"Stay the Course"
Perseverance and Optimism
My Journey
- Jim Grant
How do we teach perseverance and optimism? Will this influence their mindset?
Research
Mindsets
- "A teacher’s mindset will affect the child’s mindset… Not how fast students master learning, but the effort they put forth.
- Don't praise what a child ‘is,’ such as tall or smart... As an alternative praise children for their efforts, and what they “do.”
“Children who are praised for their intelligence learn to value performance, while children praised for their effort and hard work value opportunities to learn.” - David Sousa 34
Theory of two Mindsets
Fixed Mindset: “A belief system that suggests that a person has a predetermined amount of intelligence, skills, or talents.” (Ricci 3)
KIPP Academy
Knowledge Is Power Program
Pre-Assessment and Interview
Beginning with Focus
Perseverance
Learning Task 1: "The Brain Is Like a Sponge" (Ricci 106)
Learning Task 2: "Building a Neural Network" (Ricci 110)
Learning Task 3: "The Brain Is Like a Muscle" (Ricci 118)
Learning Task 4: "Taking Care of Your Brain" (Ricci 120)
Teaching Optimism- Don't Give Up!
I think I can, I think I can, I knew I could!
Praising the effort visually...
Noticings in Reading...
- During conferences in January was easily distracted was not showing perseverance when encountering tricky words.
- In February when given a new book said he could not read it.
- In March I encouraged him to read the book that he found difficult. He was getting stuck on the word step. I encouraged him to use and strategies and not give up! It took him a while to read the first page, "There are five steps." Once we read those words he read the rest confidently even when encountering tricky words.
- Built comprehension when feeling more confident in his reading. He noticed there was a twist at the end of the story
- He was making text to self connections, "my dad likes to put spice on his pizza."
Student B: less frustration
- In January became easily frustrated when encountering a challenge in reading
- Would read books that were easy when reading independently
- When given new books in February was given 3 new books. She told me she couldn't read them. When I read with her she persevered through hard words and did not give up. I praised her efforts!
- I noticed her reading new books independently, built confidence!
- In March in a DRA assessment read a level 4 text… when encountering unfamiliar words used strategies to keep reading!
Changes in Mindsets...
- At lunch a student learned how to become more independent in his lunchtime routines!
- Hollistically we are seeing more students trying before asking for help in all facets of the day (Writing, Reading, and putting on snow clothes)
- Teachers sharing stories of perseverance outside of our classroom
Post Interview
Can everyone learn new things?
"I agree. If you practice the monkey bars all night long or something you'll get better." - Annalee
"I once didn't know how to draw in my pancakes book… now they [pictures] are really really neat. I practiced at night and stuff and I got better." -Annalee
(With a great big smile counted to 100!) "I kind of practiced, I like to count to myself." -Xander
Conclusion
An esteemed professor of psychology from the University of Pennsylvania says, "Optimists look for specific, limited, short-term explanations for bad events, and as a result, in the face of a setback, they're more likely to pick themselves up and try again. While pessimists tend to react to negative events by explaining them as permanent, personal and pervasive." (Tough 54)