huge difference! Do we already pre-determine our students’ ability based on social, cultural, or genetic factors? Do we think we know in September which students will work at Level 4? Do we refer to a group of students as “My Level 2’s, Level 4’s?” If the research shows that Growth Mindsets contribute to student success, then our language and actions as teachers has to reinforce the belief that the students before us can and will learn as a result of our teaching.
And it works!! We told a group of grade 9 Applied students that they would be better readers at the end of the semester, worked hard to give them strategies, asked them to reflect on which strategies helped them to be better readers, and guess what? At the end of the semester, they not only thought it to be true, but they performed better on the post-diagnostic.
Check out this video:
This simple anchor chart shared on Twitter by @Principal_EL reminded me about how important it is to ensure that students really believe that they can become better readers, writers, creators, etc…
I would actually have students sort a few sentences that reflect one Mindset or another and then create their own anchor chart.
More information on Growth Mindsets:
Jo Baler’s work on Mindsets in Math
Brain Pickings Blog on Fixed vs. Growth Mindsets
You can even become a Mindset School.
ASK your students for Input and then LISTEN to what they say
In my experience, students who were able to choose their own reading, tended to be more engaged in the activities. So obvious but so often we dictate what kids read, when they read it, and what questions are important about the reading!
