Blog Post #5: Reflection and the Growth Mindset/Essential Questions

My learning goals from blog post #1 were to gain confidence in my tech skills, to develop my PLN to the best of my ability, and to share new ideas with others and gain new ideas from classmates. I would definitely say that I have gained confidence in my tech skills. I don’t freak out when I hear the words Web 2.0 tool! I know that I can figure it out eventually. I also feel like my PLN is developing nicely. Although, I don’t think you’ll ever be “done” with a PLN. It needs to be an ongoing professional project! I also feel as though I have accomplished my third goal, which was to learn something from my classmates. I definitely feel as though I am learning from my classmates and through the module assignments (which make me learn something new every week.) I don’t really feel like I need to change my goals, and I don’t think they are 100% attainable. They are a work in progress, you can never learn everything about everything!

I already knew a little bit about the growth mindset because we had a guest speaker at our school discuss it with the teachers in each department. I really enjoyed looking through all of this week’s resources. I feel as though the growth mindset is something that was instilled in me as a child. My parents always pushed me to try hard no matter if I was good at something or not. They never made me feel dumb or “not good enough” for not doing good if I tried. I’m glad they instilled that in me, because had they not I would feel dumb every time I had to create something for this class. Take this week’s assignment to create a curated resource list using a Web 2.0 tool for example. I created a Pearltree account never having used this Web 2.0 tool before. If I had the fixed mindset that Carol Dweck discusses in her article Even Geniuses Work Hard I would never have even started this masters program, much less been able to figure out Pearltrees! In Dweck’s  article I loved that she included ideas to use in the classroom for helping foster a learning environment focused on the growth mindset. Too many kids shut down just because they think they can’t do something. If you implement some of Dweck’s ideas in the classroom no child should feel bad about themselves for not understanding something. I loved that she said teachers should use the word “yet” all the time! A student might say “I don’ get this.” Your reply should be “Yet!”

Dweck's video interview below was very insightful. I liked that she included the idea to include a workshop on the growth mindset for students. I don’t feel like this should be hidden from students, they should know so they can try to change their fixed mindsets if they have them. I loved listening to her talk because it is very motivating. At the beginning of every module, a small piece of me wants to freak out, because I know at that moment I probably don’t know what Dr. Green wants us to do. But, with my growth mindset, I am able to tell myself that I can figure it out. Once I do figure something out, it feels so good!

I feel like I need to do a better job in my classroom rewarding students for choosing to do challenging tasks, even if they don’t succeed at first. Instead of rewarding the kids who always do good on assignments, I need to also reward and praise the kids who tried really hard, but may have come up short of success at first.

I like the idea of having students create their own essential questions or learning targets. The article Learners Should be Developing their own Essential Questions had some very interesting facts that made me question what I do in my own classroom. Sometimes I find my students are more interested in spouting out answers instead of thinking and then asking a good question. I definitely need to allow my students to think about what they need to be learning. I like how Dr. Gerstein pointed out in her article that, “Questioning comes naturally to children and seems to become a lost art and skill as people age.” It’s true- small children ask tons of questions, but the older kids get it seems as though the less they ask. I need to try to turn this around in my classroom and encourage questioning and inquisitiveness! 

In conclusion, the growth mindset and the student-creation of essential questions all tie in together. If we, as teachers, can encourage students to challenge themselves, try new things, wonder about the world, and ask questions, then that means that we have done our job. As teachers, we want our kids to be life-long learners, not to get stuck in a rut and be happy to stay there. We want them to be confident life-long learners!

image credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/562035228470436929/