MINDSETS, MOTIVATION, AND MATHEMATICS -
IS THERE AN APP FOR THAT?
IS THERE AN APP FOR THAT?
Journal of Progress
August 2014 / September 2014
Goal: Establish a Hybrid Algebra 1 / Growth Mindset Class
Practice: Inspire a Shared Vision
IV. Facilitating Improvements in Instruction and Student Learning
After going to a Jo Boaler conference about Growth Mindset & Mathematics in the summer of 2014 and reading the book "Psychology of Success" by Carol Dweck, I suggested that we create a hybrid Algebra 1 class. As a math specialist I was required to teach an Algebra 1 class (LCAP) for "At-Risk" students, but the idea of having it become a Mindset class started a one year adventure into the growth of 20 Algebra 1 students from diverse backgrounds. Students started off the year taking a "Mindset" survey to determine their level of mindset. The majority of students demonstrated a total fixed mindset or a fixed mindset with some growth mindset ideas. Students viewed videos about Mindset, participated in on-line MIndset sessions, and instruction was laced with Mindset messages and instructional strategies. As a Math Specialist, I presented professional development at the district level along with other math coaches on Mindset and Mathematics.
I was asked to be the Liaison for a middle school group of teachers that were selected to be part of Jo Boaler's research on how kids learn math. Students and teachers will participate in an academic year of on-line modules designed to instill a growth mindset in mathematics. I will be using some of these modules with my Growth Mindset Algebra 1 classroom.
Goal: Establish a Hybrid Algebra 1 / Growth Mindset Class
Practice: Inspire a Shared Vision
IV. Facilitating Improvements in Instruction and Student Learning
After going to a Jo Boaler conference about Growth Mindset & Mathematics in the summer of 2014 and reading the book "Psychology of Success" by Carol Dweck, I suggested that we create a hybrid Algebra 1 class. As a math specialist I was required to teach an Algebra 1 class (LCAP) for "At-Risk" students, but the idea of having it become a Mindset class started a one year adventure into the growth of 20 Algebra 1 students from diverse backgrounds. Students started off the year taking a "Mindset" survey to determine their level of mindset. The majority of students demonstrated a total fixed mindset or a fixed mindset with some growth mindset ideas. Students viewed videos about Mindset, participated in on-line MIndset sessions, and instruction was laced with Mindset messages and instructional strategies. As a Math Specialist, I presented professional development at the district level along with other math coaches on Mindset and Mathematics.
I was asked to be the Liaison for a middle school group of teachers that were selected to be part of Jo Boaler's research on how kids learn math. Students and teachers will participate in an academic year of on-line modules designed to instill a growth mindset in mathematics. I will be using some of these modules with my Growth Mindset Algebra 1 classroom.
October 2014 / Novemeber 2014
Goal: Expose Teachers and Students to the Research on Brainology & MIndset Instructional Practices Practice: Model the Way - Practices 1 & 2 I. Fostering a Collaborative Culture Over the past 10 years there has been a plethora of research on the brain, and its ability to grow. In addition, both Dweck and Boaler have provided research that proves that students can grow their intelligence through proper praise and instructional strategies. Dweck's work has centered on providing process and effort praise vs. praise for intelligence. A grading scale was established that included "Not Yet" as a failing grade.The idea behind adding this notation was to send the message to students and teachers alike, that proficiency had not been met, but with added instruction and time, students should be allowed to demonstrate their academic proficiency. I was asked by the Principal to provide on-site PD for all teachers on the merits of using growth mind-set instructional strategies in the classroom. I also presented a 3-Part Series - "Creating 21st Century Learners -One Math Task At At time along with my Math Coaching Team. Here teachers were given ideas and strategies for creating a Growth Mindset classroom and the implications for student academic success. In addition, teachers also took the Growth MIndset Survey so they were aware of their own MIndset. Data, research, and math tasks were used to model instructional strategies and ideas for developing a solid number sense foundation in students. |
December 2014
Goal: Students and teachers would see the connection between Mindset & Motivation.
Practice: Encourage the Heart - Practices 9 & 10
II. Accessing & Using Research to Improve Practice & Student Achievement
Teachers and students were exposed to additional MIndset research and practices. In the Algebra 1 hybrid class, students were encouraged to link their motivation to their productive struggle. More math tasks were introduced where students had to work collaboratively to utilize multiple strategies to solve problems. The Semester 1 Final was taken and students outscored both the site and district average. I took the time to interview my students as to why they felt that had done so well on this summative assessment. Most but not all students attributed their success to their new attitude and self-efficacy.
Middle school teachers are still having their selected classes work through the on-ine Standford course - "How Kids Learn". Teachers and students alike are learning how encouragement and the correct type of Praise will lead to increased academic achievement in students, especially for students that have not had success in the academic arena.
Teachers encouraged to celebrate the values of hard work and perseverance. The focus is on student productive struggle and praising the effort of "sticking with the problem". Teachers have been encouraged to have their students work collaboratively to create a "community of learners" leading to excellence for all students.
Goal: Students and teachers would see the connection between Mindset & Motivation.
Practice: Encourage the Heart - Practices 9 & 10
II. Accessing & Using Research to Improve Practice & Student Achievement
Teachers and students were exposed to additional MIndset research and practices. In the Algebra 1 hybrid class, students were encouraged to link their motivation to their productive struggle. More math tasks were introduced where students had to work collaboratively to utilize multiple strategies to solve problems. The Semester 1 Final was taken and students outscored both the site and district average. I took the time to interview my students as to why they felt that had done so well on this summative assessment. Most but not all students attributed their success to their new attitude and self-efficacy.
Middle school teachers are still having their selected classes work through the on-ine Standford course - "How Kids Learn". Teachers and students alike are learning how encouragement and the correct type of Praise will lead to increased academic achievement in students, especially for students that have not had success in the academic arena.
Teachers encouraged to celebrate the values of hard work and perseverance. The focus is on student productive struggle and praising the effort of "sticking with the problem". Teachers have been encouraged to have their students work collaboratively to create a "community of learners" leading to excellence for all students.
January / February 2015
Goal: Use assessment to drive instruction and challenge the process of direct teaching vs building conceptual understanding.
Practice: Challenge the Process - Practices 5 & 6
V. Promoting the Use of Assessments and Data for School & District Improvement
Continued use of math tasks as a regular part of the mathematics curriculum. Extra emphasis on connecting the mathematical practices and the SBAC claims to develop conceptual understanding. Professional development provided to encourage teachers to challenge their old teaching practices. Less directed teaching and more allowing students to have "productive struggle" with mathematical content. More emphasis on aligning the teaching objective with the mathematical practices and narrowed curriculum content. In PLCs and district wide meetings, data from site and districts common interim asssessments were analyzed and dissegregated to drive classroom instruction.
PLC discussion centered on how changing the way we teach would lead to the creation of 21st Century Learners. Keeping with the idea of "Challenging the Process", we challenged ourselves to reflect on our own mindsets and perceptions to embrace the underlying ideas behind the "Common Core" Math Curriculum. Teachers were asked to take risks in their teaching, and students were asked to take risks iin making mistakes to learn from mistakes.
Goal: Use assessment to drive instruction and challenge the process of direct teaching vs building conceptual understanding.
Practice: Challenge the Process - Practices 5 & 6
V. Promoting the Use of Assessments and Data for School & District Improvement
Continued use of math tasks as a regular part of the mathematics curriculum. Extra emphasis on connecting the mathematical practices and the SBAC claims to develop conceptual understanding. Professional development provided to encourage teachers to challenge their old teaching practices. Less directed teaching and more allowing students to have "productive struggle" with mathematical content. More emphasis on aligning the teaching objective with the mathematical practices and narrowed curriculum content. In PLCs and district wide meetings, data from site and districts common interim asssessments were analyzed and dissegregated to drive classroom instruction.
PLC discussion centered on how changing the way we teach would lead to the creation of 21st Century Learners. Keeping with the idea of "Challenging the Process", we challenged ourselves to reflect on our own mindsets and perceptions to embrace the underlying ideas behind the "Common Core" Math Curriculum. Teachers were asked to take risks in their teaching, and students were asked to take risks iin making mistakes to learn from mistakes.
March / April 2015
Practice: Model the Way - Practices 1 & 2
Enable Others to Act - Practices 8 & 9
III. Promoting Professional Learning for Continuous Improvement
IV. Facilitating Improvements in Instruction and Student Learning
I have been involved in several state initiatives. The instructional leadership corps has provided training on instructional strategies to bring the common core curriculum to students. The other initiative is as Professional Development Provider making the connection between the Common Core and the Smarter Balanced Assessments. I have had the opportunity to go all around the state sharing these ideas, strategies, and tasks while still being able to keep Mindset at the forefront of both movements. The idea of these trainings is to create teacher leaders who will be able to model best practices. These multi-day workshops allowed teachers to work with secure materials from Smarter Balanced and see how instruction and assessment must go hand in hand. Teachers were encouraged to go back to their classroom to try out strategies with their students and come back with evidence of student work. Much of the time was spent on student misconceptions, struggles, growth and ways to improve instruction to meet their needs.
Practice: Model the Way - Practices 1 & 2
Enable Others to Act - Practices 8 & 9
III. Promoting Professional Learning for Continuous Improvement
IV. Facilitating Improvements in Instruction and Student Learning
I have been involved in several state initiatives. The instructional leadership corps has provided training on instructional strategies to bring the common core curriculum to students. The other initiative is as Professional Development Provider making the connection between the Common Core and the Smarter Balanced Assessments. I have had the opportunity to go all around the state sharing these ideas, strategies, and tasks while still being able to keep Mindset at the forefront of both movements. The idea of these trainings is to create teacher leaders who will be able to model best practices. These multi-day workshops allowed teachers to work with secure materials from Smarter Balanced and see how instruction and assessment must go hand in hand. Teachers were encouraged to go back to their classroom to try out strategies with their students and come back with evidence of student work. Much of the time was spent on student misconceptions, struggles, growth and ways to improve instruction to meet their needs.
May / June 2015
Practice: Inspire A Shared Vision & Model the Way
May and June brought the final professional developments and focus on math tasks. I have continued to share a vision of what students are able to accomplish when they are given the resources, motivation, mindset, and a teacher willing to allow them to reach their full potential. I have used my students, their work, and my methodologies at regional conferences, site and district PD, PLCs and in my classroom. I hope that I have stressed the fact that "All Kids Can Learn Math", that "Our Brains Can Grow", that "Perseverance Leads to Growth".
Next year, I will be co-teaching with a Geometry teacher so that I can work with the same group of students that I had this year. We will continue to work on Mindset, Number Sense. Next week they will be creating videos for students coming into the new Algebra class. These students had not had success in school prior to coming to this class, and now many are moving on to AVID, ASB, and accepting the idea that they can growth their intelligence and be successful in school.
I am humbled by the number of teachers that I have been able to mentor this year and present the ideas of Mindset, Motivation, and Mathematics. I have provided 12 professional developments and have had over 500 participants in the course of the year. I have learned as much from their stories and classrooms as they have from me. We stil have a long way to go. Most of the MIndset instruction was with students, next year the major focus will be working more with teachers and encouraging a change in mindset towards students. I want to eliminat the phrase - "Those students can't learn".
This month I had the opportunity to meet again with Jo Boaler in a small setting to talk about the growth of my students over the course of the year. There have been high and low points, but I wouldn't trade this experience and I can't begin to express how proud I am of all my students. They started out at the beginning of the year not wanting to try and raising the white flag before they had even started. They would quit if they were given a math word problem, because words meant it was too hard. Now, these same students accept the challenge, and work hard because they know that they learn through their productive struggle.
More importantly, as I observe in classrooms at both the midde and high school, I am pleased to see teachers trying out growth mindset strategies with their students. PLCs are now centered on how to increase the conceptual understanding of math vs. procedures. For the first time we have had lesson studies in Geometry and next year we are going to do them in Algebra.
The first week of summer (June) will be 3 days of "Growth Mindset" instruction as it relates to the "common core curriculum and assessmet. We will look at the successes and struggles of this first year of Mindset instruction. We want to empower teachers to lead the way at their sites for the next academic year. We are going to align our actons with our shared values that we need to teach ALL students and give ALL students the opportunity to become 21st Century Learners.
My icon says "I Learn - What's Your Superpower?" This has been our student motto in my class. My students will be receiving a shirt with this logo as a "thank-you" for letting me take them on this innovative journey. They truly have superpowers that had never been tapped and now they know they can lead.
I would say after 2 years of TLCA I need one that says -I'm a Teacher Leader - What's Your Superpower?
Practice: Inspire A Shared Vision & Model the Way
May and June brought the final professional developments and focus on math tasks. I have continued to share a vision of what students are able to accomplish when they are given the resources, motivation, mindset, and a teacher willing to allow them to reach their full potential. I have used my students, their work, and my methodologies at regional conferences, site and district PD, PLCs and in my classroom. I hope that I have stressed the fact that "All Kids Can Learn Math", that "Our Brains Can Grow", that "Perseverance Leads to Growth".
Next year, I will be co-teaching with a Geometry teacher so that I can work with the same group of students that I had this year. We will continue to work on Mindset, Number Sense. Next week they will be creating videos for students coming into the new Algebra class. These students had not had success in school prior to coming to this class, and now many are moving on to AVID, ASB, and accepting the idea that they can growth their intelligence and be successful in school.
I am humbled by the number of teachers that I have been able to mentor this year and present the ideas of Mindset, Motivation, and Mathematics. I have provided 12 professional developments and have had over 500 participants in the course of the year. I have learned as much from their stories and classrooms as they have from me. We stil have a long way to go. Most of the MIndset instruction was with students, next year the major focus will be working more with teachers and encouraging a change in mindset towards students. I want to eliminat the phrase - "Those students can't learn".
This month I had the opportunity to meet again with Jo Boaler in a small setting to talk about the growth of my students over the course of the year. There have been high and low points, but I wouldn't trade this experience and I can't begin to express how proud I am of all my students. They started out at the beginning of the year not wanting to try and raising the white flag before they had even started. They would quit if they were given a math word problem, because words meant it was too hard. Now, these same students accept the challenge, and work hard because they know that they learn through their productive struggle.
More importantly, as I observe in classrooms at both the midde and high school, I am pleased to see teachers trying out growth mindset strategies with their students. PLCs are now centered on how to increase the conceptual understanding of math vs. procedures. For the first time we have had lesson studies in Geometry and next year we are going to do them in Algebra.
The first week of summer (June) will be 3 days of "Growth Mindset" instruction as it relates to the "common core curriculum and assessmet. We will look at the successes and struggles of this first year of Mindset instruction. We want to empower teachers to lead the way at their sites for the next academic year. We are going to align our actons with our shared values that we need to teach ALL students and give ALL students the opportunity to become 21st Century Learners.
My icon says "I Learn - What's Your Superpower?" This has been our student motto in my class. My students will be receiving a shirt with this logo as a "thank-you" for letting me take them on this innovative journey. They truly have superpowers that had never been tapped and now they know they can lead.
I would say after 2 years of TLCA I need one that says -I'm a Teacher Leader - What's Your Superpower?