As I selected the topic for my September post, I looked back at previous topics. This time last year, I wrote about “the uncomfortable stretch” of stepping outside of my comfort zone as a literacy coach. This immediately reminded me of our growth mindset initiative and how it relates to literacy. What better way to dare greatly, practice resiliency, and focus on growth than through workshop teaching structures? In fact, the reading and writing workshop may be the perfect place to build a culture of courage.
I recently came across a short list of ways to develop a growth mindset in children (there are MANY out there!) and realized that teachers diligently implement these practices in the workshop every day. Let’s look closer:
1. Ask open-ended questions to solve a problem or achieve a goal.
Open-ended questions challenge students while offering them flexibility and freedom. These types of questions are the cornerstone of our daily read aloud practice. We ask students to ponder, discuss, and debate each day. We ask debatable questions during grand conversations. Also, we confer to set individual student goals.
1. Ask open-ended questions to solve a problem or achieve a goal.
Open-ended questions challenge students while offering them flexibility and freedom. These types of questions are the cornerstone of our daily read aloud practice. We ask students to ponder, discuss, and debate each day. We ask debatable questions during grand conversations. Also, we confer to set individual student goals.
2. Use specific feedback that identifies what the child accomplished.
During conferences, we begin with a specific compliment before setting a new goal. We use benchmark data, student work, conference and small group notes, and kid watching to inform specific feedback to support student growth. As adult learners, we continue to grow this year by learning how to offer meaningful feedback.
3. Encourage kids to take a risk.
“Readers/Writers, off you go!” When we enthusiastically send students off from the carpet to work independently, we encourage them to take a risk. Every time we gather again to share our work, we encourage students to take a risk. From a raised hand during a read aloud to a personal journal entry shared in a writer’s notebook, we challenge our students each day to take a risk.
During conferences, we begin with a specific compliment before setting a new goal. We use benchmark data, student work, conference and small group notes, and kid watching to inform specific feedback to support student growth. As adult learners, we continue to grow this year by learning how to offer meaningful feedback.
3. Encourage kids to take a risk.
“Readers/Writers, off you go!” When we enthusiastically send students off from the carpet to work independently, we encourage them to take a risk. Every time we gather again to share our work, we encourage students to take a risk. From a raised hand during a read aloud to a personal journal entry shared in a writer’s notebook, we challenge our students each day to take a risk.
4. Be persistent and growth-oriented yourself.
We constantly learn and grow as a community. As educators and learners, we strengthen our practice through literacy training, math training, tech days, book clubs, and Panther College courses. We also share our own reading and writing notebooks and reading experiences with our students to confirm what real readers and writers do and to teach them that there is real value in their efforts.
We constantly learn and grow as a community. As educators and learners, we strengthen our practice through literacy training, math training, tech days, book clubs, and Panther College courses. We also share our own reading and writing notebooks and reading experiences with our students to confirm what real readers and writers do and to teach them that there is real value in their efforts.
5. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
It can be challenging to stay focused on the big stuff in the midst of all the small stuff. Theodore Roosevelt’s famous speech “The Man in the Arena” illustrates this point:
It can be challenging to stay focused on the big stuff in the midst of all the small stuff. Theodore Roosevelt’s famous speech “The Man in the Arena” illustrates this point:
Naysayers will always sit comfortably outside of the arena watching in judgment. Don’t sweat it. What matters is what happens inside the arena of your classroom with your students daring greatly each day. This is where the magic happens…
Because I am a huge fan of lists, I would like to leave you with a list of some “kid lit” about growth mindset, courage, and creativity. Enjoy!
Ish by Peter H. Reynolds
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
Thank You Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
You by Sandra Magsamen
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
One by Kathryn Otoshi
What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
The OK Book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak
Someday by Eileen Spinelli
Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg
When Pigs Fly by Valerie Coulman
Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett
Walk On! A Guide for Babies of All Ages by Marla Frazee
Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle by Chris Raschka
Today I Will: A Year of Quotes, Notes, and Promises to Myself
Mr. Ferris and His Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis
Miss Todd and Her Wonderful Flying Machine by Frances Poletti and Kristina Yee
Because I am a huge fan of lists, I would like to leave you with a list of some “kid lit” about growth mindset, courage, and creativity. Enjoy!
Ish by Peter H. Reynolds
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
Thank You Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
You by Sandra Magsamen
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
One by Kathryn Otoshi
What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
The OK Book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak
Someday by Eileen Spinelli
Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg
When Pigs Fly by Valerie Coulman
Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett
Walk On! A Guide for Babies of All Ages by Marla Frazee
Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle by Chris Raschka
Today I Will: A Year of Quotes, Notes, and Promises to Myself
Mr. Ferris and His Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis
Miss Todd and Her Wonderful Flying Machine by Frances Poletti and Kristina Yee