Student Praise

 

“You learned that so quickly! You’re so smart!”

“Look at that drawing, is he the next Picasso or what?”

“You’re so brilliant, you got an A without even studying!”

Many good intentioned parents/teachers have said these things and see them as supportive and self esteem boosting messages.  Reading the book Mindset by Carol Dweck has completely changed my outlook on praise as both a parent and a teacher.

Read the praise messages again and listen closely to the underlying message that children hear.

• If I don’t learn quickly, I’m not smart.
• I shouldn’t try drawing anything hard or they’ll see I’m no Picasso.
• I’d better quit studying or they won’t think I’m brilliant.

According to Dweck’s research, messages like these will quickly put our children/students into a fixed mindset.  “Parents (teachers) think they can hand children permanent confidence- like a gift- by praising their brains and talent.  It doesn’t work, and in fact has the opposite effect.  It makes children doubt themselves as soon as anything is hard or anything goes wrong.”


We need to make sure that our messages of praise aren’t saying “You have permanent traits and I’m judging them,” but rather, “You’re a developing person and I’m interested in your development.”


So what/how should we praise then?


Dweck offers these suggestions……


Praise as much as you would like for growth oriented process.

• practice
• study
• effort
• accepting a challenge
• persistence
• strategies

When we praise students for growth oriented process they begin to attribute their accomplishments to their own effort, something they have full control over!


So, how can we do this in our classrooms?  Here are a few of my favorites…….

“My Favorite No”

I love this idea from The Teaching Channel.  I often use this very informally in my room.  When someone gives an answer that is incorrect, but I can tell that a lot of thought went into it, they really put in a lot of effort or they were using a great strategy that just didn’t work out for them, I will tell them that it was my favorite no and to keep trying!  It’s a great way to let students know that while their answer was incorrect, the thought process they were using to arrive at the answer was on track!

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/class-warm-up-routine#

Class Cheers

We love cheering for each other.  I use class cheers for things that we do great as a class, or for individual students to celebrate hard work and effort.  We love using them to celebrate students who take a risk, who try something and take a chance.  It’s a great way to build your classroom community and let students see that in your room you celebrate challenges and that even if the answer is wrong you can be proud of trying something new and taking a chance.  I introduce some basic class cheers at the beginning of the year.  It never fails though, each year my class will start making up cheers of their own that we add on.  This year we have “The Perfume Cheer,” they pretend to squirt 3 squirts of perfume and say “Oh La, La,” while shrugging their shoulders.  We have added several others too!

Click HERE to see a great blog post about class cheers and it includes a freebie to download.

Effort Awards

Effort Awards are something new that we just started in my room.  I use them to recognize students that worked extra hard.  Some days when we are learning a new concept in math, equivalent fractions for example, I can see that some of my kiddos (especially my “gifted” learners) are getting frustrated.  They aren’t getting it right away, because new learning takes time.  We talk a great deal about how learning something new means our brain needs to make new connections and it takes time for that to happen.  Anyways, I like to point out and recognize students who make it a point to not tune out or give up.  Students who continue to ask questions, discuss, and try to make connections with those new concepts.

Sometimes we use “Effort Awards,” to recognize students who met a goal in class.  Not, I got an A on my spelling test goals (that would be results based not process based), but the I practiced my words every night and improved my score from last week kind of goals.

Here are the “Effort Awards,” I give out in my classroom.  You can click on them to download them for FREE!

I love that some of my kiddos are even pointing out their classmates’ hard work and effort now and telling me they think someone deserves and effort award because….!  It makes my teacher heart happy to see them recognize hard work and effort in others as well as themselves!

I would love to hear your thoughts and hear about how you use growth oriented praise in your classroom.  Comment below so we can all learn together and work to get our kiddos into a growth mindset!

 

 

 

Mindset

Every once in a while a book comes along that changes things for you.  My husband is a reader, as in 75 books a year (yes, he keeps track) reader.  Every now and then he finishes one and tells me that it’s a must read.  And, he is usually right!  He finished Mindset by Carol Dweck and immediately said that I NEEDED to read it….that every teacher/parent should read it.  As usual…he was right.  The concept of fixed vs. growth mindset changed my thinking completely.  It changed my language in the classroom.  It changed my approach and interactions with students.

 

I put together this little graphic to help explain the difference between fixed vs. growth mindset in a nutshell.

I mean really….who wouldn’t want their students to be in the growth mindset column.  Isn’t that the kind of student and thinker we want all of our students to be.  So, how do we get our students to start thinking that way.  According to Dweck, “You have a choice. Mindsets are just beliefs.  They’re powerful beliefs, but they’re just something in your mind, and you can change your mind.” 

Check out this TED Talk about Mindset and how it works.

There are some amazing resources online as well.  Check out Mindset Works and sign up for a free account.  This week my class will be reading the article “You Can Grow Your Intelligence.”  We will then discuss the article and begin our journey toward changing our mindset to a growth mindset!

After reading the book, I realized how important this concept is, and not just for my struggling students.  My gifted kiddos need it as much, if not more than my strugglers.  They need to understand that being wrong doesn’t make them “dumb.”  That being challenged and not “getting it,” right away means they are learning something new.  A few weeks ago, after I began changing the language I used with students in my classroom, we had a particularly challenging lesson.  It really made my kiddos think and there was a lot of productive struggle going on.  One of my gifted kiddos was getting visibly upset at not “getting it.”  I mean, this is a kiddo who has been told all of his life that he was “so smart,” right?    We talked about how challenges are an opportunity to learn and grow our brain, if everything is always easy and we already know how to do it, then where is the learning opportunity in that.  You may not “get it,” but you just don’t “get it,” yet!  At the end of the day we did our daily wrap up.  I ask them to think of one new thing they learned that day.  My gifted kiddo, the one who had struggled that day, said this….

What a HUGE step for this kiddo!  My goal for the rest of this year is for EVERYone of my students to leave my classroom with a growth mindset and the belief that they truly can do anything they set their mind to!


Have you read Mindset?  How have you implemented the principles of growth mindset in your classroom or school?  I would love to hear from you!

Currently March

It’s March already….say WHAT?!?!   That means it’s time for a new Currently with the one and only Farley!

1.  Listening…… to my daughters watching iCarly.  I love that they are teenagers and they still love Nick and Disney Channel! 

2.  Loving….. that my husband is the Driver’s Ed teacher at my girls’ high school.  Our oldest is 16 this month and has her learner’s permit and is learning to drive.  Thank goodness he is an expert, that means I am off the hook!

3.  Thinking……that we have a lot to do with our house over break.  Things need to be painted, cleaned and organized!

4.  Wanting…..to freeze time.  My oldest not only turns 16 this month, but she is going on a trip across the country to NYC with her high school dance team.  I am so excited for her to have this experience and I know she is going to fall in love with the city.  I am struggling with the fact that she is old enough to get on a plane without me and spend 4 days without me in the big city.  Her studio dance teacher is going as a parent chaperone so I know she will be well taken care of…..it’s just a big step in a sea of big steps that are coming…..

5.  Needing…..I have been in a cooking rut.  I feel like we eat the same meals over and over.  It’s hard enough to meal plan for the week, but then you throw our food allergies and my daughter’s choice to be vegetarian in the mix and it’s nearly impossible.  I need to spend some time on Pinterest and try some new things!

6.  Spring Break…..it feels like it’s never going to get here!  We still have 2 more weeks.  I plan on taking a short road trip to see my sister and nieces.  I don’t get to see them as often as I would like.  Three hours doesn’t seem like so far away until you look at a calendar and realize how busy every weekend is.  I am blocking out some time to spend with them and putting it on the calendar…..in pen!

Seriously, I feel like this year is moving at warp speed but I continue to count all of the blessings in my life and to be grateful for each day.  I was reminded of how blessed I am this weekend.  I was fortunate enough to be able to hang out with an amazing group of women, maybe you recognize some of them?  Big things are happening and I couldn’t be more excited!

We Like to Move It, Move It….

We move a lot in our room.  I have a class of 31 kiddos this year and 20 of them are boys.  We are an active bunch.  Any time we can be up out of our seats and moving around while we learn we do it!  This year activities like Scoot, Write the Room, Quiz-Quiz-Trade, Inside-Outside Circles and others have been my best friends. 

This week we reviewed simple, complex and compound sentences with some task cards I made and Inside-Outside Circles.  My class loves learning and reviewing this way.  It feels like a game and they would much rather do things the “fun way,” instead of the “worksheet way!”

Cooperative learning strategies like Inside-Outside Circles gives me an opportunity to walk around the circle, give extra support and instruction to the kiddos who are still struggling and hear what they are thinking.  Not only did they have to read the sentence out loud to their partner (fluency practice) and tell them which type of sentence is was, but they also had to use one of our favorite words….because.  They had to explain to their partner why it was simple, complex or compound.  Again, this was a great opportunity to listen to their explanations and see what we may need extra work on, what they had a firm grasp of and fix any misconceptions they still had. 

I uploaded the task cards I used and they are available as a free download, I hope that you find them useful and find a fun way to use them.  I included several different ideas.  If you come up with one that isn’t on the list I would love to hear how you used it!  Email me or upload the pic to Insta and tag me….The Blessed Teacher!  Click on the pic below to grab them!

 

A New Year….A New Beginning

I’m back.  I can’t believe how long I was gone.  It was a long 2 month hiatus, not really by choice.  More because of a computer malfunction that took me forever to correct.  Anyways, I tried not beat myself up about missing 2 months of blogging and creating but I really have missed it….and you all!!!  It feels good to be back.  And, there is no better way to get back in the swing of things than with Farley’s Currently…..my all time favorite Linky! 


Here we go 2015……..

Listening…. Currently I’m listening to the silence.  We had friends over for the New Year celebration and didn’t get to bed until after 1 this morning.  My teenagers, their friends, and my husband are still sound asleep and the breakfast casserole is in the oven.  It’s been a relaxing and quiet morning!


Loving……My family time.  Last year, we lost my father in law the day after Christmas.  Our break was a whirlwind of hospice and funeral plans.  Nothing will remind you faster about the importance of cherishing your family and the time you have with them more than losing someone you love.  Time is flying by faster and faster each year and I am determined to make the most of the moments I have with my girls.  2015 marks the year that my oldest will get her license (maybe) and take her first trip to New York City without us!  They are growing up so very fast.


Thinking……  When the girls were little my husband and I used to talk about all of the things we wanted them to see and experience “once they were old enough.”  Sadly, they are old enough but we are almost out of time!  Oldest daughter is halfway through her sophomore year already, yikes.  I really want to take them back east and show them where I grew up, we want to do a family mission trip, we want to travel to important historical sights….the list is long and time (and money) are in short supply!


Wanting……I’m afraid my wanting isn’t as heartfelt as the others…I really want a pair of Kendra Scott earrings.  I love jewelry.  I inherited that trait from my mother.  I love that you won’t wake up one day after indulging in tons of yummy Christmas treats and the jewelry will be too tight.  It won’t happen, jewelry is very forgiving!  Alas, I have a hard time splurging on myself and the mister and I had a strict no gifts policy for the holiday this year, thanks to the new dishwasher we had to buy on black Friday!


Needing…..to take down the Christmas tree.  Nothing more needs to be said, I’m sure you all understand.  I think we may draw straws this year. 


Yes….to getting back into a running routine.  I’m scared to turn on my Nike app and see how many days it’s been….ugh…


Maybe….to planning another trip with my man and another girls’ trip.  Last year we flew to San Antonio to see a former player’s senior night basketball game.  This year we need to plan on heading to USC for graduation.  My husband has another former player who is finishing his degree and we need to go help him celebrate! 


I wish….. I plan on turning my dreams into plans this year and making things happen.  My oldest will start driving this year and we are stressing out about paying for her insurance and all of the other things that come along with that.  My plan is to work hard on TpT, this blog, working on my craft and producing quality products that will truly help in classrooms.  I would love to be able to make enough to help with the growing costs of having two teenage daughters!  And don’t even get me started on how close college is to happening….yikes!


Well, here’s to 2015 and all of the excitement it’s going to bring.  I can’t wait to share another year of life with all of you, I love the blogging world!


Happy New Year everyone!
 
 

Visual Plans 10/13–10/17

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I’m a little late to the visual plans party this week.  We had the day off of school today…..which means that I ran errands and did hours of school work in an effort to get caught up!  We also have an incredibly short crazy week this week.  We have two full days on Tuesday and Wednesday and then 10:00 dismissal on Thursday and Friday for Parent Teacher Conferences.  Oh, and it’s spirit week with dress up days and the high school is celebrating their homecoming and is bringing their parade by our school on Friday morning!  CRAZY!!! 

Remember to download the plans to have clickable links to the products I will be using this week!

This week is going to be all about review in ELA.  We will be using my new ELA Scoots to review spelling rules and compound sentences.

We started learning about determining the main idea and key details in a passage last week.  I feel like they need more targeted practice with this skill before we go back dive back into longer text.  So, this week we will be using one of my favorite resources. 

 

I haven’t quite decided how I am going to be using them yet.  I’m learning towards copying them on colored paper, making a recording sheet and using them as a scoot activity.  My class is in LOVE with scoot! 

I will only have time to teach math this week on Tuesday and Wednesday and can’t afford to fall behind on the pacing guide!  I found this amazing Subtraction resource from Jessica at The Teacher Talk.  Click on the link in my plans to go to her TpT store and check it out.  I just know it is going to be worth every penny!

Unfortunately, science and social studies will be taking a hit this week as well with the short days.  We will not have time for both so we will spend our content area time learning about the layers of the Earth and then eating them!!! This activity is a HUGE hit every year.  Who doesn’t love combining learning with yummy snacks!

Click on the pic to check it out in my store.  It’s one of my Top 10 best sellers and it’s on sale this week!

I’m off to do some more conference prep!  Have a great week everyone!

Introducing…..Create-A-Country

We just finished up our Social Studies unit on maps and landforms.  This fun project was created out of my desire to have my kiddos show me what they know in a fun and hands on way.  Our kiddos are tested. to. death….especially in third grade, and as often as I can I like to do things the “fun,” way.  So, Create-A-Country was born. 

The project required my students to use everything they had learned about the parts of a map and what they knew about landforms.  They got to be creative, which they love, and use salt dough!  It was definitely a hit! 

The letter went home on a Friday and I also sent a text reminder to parents through the Remind app (if you don’t use Remind, you should….it’s amazing!).  The salt dough came in on Monday, most of it in great condition!  There were a few bags of something that looked more like goop than dough, but a little more flour and some kneading took care of that.  I modified the directions for making the dough and clarified that it should come to school looking like dough and you should be able to form it into a ball! 

 We decided that it would be much easier for the kids to bring the dough already made than to try and make enough for a class of 31 (yes, 31) kids.  Not one parent seemed to mind.  Most kiddos said it took them about 5 minutes to make, and it’s only 3 cheap ingredients! 

On Monday we started off by discussing the project requirements, going over the checklist and brainstorming our ideas for our imaginary countries! 

Tuesday, we began making our 3D salt dough maps!  I taped a piece of wax paper to cover about 3/4 of a piece of long tagboard.  The part of the paper not covered by wax paper is where they would write their map title, map key, and compass rose.

We let the dough dry overnight and got to work painting and labeling our maps with our symbols on Wednesday.

They were so proud of how their maps were coming out that they asked if I would call and invite our principal down to see them.  He came down to our room and took a tour of our countries.  My favorite moment was when he asked one of my cuties why they were doing this project.  The student replied, “Well, you see, Mrs. Wood likes to do things the fun way if she can instead of giving us a test.  So, we are showing her what we learned about maps and londforms by making these salt dough maps.”  Couldn’t have said it better myself!

Thursday we finished any labeling or drawing that we needed to and then wrote an encyclopedia entry about our imaginary country.  They had so much fun getting creative about facts about their country and what their country is famous for.

Finally, on Friday it was time for a gallery walk to learn more about our classmate’s countries and then maps went home at the end of the day. 

It was at times a bit messy, but they did an amazing job cleaning up.  But, it was totally worth it all to see how excited they were about showing off their learning in a fun and hands on way!

If you would like to check out the Create-A-Country Salt Dough Map project it is now uploaded to TpT and on sale for 20% off through tomorrow!

Don’t forget to take advantage of my Sunday Funday Buy 2 Get One FREE sale!  Buy 2 products from my store and get a free product (of equal or lesser value)!  Just email me at jmwood614@yahoo.com with your TpT username, the products you purchased today and which item you would like free!