Growth Mindset - a Re-post

Do you have a growth mindset?  
Do your students have a growth mindset? 
What exactly IS a growth mindset?

Many of us grew up believing we were either "good" at something (like English or Social Studies), or "not good" at something (like Math or Science). Some people just had more intelligence or talent than others, right? We worried about getting good grades, meeting the expectations of others, and avoided anything that might look or smell like failure.

Then came the idea that if we could just tell ALL kids they were ALL wonderful, they would all BE wonderful! Their self-image would be strong, their confidence would be high and they would naturally succeed. 

But we now realize that some failure is good for the soul; learning how to fail and then move on to try again, to develop perseverance - to get "GRIT" - may be the best way to help students develop a love of learning and a resilience that will help them achieve their goals. When children believe that hard work and commitment can make a difference, that they can become more talented and smarter through their learning process, they feel empowered and thrive on challenge.

Just making a few tweaks in the way we talk to and respond to our students can make a big difference in whether they develop a "fixed mindset" or a "growth mindset".  Interested?

Check out Carol Dweck's TED talk on this issue.

You can also listen to the NPR Story on Growth Mindset that inspired this post.Go

BLOOM'S DIGITAL TAXONOMY

It is hard to believe, but it has been over sixty years since the publication of Taxonomy of Educational Objectives which were devised "to improve communication between educators on the design of curricula and examinations."(1) Teachers have been using this model to inform instruction based on the levels of thinking, learning and understanding named after Benjamin Bloom. He was actually the chair of the committee that set out to classify learning objectives.

In the 1990's work was done to create a revised edition of Bloom's taxonomy, where the levels were renamed and changed to: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, Create (rather than Synthesize). But even that revision is now almost twenty years old, a long time in our rapidly changing educational environment.

Many believe that the time has come for the next major revision to include the digital world where most of today's students live and learn. Commonsense Media states, "This updated version aims to expand upon the skills associated with each level as technology becomes a more engrained – and essential - part of learning."

For a fascinating look at the proposed new model and to see how it might inform your instructional strategies, watch this short video --> BLOOM'S DIGITAL TAXONOMY




(1)Bloom et al. 1956, p. 4: "The idea for this classification system was formed at an informal meeting of college examiners attending the 1948 American Psychological Association Convention in Boston. At this meeting, interest was expressed in a theoretical framework which could be used to facilitate communication among examiners.

Share with your students' parents

As we are moving through our Digital Citizenship curriculum during Media Rotation time, students may want to talk about situations involving the use and abuse of technology devices. This is an excellent article (click on the title link) to share with your students' parents, especially if they have questions or concerns about the increasing use of technology in their children's lives. And, as always, feel free to direct them to me if that is more comfortable for you. 

Parenting in the Digital Age by klbeasley

Zero Talent

Strong School Libraries Build Strong Students

Why Education Must Change

I spent two days at the Christa McAuliffe Tech Conference in Manchester last week, and left each day with my head spinning from ideas, resources, strategies, philosophies, discussions, tips, techniques and plans. There was so much to see, hear about, talk about, play with, explore and consider. It has taken some time to digest, analyze, synthesize and reflect on the experience. But oh - did I learn new things! I felt both tired and exhilarated at the end of each day, and it was a great feeling.

It occurs to me that this is the kind of learning experience we want our students to have. We want them to open their minds, consider the possibilities, get curious enough to want to know more. We want them to use all their senses when presented with a big idea. We want them to feel good about learning, and take ownership of their education.
Of course, this takes a lot of planning - the Conference Committee started creating this experience for us last year as soon as the 2015 Conference ended. But it could be and should be part of our planning to set up a learning environment that engages our students on many different levels whenever and wherever possible. 

Several of the keynote speakers talked about the huge changes in education in the 21st century.
You may be interested to see and hear Jennifer Fox speaking about this topic as one of the keynote speakers at the CMTC:

Click here:
Jennifer Fox Keynote Speech: Why Education Must Change

Published on Dec 3, 2016

Why K-12 Education Must Change

"The next 10 years will dramatically change our lives and almost everything in it. The rise of robots, advancements in computers, global competition, the economics of the environment (among other developments) will make skills training in most fields, with a few exceptions, obsolete at ever quickening rates. We know that the only way for people to live meaningful and fulfilling lives is to receive an education. But it cannot be the kind of education we are used to. We have to stop teaching the curriculum and start teaching the individual – each individual, every single individual, and teach them as individuals, with unique interests, abilities and strengths. And what we teach them will have to be uniquely human as increased automation will cause the mass disappearance of traditional jobs. We are headed into a world where creativity and innovative thinking will be more valuable than rote learning of any depth. Our educational system must embrace art, teamwork, leadership, empathy, and the deeper aspects of human life and society as core curriculum in order for us to thrive."

Solving the Mystery of ...

blogs.msdn.microsoft.com

You may know that "Skype" has become a verb, defined as "to have a spoken conversation with (someone) over the Internet using the software application Skype  frequently also viewing by webcam." For example, when asked what she did over the weekend, a first grader recently answered, "I skyped with my grandma." Skype has changed how people communicate over long distance, and it has tremendous implications for educational use, such as:

• Skype visit with an author 
• Use Skype for a virtual field trip
• Enhance research by holding a Skype with a professional or expert on a particular topic

Recently, educational Mystery Skypes have become very popular and having done one, you will want to do more! I conducted a Mystery Skype toward the end of last year and I can't wait to get started again this year. I would love to have the opportunity to work with YOUR class to do a Mystery Skype by connecting with another classroom somewhere in the world (or right next door). 

Here are two ideas to pique your interest:

• Mystery Geography Skype: each class prepares a set of questions designed to narrow down the location of the other class. Using maps, an atlas and good inquiry strategies, students try to guess where the other class is skyping from using the least amount of guesses. 
• Here is what Genia Connell says on the Scholastic website: "When we first began, I quickly realized that my students’ knowledge of our own state, let alone other states in our country, was not where it needed to be. I cringed as they confidently looked into the camera and answered that our state, Michigan, bordered an ocean, was in the central time zone, and did not border Indiana. Oh, my. We had some meaningful map lessons and discussions after those Skype sessions. At our last Mystery Skype session, I noticed my students adeptly running their dry erase markers up the Mississippi River, dividing the country into time zones and asking about mountain ranges like the Cascades and Sierra Nevadas — which they didn't even know existed when we began. And best of all for me? They confidently answer questions about our own state correctly (most of the time)!" Genia Connell

• Mystery Number Skype: each class secretly chooses a number between say, 1 and 20. Using yes or no answers, one class tries to guess the number the other class has chosen. As the students figure out which numbers are eliminated, they cross them off a list, or erase them off a whiteboard. Higher level questions can eliminate several numbers at once, such as "Does the number have a curved line?"

         Kathy Cassidy says she loves Mystery Number Skypes because:

• My students are writing the numbers to get ready. Purposeful practice.
• Everyone is learning at their own level, whether that student is still learning to write the numbers, is struggling to distinguish between 11 and 12 (why do those pesky numbers not follow the ‘teen’ rule?) or is formulating questions that eliminate lots of possible numbers. We can all participate in the same activity, but the learning is differentiated.
• While we are discussing numbers, my students are learning that other children far away are learning the same things as they are. This is a big step in global awareness.
• My students are learning one more way to use technology to help them to reach their learning goals. This kind of digital literacy is important for children growing up in an online age.  Kathy Cassidy

So - are YOU ready to try a Mystery Skype? 

List your ideas or questions in the comments below,

or email me for more information.

Let's get Skyping!

Growth Mindset

Do you have a growth mindset?  
Do your students have a growth mindset? 
What exactly IS a growth mindset?

Many of us grew up believing we were either "good" at something (like English or Social Studies), or "not good" at something (like Math or Science). Some people just had more intelligence or talent than others, right? We worried about getting good grades, meeting the expectations of others, and avoided anything that might look or smell like failure.

Then came the idea that if we could just tell ALL kids they were ALL wonderful, they would all BE wonderful! Their self-image would be strong, their confidence would be high and they would naturally succeed. 

But we now realize that some failure is good for the soul; learning how to fail and then move on to try again, to develop perseverance - to get "GRIT" - may be the best way to help students develop a love of learning and a resilience that will help them achieve their goals. When children believe that hard work and commitment can make a difference, that they can become more talented and smarter through their learning process, they feel empowered and thrive on challenge.

Just making a few tweaks in the way we talk to and respond to our students can make a big difference in whether they develop a "fixed mindset" or a "growth mindset".  Interested?

Check out Carol Dweck's TED talk on this issue.

You can also listen to the NPR Story on Growth Mindset that inspired this post.

Now think again - Do you have a growth mindset?  What are the things teachers said to you when you were in school that made a difference?  PLEASE comment - we'd like to know!

Cool Concept Mapping on BrainPop

Don't you just LOVE BrainPop Jr.? The more I use this resource, the more I admire how well developed it is for educationally sound and student-engaging material. Annie is the ever curious child who both learns and teaches her robot friend Moby. He doesn't always quite understand new concepts but Annie has a way of making her explanations both simple and complete.

We have all used the "Hard Quiz" and "Easy Quiz" features, along with "Pop a Joke" and "Word Wall". Perhaps you have explored the "Activity" "Belly Up" or  any of the other features that support learning.

But note that there is a NEW feature called Make-a-map that you should definitely check out!

Make-a-map is a timely addition to the features selection because it allows you and your students to create Concept Maps that will add a visual component to both learning and assessment.

Let's suppose you are doing a research project or classroom unit on Butterflies. You already know that BrainPop, Jr. has a great movie and supporting features on this topic. But now, you can PAUSE the movie, take a snapshot and drag it into your concept map. Within the concept map, if you click on the snapshot it will play just that part of the movie! You can go to WORDs and drag any of the important words or vocabulary into your concept map. You can create your own ovals or rectangles to enter text. You can choose from applicable images to add to the concept map. And of course, you can change text, shape, color, lines, arrows and more to customize your concept map to further define ideas.

Here are two examples of concept maps I created from the Butterflies topic and movie:

Here I clicked on the little camera in the movie to take screenshots and drag them into my concept map. Note the PLAY button on each of the images.



Here I pulled in some of the vocabulary words to add to my concept map:

As we begin to implement some of the Keys to Literacy components, take advantage of the new slate of lesson plans and features that BrainPop, Jr. has to offer. 

Want to know more? "POP" in and ask me - I'm always happy to help.

Did you find a great feature or have an idea to share about BrainPop, Jr.? Share it in a COMMENT below!

Chromebooks in the K-2 Classroom?

YES!

Students at Underhill School have a new tool for learning - chromebooks!
Our mobile cart holds enough chromebooks to provide every student in a class with their own educational device. Chromebooks are practically made for our youngest students, and in her blog post on Daily Genius, titled "Technology, Learning, and Chromebooks in the Elementary Classroom" Avra Robinson explains why it is so important to include K-2 students when providing technology tools: 

"Providing access to more than just apps, Google Chromebooks are the perfect tool to build the foundation for technology success in young students. Throughout my years as a K-8 technology teacher & coordinator, many people have asked me what Kindergartners, first graders, and second graders might truly do with computers in the classroom. As students reach the intermediate grade levels, it is easier for people to imagine what they will do with technology. They will utilize word processors to write essays; they will construct videos to demonstrate knowledge; they will work within a spreadsheet to collect and analyze data. But our little people in kindergarten, first, and second grade are often overlooked when it comes to 1:1 technology, or tablet devices are often seen as the only option.

Many people fear that computer usage in the early elementary years consists of just “playing games” and want to limit the “screen time.” However, it has been my experience that technology is no different from reading, writing, and math. There are building blocks and foundations that need to be constructed in order for students to become capable, efficient, and effective users of technology.

Young children are sponges. They come to life with the use of technological tools. They easily adopt new technologies as quickly as toddlers develop language skills. Their inhibitions are low, and their interest is high. So when the question of 'What purpose would Chromebooks serve in the Kindergarten, first, or second grade classroom?' is asked, the answer is easy. They’ll use it as another tool for learning."

Take a moment to read the entire post here:

technology-learning-and-chromebooks-in-the-elementary-classroom/

What ideas do you have for how your students can use chromebooks in the classroom?  

Leave a comment and let us know!

Hour of Code

On December 14th and December 16th, Underhill School first and second graders will have the opportunity to explore coding with the support of Mrs. Overmeyer, Mrs. Tremblay, 
Mrs. Landsman and Mrs. Heuer. 

We are excited to be joining the "Hour of Code" Community!

For more information, check out code.org   

The following is excerpted from code.org:

 What is the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics. 

Who is behind the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code is organized by Code.org, a public 501c3 non-profit dedicated to expanding participation in computer science by making it available in more schools, and increasing participation by women and underrepresented students of color. An unprecedented coalition of partners have come together to support the Hour of Code, too — including Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the College Board.

How much can one learn in an hour?

The goal of the Hour of Code is not to teach anybody to become an expert computer scientist in one hour. One hour is only enough to learn that computer science is fun and creative, that it is accessible at all ages, for all students, regardless of background. The measure of success of this campaign is not in how much CS students learn - the success is reflected in broad participation across gender and ethnic and socioeconomic groups, and the resulting increase in enrollment and participation we see in CS courses at all grade levels. Millions of the participating teachers and students have decided to go beyond one hour - to learn for a whole day or a whole week or longer, and many students have decided to enroll in a whole course (or even a college major) as a result.

Besides the students, another "learner" is the educator who gains the confidence after one hour that they can teach computer science even though they may not have a college degree as a computer scientist. Tens of thousands of teachers decide to pursue computer science further, either attending PD or offering follow-on online courses, or both. And this applies to school administrators too, who realize that computer science is something their students want and their teachers are capable of. 

Above all, what all participants can learn in an hour is that we can do this.

Kahoot!

Okay, so I have come across a great tech tool and I want to share it with EVERYONE! 

I could tell you about it, but Richard Byrne did a great job explaining KAHOOT in his most recent blogpost from Practical Ed Tech:

"Kahoot! is currently my favorite tool for creating and playing quiz games. I’ve yet to show it to a group of teachers who didn’t like it. And, more importantly, kids love playing Kahoot games! Kahoot provides a fun way to gather feedback from a group through their phones, iPads, Chromebooks, or any other device that has a web browser and an Internet connection. You can include pictures and or videos as part of each question that you create and share in a Kahoot activity. Players are awarded points for answering correctly and quickly. Kahoot makes it easy for teachers to create review games."

The best thing about Kahoot! is that it is easy for even our youngest students to use (color and shape coded answer buttons - see image above), and most importantly - it is fun and engaging (even for the grownups)! It is a quick way to assess learning, find out what students already know, or take a survey. Instant visual feedback makes responses immediately available, and students can see how graphs are a meaningful way to measure information.

Interested?  

Take a look at the screenshots below. 

When you are ready to learn more, go to the 

website and check it out - for FREE!

Kahoot! https://getkahoot.com

More information about Kahoot!

Why Kahoot is one of my favorite classroom tools

Basic Tutorial on using Kahoot! (Youtube)

Review of Kahoot! from Graphite (Commonsense Media)

I would welcome the opportunity to Kahoot! with your class! 
Let me know if you would like assistance.

All images are from kahoot.com

Why Kids Read

These kids were asked why they read...and their answers are
magical. 


Click here to watch:              Why Kids Read

"I like to read ENDLESSLY. I don't like to stop."

"I read whenever I can. I read in the car - I'm not supposed to because supposedly it affects your eyes. But I eat a lot of carrots, so that's my justification."

Summer Professional Reading

One of the perks of summertime is the chance to catch up on professional reading. I follow several people on their educational blogs, through twitter, and rss feeds. This reading recommendation came up recently via Edutopia on Facebook.  

Something Digital 

Ross Cooper

Supervisor of Instructional Practice K-12, Salisbury Township School District

I have to admit that I was hesitant to read Digital Leadership by Eric Sheninger, as the word "fluff" is what usually comes to mind when I think of books related to educational technology. To find the most current information, it would seem more practical to search blogs, website articles, Twitter, etc. Nevertheless, this book is anything but fluff, and it certainly is up to date. Sheninger, a former high school principal who has emerged as a thought leader in this age of digital leadership, has written a book that can serve as inspiration and an effective starting point for administrators and/or teachers who have realized that they must either infuse their practice with more progressive techniques, or entirely revamp their work to provide students with more contemporary and relevant learning experiences. Sheninger's work is valuable because he writes with a tone that is confident, passionate, and convincing. After reading this book, it would be difficult for anyone to argue, "He's completely wrong," or "This wouldn't work in our district.

Check out more professional reading recommendations from Edutopia.

Ross Cooper

Supervisor of Instructional Practice K-12, Salisbury Township School District

FOLLOW:

https://www.facebook.com/RossCoops31https://twitter.com/RossCoops31https://plus.google.com/+RossCooperEducation/postshttp://www.youtube.com/c/RossCooperEducationhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/rosscoops31

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Summertime...and the Reading is Easy

What does summertime reading look like for you?
Does it conjure up an image of reclining in a lounge chair with a stack of books just waiting to be enjoyed? Are you swinging gently in a hammock and falling into a doze with a book open to the last sentence read? Are you one of those lucky people who can read in a car for hours and not feel even slightly nauseous? Perhaps you plan to sit in a favorite chair with an ice cold drink, a snack and a book that you have time to read cover to cover.

Reading in the summertime is different than any other time of year. We give ourselves permission to read those "light" books (romance? zombies? the next in a series?) that we feel guilty spending time on during the school year. We have time to think about what we are reading, and some of us can't imagine sitting on the beach or next to a pool without a book ready to open.  Rereading a perennial favorite is always a nice way to slide back to a different time and place with an old friend.

Maybe some of us will choose to finally read a classic that has been on our list for years. If you are in a book club of any kind, summertime reading is when everyone shares their personal favorites and begin to think about next year's list. Some people take the opportunity to look at the "Top Ten" lists and choose something completely different.

Whatever summertime reading looks like for you, I hope you find the right place, enough time and a well-written book to take you away for a moment or two (or five).  We tell children to "read, read, read" all summer long; now is our chance to do the same. Here are some links that might help you along the way:

Gibson's Bookstore in Concord Staff Favorites List

NY Times Cool Books for Hot Days

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading List

Real Simple Summer Reading List

Oprah's (yes, Oprah) Book List

Let us know what YOU are planning to read in the COMMENTS section below!

Libraries in the Internet Age

I love the people at Common Craft. I follow their blog to keep up with what is new and trending in a variety of areas: economics, technology, social media and more. The best part is their "explainer videos" and despite the fact that they look simple, they really help you grasp big concepts. This one, of course, is near and dear to me. Please take a moment to check it out! Common Craft Blog Posted: 31 Mar 2015 10:10 AM PDT Click here to view our  New Video: Libraries in the Internet Age We’ve released a new video and it’s not an explanation of hot new technology. In fact, it’s easy to assume that this subject hasn't changed in 100 years. Our new video is about libraries, and specifically, how they have evolved in the Internet Age.  Many of our wonderful supporters are libraries and librarians. In talking with them, we discovered that one of the biggest challenges they face is one of perception.  To many, libraries are relics. In the age of Google, Amazon and Wikipedia it’s easy to think that libraries haven’t changed; that they are from a by-gone era. But the truth is, they have evolved and this video explains how and why. It teaches: Why information is the real focus of every library How the Internet has impacted libraries Why more information isn’t always better How libraries and librarians help us navigate information What you are likely to find in libraries today Did you watch it?  What do you think?   Post a comment and share your thoughts!

Generation Z to Generation Alpha

Following are excerpts from:  How Generation Z Works by Lance Looper

They are your sons and daughters. They populate your neighborhoods, their thumbs spastically banging out two-way conversations composed entirely of over-punctuated and under-constructed sentences. They may even work for you. Eventually, you will work for them.

This is Generation Z, and they have never known a world without the Internet, cell phones or iPods.

Experts disagree on when exactly Gen Z begins. Some argue that the inaugural members were born as early as 1991 and as late as 2001 [sources: Hawkins, Schmidt], while others contend that anyone born after 1995 is part of Gen Z [source: Walliker]. What is not in dispute, however, is what sets this generation apart from any that came before, and that's the unique era in which they are being raised. This group, which today ranges from 11 to 20 years old, has lived their entire life with instant access to mountains of data on any topic that flutters through their imaginations. They've never known the frustration or sheer physical effort of rifling through the M-O volume of the encyclopedia to find out about the Magna Carta. They're technologically savvy and just as likely to spend their time writing and programming video games as simply playing them.

But they're also coming up in a world shaped by 9/11, Columbine and the War on Terror. They have a sense of social justice, philanthropy and maturity that comes with growing up during one of the most severe economic recessions in history.

Things change faster than anyone realizes, and they rarely go back. Educators are on the front lines of the Gen Z migration into adolescence, and they recognize that this group is different. One of the challenges the constant flow of information presents is that when tasked with solving a problem, today's students look for the quick answer rather than work toward solving the problem on their own. Their instinct is to pursue speed instead of accuracy [source: Hawkins].

Maybe the biggest hurdle facing teachers is that they're not on their home turf. They've had to learn technology as it was developed, experiencing these advancements as they happen while their students are "digital natives," meaning they've been raised in an environment where every piece of technology is intuitive, logical and mature.

Kids today have little need to await direction. They can access whatever information they need relatively freely and that information is usually enough to base a decision on. Where previous generations had to rely on a parent or teacher or supervisor to explain something, Gen Z isn't bound by those constraints and can access the info they need when they need it and get to work.

In the workplace, they're going to expect flexibility. When baby boomers entered the workforce, working for the same company their entire career was a barometer of success. Gen Z is going to have little interest in being a desk jockey for 40 hours a week [source: Page]. Instead, they'll view themselves as professional, permanent freelancers. They will swoop in with their particular expertise (they'll all be an expert in something), collect their bones and be off to the next project. At least that's how they see themselves.

Finally, they're going to be smart -- smarter even than previous generations, argue some. Their ability to process massive amounts of information quickly is actually preparing them to perform more mentally demanding jobs. In effect, an entire generation is training itself to handle more complicated tasks [source:Trunk].

So take heart. While they may seem like self-centered prima donnas now, there is reason to believe that today's kids will have both the intelligence and sense of social responsibility to contribute in ways that will outlast their ridiculous haircuts.

*Today's K - 2 students: The Alpha Generation

According to social researcher Mark McCrindle, the name was selected because, just as in science, once the Latin alphabet was exhausted they moved on to Greek letters. “This generation is likely to be the most formally educated in history. They will begin schooling earlier and study for longer.” Brought up in an era of information overload, they are expected to be even more tech-savvy and materialistic than their predecessors, Gen Z. 

*Excerpt from:  http://www.readersdigest.co.nz/the-next-generation