One of my favorite books of all times, Carol Dweck’s Mindset has changed my thinking in fundamental ways. If you’re going to read anything before the start of your school year (either as teachers or parents), read this one! Synopsis At first glance, Dweck’s Mindset appears to be a pop-culture self-help book. Don’t be fooled. … Continue reading Book Review: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck
From the Compost Pile: Grading & Progress Reporting
One of the richest sources of potential growth as educators can come from our mistakes, struggles, regrets, less-than-satisfactory performance, and failures. According to Carol Dweck hard work can lead to success and failures and setbacks are opportunities for learning and growth. From the Compost Pile posts chronicle some of these growth potentials from my own… Continue reading From the Compost Pile: Grading & Progress Reporting
Dear Parents: Please Stay Positive
Dear Parents Series: I’m introducing another series called, “Dear Parents,” where I discuss ideas and topics from my perspective as a former teacher to parents of school-aged children. My hope is that it will help teachers and parents have more understanding toward, greater respect for, and a better working relationship with one another. With that… Continue reading Dear Parents: Please Stay Positive
The Fallacy of “Make-and-Take”
Transitioning from being a classroom teacher to working with classroom teachers in a professional development capacity was eye-opening for me. I’ve learned that most teachers are dedicated and passionate about growing professionally in order to better support student learning. I’ve also come to realize that we love “make and take.” What do I mean by… Continue reading The Fallacy of “Make-and-Take”
From the Compost Pile: Introduction
I am convinced that one of the richest sources of potential growth as educators can come from our mistakes, struggles, regrets, less-than-satisfactory performance, and failures. My encounter with Carol Dweck’s research on motivation my first semester in the doctoral program at Curry was a pivotal moment, personally and professionally. I’ll be posting a book review… Continue reading From the Compost Pile: Introduction
A System of Best Practices: Safe & Supportive Learning Environments
Your personal trainer has gone to great lengths to design a health and fitness plan that will bring you to a place of physical health that you have never experienced before. You have interesting and meaningful work ahead of you. You can see the relevance in each exercise you must do. Now imagine you begin… Continue reading A System of Best Practices: Safe & Supportive Learning Environments
A System of Best Practices: Proactively & Intentionally Planning for Student Learning
The analogy of the fitness goals and personal trainer experience aptly captures the essence of planning proactively and intentionally for student learning. Once your personal trainer had a clear sense of your goals and a thorough understanding of your needs and preferences relative to those goals, he or she would then begin mapping out a… Continue reading A System of Best Practices: Proactively & Intentionally Planning for Student Learning
