Tuesday 10 January 2017

MINDSET

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 
JANUARY 5TH, 2017


Task 2 - Mindset

In our PD lesson about mindset, we focus more on what it's called 'Growth Mindset".

What is growth mindset all about?
Growth mindset is the belief that qualities can change and that we can develop our intelligence and abilities.  There are two types of mindsets. Fixed mindset and growth mindset.

Here is the chart showing the different between these two mindsets.

                    

Growth mindsets are as follows:

  • Intelligence isn't fixed but something that can grow and can be developed.
  • Challenge your brain can increase your intelligence and make it stronger.
  • Students with growth mindset focus on learning over just looking smart. They see effort has the key to success and thrive in the face of a challenge.
  • Growth mindset leads to a desire to learn, embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks and learn from criticism.
  • They find lessons and inspiration in the success of others. As a result, they reach even higher.
Here is another link to a very great YouTube animation that I really like about How to help every child fulfill their potentials.

https://youtu.be/Yl9TVbAal5s

The research shows that we should praise students for their effort, strategies, focus, persistence - not their intelligence.

Praising intelligence encourages a fixed mindset while praising effort, strategies, focus and persistence encourages a growth mindset.

As educators, it is our task to create a growth mindset classroom. In the safety of these classrooms, students can begin to leave behind their fixed mindset and try out the idea that they can develops their abilities.

These can only happen when Teachers give students:

  1. Meaningful work
  2. Honest and helpful feedback 
  3. Advice on future learning strategies 
  4. Opportunities to revise their work and show their learning 

"The best thing we can do is to teach children to love 'challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort and keep on learning."



Monday 9 January 2017

BRAIN RESEARCH

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

Thursday, 5th January 2017

Task 1 - Brain Research 

We learn something new about brain research today during our PD lessons. It's about Neuroplasticity.
What does Neuroplasticity means?
According to researchers, brains are not rigid at birth, but plastic - having the ability to change structure and chemistry in response to the environment. That plasticity means that intelligence is at least partially determined by environment, other factors such as nutrition, prior learning, life experiences and even beliefs and values.

I also found out that our brain needs a break.  It doesn't shut down overnight but in fact, catching some zzz 's (sleep) can dramatically improve learning.  So, a poor night's sleep can actually hurt our ability to remember new things. It seems like in order for our brain to function well, it also needs his rest n break just like our physical body.

How does learning about brain research help educators like us?  What can a classroom teachers do?  Is the fuss about brain research justified?
David Sousa, an educational consultant, presented an interpretation that might influence educational practice. He provides these following recommendations based on research.

  • A stimulating environment creates more connections in the brain, so teachers must take advantage of the windows of opportunity that occur in children between the ages of 2 and 11 by providing an enriched and challenging educational environment.
  • Windows of opportunity are critical periods in the brain's development, when the brain is most susceptible to input and most receptive to establishing neural connections that foster memory and learning.
  • The brain makes the most neural connections when it is actively involved in learning, therefore, learning should be multisensory and interactive.
  • Activities that involve emotion trigger the release of chemicals in the brain that strengthen memory, so learning must be made meaningful to each student.
  • The human brain strives to create connections or patterns, so learning should build on prior knowledge.
  • The brain's hierarchy of tasks starts with physical survival, moves to emotional survival, and only then turns to thinking and learning; students must feel physically safe and emotionally secure before they can learn.