Y'all---- I don't even know where to start. I'm going to be real and tell you that I was totally overwhelmed the first part of the week. I totally felt like the hamster in the wheel. By Thursday though I felt I had my mojo back thanks to our wonderful school community. Thank you again for helping with the feedback. We all need it to get better. For our first 30 days, I would say our areas to work on (staff and campus wide) are minimal and fixable. Many parents wanted playground items. Please take time to ask the kids what they would like to see. I want to research (feel free to do so as well) to find some STEMtastic playground items. I don't even know what that might be. Give me any ideas. Thanks for being awesome EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!
Learning Launch:
Chapter 2 of Innovator's Mindset
"We need to move beyond the idea that an education is something that is provided for us and toward the idea that an education is something that we create for ourselves"
WOW! What a concept.
This chapter talked about a fixed, growth, and innovator's mindset. He used an example of learning to play piano. With a fixed mindset the learner doesn't believe he or she has the ability to play the piano. A growth mindset is the learner who believes that, with hard work and practice, the opportunity to play the piano is within the realm of his or her ability. (And I love this... wait for it) The innovator's mindset takes the growth mindset a step further by focusing on using one's ability to learn to play the piano to CREATE music. (Side bar-- then there was me who was just really mad that my mom could play by ear and I absolutely cannot - so I had a complete false sense of playing the piano so when it took a huge amount of work for me-- it wasn't what I wanted to do so I quit. Now I wish I had stayed with it. I guess that's not having grit)
Isn't the difference between the mind sets fascinating?
Mr. Couros gave critical question for the innovative educator. Before you ask yourself these questions, I want you to think about the one student who is the toughest for you to love. The one that wears you out on a daily basis for whatever reason. You have this person in your head? Now I want you to answer these questions from that child's point of view. This would be a good thing to write down and reflect!
1. Do I like being a learner in my own classroom? Why or why not?
2. What is best for me as a learner? Do you know the best way for me to demonstrate my knowledge?
3. What is my passion?
4. What are some ways we can create a true learning community in our class? Everyone (including the teacher should assume the role of teacher and learner)
5. How did this work for me? Do you ever ask for my opinion/feedback on how things are going?
Innovation does not mean replacing everything we do, but we must be willing to look with fresh eyes at what we do and ask, "Is there a better way"?
Please leave a comment at hopefully an AHA moment as you answered these questions as that student in your class.
Have a fabulous week and make every moment count.
Week at a Glance:
Monday - inservice - let me know if you aren't sure where to go.
Tuesday - LION VICTORY means jeans and spirit shirt - No "Monday Meeting" this week & PTA membership kick off meeting @ 6 p.m.
Wednesday -
Thursday -
Friday - Red Ribbon Day - Team jersey & jeans / I will be leaving at 11 to go to a principal's conference for the weekend.
SK loves Rockets!
I taught in a Gifted and Talented classroom for a few years. Teachers and parents would always recommend their kids based on, "They are an out of the box thinker."
ReplyDeleteGeorge Couros introduced to me, "Innovation Inside the Box." As much as I consider myself a creative thinker, let's be real. We have parameters, constraints, and limits. It is so much more realistic to "think inside the box" and be creative and innovative whithin guidelines and still be able to "create something new"!
This is where I find myself since I have joined the world of the general education classroom. But, I will not stop being innovative in spite of constraints.
I am so blessed to be in a school where I get prime examples of teachers and school leaders who do this every day! Love y'all!!!
I loved reading about the different mindsets. I'm sure most of us have talked to our kids about having a growth mindset, but I have yet to talk to them about an innovators mindset- so we will do that :) When answering the questions from a students perspective in my room, it did make me realize that part of the things that annoy me could most likely be fixed if the learning had some component of his interests. I also like the question about asking for feedback from the students about their learning. I definitely want to be intentional about this.
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ReplyDeleteWOW! What a powerful set of questions to think about this week!! What really struck a chord with me was the statement,
ReplyDelete"Innovation does not mean replacing everything we do, but we must be willing to look with fresh eyes at what we do and ask, "Is there a better way"?" I will be intentional in sharing this message with my student scholars. Sometimes we just need to step back, reflect, take a deep breathe, pick ourselves up and make some tweaks along the way. This week's reading and reflection made me think of a famous line from history, "do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept." I feel so proud and honored to be taking this STEM journey with such dedicated, talented and caring educators, scholars, and student scholars. Thank you for allowing me to be a part in this Chapter of the First Days of STEM.
Well I couldn't get in to respond to last week's blog so I'm combining it with this week's response.
ReplyDeleteI loved the TED video too! (Did the "golden circle" remind anyone else of our PA unpacking circles?) LOL! As teachers we should always be striving to go from the inside out...from why to how to what. Isn't that why we plan (the what and how) with the end in mind (the why it's important)? And as far as what innovative things we do, I think most of us have to be innovative each and every year as we teach a new group of students...no two groups are the same...what worked well with one group may not work at all with the next...we have to look at everything through fresh eyes as we learn the passions of each student and how they learn best. And what a wonderful staff to enjoy this journey with! 🤗
As I reflect on this chapter and the whirlwind of a week I have had I am left with one nagging question, do I create a classroom that I would want to learn in? I struggled this week, but I hope that even in my struggles I am creating an environment in which my students can change their own mindset from what they think they are to what I know they can become.
ReplyDeleteI am witnessing first hand students fixed mindset in Math and I hope that even in the short time that I have them I can help them change their own thinking about what they are capable of achieving. I must never settle for what a student is and always look to what they can become. Growth is hard work, uncomfortable and sometimes seems impossible, but when you have a great support system you can take risk and grow. It has been a blessing to have such a great support system this week and I hope I am transferring that support to my students.
No matter what classroom I am in or what subject I am teaching I want to create a classroom that I would want to learn in and that my students want to innovate in!
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ReplyDeleteHopefully the 3rd time will be the charm. Lol!
ReplyDeleteSamantha, you are a blessing! That is my goal (TESS included) for them as well! I was prepared to start my Guided Math program on Wednesday, Sept. 27. All systems are in place. (Google Classroom was within 15 minutes of being completed to roll out that same day.) We have practiced the logistics of small group and work stations, so that transitions will be smooth and expectations of learning and productivity are clear. The work stations are differentiated to provide menus and options from which they can make choices (thus ownership) in their own learning. These options help meet the needs of all students, particularly THAT student who is hard to reach. Students have the choice in how they want to practice and apply the concepts being presented to create small projects. As I think of THAT student, I reflected on activities/projects he/she seemed to enjoy most and was willing to stretch. These are included in the program I have designed. Part of my plan this year is for them to research a need in their community and to design and create a project that will meet that need. I also have a project planned in which they will research and decide as a grade level on how to meet the need of a community across the globe. These projects will allow them to apply all of the math and science concepts they have learned to create solutions for those needs. My goal is that they will embrace the journey, experience how their knowledge can benefit others and the inner satisfaction that comes when we come together and work hard to meet a need outside of ourselves. I had just given a pre-program questionnaire to assess their attitudes and mindset toward Math. My goal is that through the experiences and projects created that they would move toward an innovative mindset. That they would LOVE Math, embrace the struggle and accept the challenge to apply the concepts they’re learning to their lives, their community and to create solutions for real-world problems. We’re in a place to create change for another generation. To quote John F. Kennedy, who was addressing these very issues in his day and seems to be much needed now, "And so, my fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country." That’s a mindset that can be fostered through the development of an innovative mindset.
I love this paragraph you left us with, “Innovation does not mean replacing everything we do, but we must be willing to look with fresh eyes at what we do and ask, "Is there a better way"?”
ReplyDeleteI feel like this whole year I have been in a whirlwind of “Is there a better way?” I’m trying to let go of the control and let my students lead! Slowly I feel like we are moving away from the fixed mindset, my just my students but myself as well.
I would say I would want to be a learner in my classroom. I try really hard to create a comfortable environment but one will they understand that there are learning expectations.
ReplyDeleteAs a classroom teacher I would say my passion is seeing my kids become independent learners. Seeing them be able to ask m for guidance and go attempt it on their own. I am really beginning to see it this year and I love it!
We have recently been incorporating song and dance in my classroom and I am a learner at really enjoying it. The students are quickly resiting the information so they are obviously taking it in and enjoying it.
Most recently I have been taking a survey after lessons (especially difficult ones) and asking their opinions and advice about how things could be different in our classroom. It’s great to have the feedback.
This week hasn’t been the best week for me to really reflect about things in my classroom. I love “is there a better way?” and have found myself asking myself that a lot this year. I have realized that I don’t have to recreate the wheel so to speak but there are a ton of ways to make my lessons better to reach all of my students. What I have really enjoyed is lesson planning ( I know y’all are thinking yeah right) and having the thoughts of “ oh I can STEMify this and use it more cross curricular! That has been exciting for me. I also love allowing my students to take more of a lead in their learning and teaching each other as much as I am teaching them. This whole process has been very inopening and I am enjoying the journey very much!
ReplyDeleteWould I want to a student in my classroom? I would say yes! I try each and everyday to reach every child, I make sure to greet them and discuss things with them on their level (I never had that before, teachers always stood above and talked down to me instead of face to face), and yes I do have that one (maybe two) students, but I am not giving up on them. That right there is why I would definitely want to be in my class. If I was having those issues I would not want someone to give up on me, I would want them to try and reach that child and solve the issues that they may be having even though I would be driving that teacher crazy. I also try to get my students to think of things "outside the box" and try to push them to their beyond their learning capabilities. I am so excited to be working with you ladies and coach on this journey with our students!!!!
ReplyDelete"The world we have created is a product of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking."
ReplyDelete-Albert Einstein
This is one of my favorite quotes and I think it fits perfectly with this weeks response (even thought this is my 7th attempt to post)....If we as teachers are not willing to become innovators ourselves by opening our minds to new and creative ideas to teach our students...even the difficult ones...then how are we to expect our students to open their minds and accept the new challenges we are constantly putting in front of them. The two go hand in hand.