More Than Just Praise: Practical Tools for Growth Mindset - from Erin Walsh Blog

More Than Just Praise: Practical Tools for Growth Mindset

Posted by Erin Walsh • November 1

"My daughter is working hard and I am proud of her perseverance, but at the end of the day her performance isn't necessarily improving. Do I just keep praising her? This doesn't seem to be working."

These are the words of a parent who attended a talk last week where we talked about nurturing a Growth Mindset in kids. We've written a lot about the power of praise and the importance of recognizing effort over natural talent. But what happens when all that hard work doesn't seem to be paying off?

This is a good reminder that growth mindset is about more than just effort. Children need a variety of tools and strategies to succeed, and we need more than praise in our toolkit.

1. Teach your children about their brains. Don't keep the latest science a secret - remind them that their brains can grow.
2. Growth mindset isn't just about working hard; it’s about thinkinghard too. This means reflecting on which learning strategies work and which ones don't - and being willing to switch strategies and try new things to improve performance. Try asking, "What else can you try?" instead of simply praising hard work that doesn't seem to be paying off. Check out this feedback tool from Mindset Works.
3. Critical feedback isn't off limits. Growth mindset doesn't mean that you only offer positive praise, but be careful how you deliver tough feedback. Criticizing your child's character reinforces a fixed mindset (and undermines your connection). Offering feedback about the process reinforces the idea that a different set of choices could lead to a different outcome.
4. Plan your response to, "I can't do this!" Children say this for all kinds of reasons. This resource from Edutopia has some great ideas for how to respond.
5. Normalize mistakes and struggle, especially those that result from pushing themselves to try challenging things.
6. But differentiate between stretch mistakes and sloppy mistakes.Celebrating mistakes that result from being too tired, too distracted, or doing too much can backfire. Instead, encourage your child to glean lessons from sloppy mistakes. For example you might suggest that it is time to get more sleep or reduce multitasking during homework.
7. Look in the mirror. Carol Dweck herself reminds us that we are all a mix of both growth and fixed mindsets, so pay attention to your own fixed mindset impulses. Perhaps the most influential way to teach growth mindset is to model it and to acknowledge when we get "stuck" in fixed mindset thinking ourselves.
8. Don't forget about the system. Your children’s minds are also shaped by the people and institutions around them so check to be sure that your child's school supports a growth mindset for all students. Keep in mind that it isn't appropriate to rely on a child's mindset alone to "overcome" persistent institutional barriers that get in the way of their success, or worse yet, blame a child's mindset for institutional failure. Growth mindset is no substitute for tackling issues like racial equity, gender stereotyping, and special education reform in our schools.                               
9. http://drdavewalsh.com/posts/224?utm_source=Mind+Positive+Parenting+List&utm_campaign=7036610099-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_11_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9ec3a772ba-7036610099-334782481

More Than Just Praise: Practical Tools for Growth Mindset - from Erin Walsh Blog

More Than Just Praise: Practical Tools for Growth Mindset

Posted by Erin Walsh • November 1

"My daughter is working hard and I am proud of her perseverance, but at the end of the day her performance isn't necessarily improving. Do I just keep praising her? This doesn't seem to be working."

These are the words of a parent who attended a talk last week where we talked about nurturing a Growth Mindset in kids. We've written a lot about the power of praise and the importance of recognizing effort over natural talent. But what happens when all that hard work doesn't seem to be paying off?

This is a good reminder that growth mindset is about more than just effort. Children need a variety of tools and strategies to succeed, and we need more than praise in our toolkit.

1. Teach your children about their brains. Don't keep the latest science a secret - remind them that their brains can grow.
2. Growth mindset isn't just about working hard; it’s about thinkinghard too. This means reflecting on which learning strategies work and which ones don't - and being willing to switch strategies and try new things to improve performance. Try asking, "What else can you try?" instead of simply praising hard work that doesn't seem to be paying off. Check out this feedback tool from Mindset Works.
3. Critical feedback isn't off limits. Growth mindset doesn't mean that you only offer positive praise, but be careful how you deliver tough feedback. Criticizing your child's character reinforces a fixed mindset (and undermines your connection). Offering feedback about the process reinforces the idea that a different set of choices could lead to a different outcome.
4. Plan your response to, "I can't do this!" Children say this for all kinds of reasons. This resource from Edutopia has some great ideas for how to respond.
5. Normalize mistakes and struggle, especially those that result from pushing themselves to try challenging things.
6. But differentiate between stretch mistakes and sloppy mistakes.Celebrating mistakes that result from being too tired, too distracted, or doing too much can backfire. Instead, encourage your child to glean lessons from sloppy mistakes. For example you might suggest that it is time to get more sleep or reduce multitasking during homework.
7. Look in the mirror. Carol Dweck herself reminds us that we are all a mix of both growth and fixed mindsets, so pay attention to your own fixed mindset impulses. Perhaps the most influential way to teach growth mindset is to model it and to acknowledge when we get "stuck" in fixed mindset thinking ourselves.
8. Don't forget about the system. Your children’s minds are also shaped by the people and institutions around them so check to be sure that your child's school supports a growth mindset for all students. Keep in mind that it isn't appropriate to rely on a child's mindset alone to "overcome" persistent institutional barriers that get in the way of their success, or worse yet, blame a child's mindset for institutional failure. Growth mindset is no substitute for tackling issues like racial equity, gender stereotyping, and special education reform in our schools.                               
9. http://drdavewalsh.com/posts/224?utm_source=Mind+Positive+Parenting+List&utm_campaign=7036610099-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_11_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9ec3a772ba-7036610099-334782481

How to write the perfect college essay, according to a dean of admissions

How to write the perfect college essay, according to a dean of admissions

  

The dean of admissions just gave the inside scoop on essay writing.

For high-school seniors across the nation, college admissions deadlines are beginning to loom large.

The dean of admissions just gave the inside scoop on essay writing.Mike Segar/Reuters

One of the biggest areas of stress is often the admissions essay.

The vice president and dean of admission at Reed College — a liberal arts school in Oregon — went on Reddit to answer questions about the college admissions process.

In his AMA, or Ask Me Anything, Milyon Trulove provided two important tips for students to remember when writing their college admissions essays:

A. Tell me a good story

I've long said storytellers own the world. Take a second to think about someone that always has a wild tale for you. Think about someone who always make you laugh. It's likely that when that person shares, you feel a personal connection. That's the way we humans work, that's the way we connect.

If you can imagine someone in front of a room who is captivating, interesting and compelling - chances are that it's an individual that has a special skill of conveying their experiences in a chronological, engaging and compelling fashion.

Storytellers know why they're telling a story. They know how to build the other involved characters in the minds of the audience. They know the punchline, or the takeaway message; they know when to stop telling the story, when to pause for you to catch up... they take you somewhere or someplace and, when it's time to deliver the big bang, they deliver a communal experience that leaves you feeling an affinity for them as a storyteller.

Imagine doing that for an admission committee.

B. Essays with a "so what?"

But, for your college essay, don't just tell your admission committee a clever story you've shared with any given "grown-up" that has appreciated your maturity.

You HAVE to (have to) tell us why we should care. After you write your original, well constructed essay — ask yourself "Why should they care?" If your answer isn't captured in your essay, you've more work to do.

Extended through November 13 - Jitney at Penumbra

August Wilson’s

JITNEY

Directed by Lou Bellamy

It is 1977, and in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, city officials threaten to level a makeshift taxi dispatch office where neighbors have gathered for years. At a time when safe and comfortable transit was not guaranteed for black customers, Becker’s car service provided mobility and a modicum of respect for the community. Now his building has been identified as prime real estate for redevelopment, and he might be forced out of business.

Meanwhile, his estranged son has been released from prison and wants to come home. As pressure mounts, Becker is forced to reckon with powers beyond his control.

Jitney is an “explosive” and “gripping” portrait of African American life from the pen of one of America’s greatest writers.

Join us for a riveting production brought to you by the nationally-known and critically-acclaimed creative team at Penumbra Theatre.

CAST: James T. Alfred, Booster; Terry Bellamy, Turnbo; James Craven, Becker; Abdul Salaam El Razzac, Doub; Jasmine Hughes, Rena; Darrick Mosley, Youngblood; T. Mychael Rambo and Ahanti Young, Philmore; Marcus Naylor, Fielding; Kevin D. West, Shealy

What Is Possible? New Role for High School

What if you could finish half of college in high school?

·         By JEREMY JONES jones@hutchinsonleader.com

 Nov 2, 2016

·         Staff photo by Jeremy Jones

U.S. Sen. Al Franken’s staff visited the Hutchinson Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism this past Thursday to speak with local educators and business leaders about their plans to connect students to careers by adding more

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Some say the best way to learn is to do.

It seems Hutchinson High School may take that to heart. Business leaders, representatives from Ridgewater College and Hutchinson School District educators met with staff of U.S. Sen. Al Franken this past Thursday, and laid out plans to build a connection between students and job openings in the area. Among those plans is the intent to create a business within Hutchinson High School called Tiger Manufacturing.

“It’s going to make real products for real customers,” said Miles Seppelt, Hutchinson’s economic development director.

With the school’s upcoming career and technical education facility slated for completion by this time next year, its sections — automotive, woods, machining, robotics and manufacturing, and computer drafting — may each play a part in the business. Students interested in information technology can contribute as well, as the business will need a website, and students in the school’s business academy can help with human resources and interviews.

The products to be manufactured haven’t been nailed down yet, as the concept is still being designed, but work may include cabinetry, welding jobs, screen printing and similar projects.

“It’s not going to be like a business. It’s going to be a real business,” Seppelt said. “They’re going to make real products, sell to real customers.”

That means students will need to form a board, and provide leadership.

“It’s going to add relevance to their course work,” Seppelt said. “There will be no more ‘Why do I need to learn this?’”

Hutchinson High School Principal Patrick Walsh said that such a program will likely take shape in the 2018-2019 school year, when staff and students will have had time to familiarize themselves with the new technical education space and the evolving school building, and form a plan among contributing departments.

Tiger Manufacturing represents one of many ways Hutchinson students are witnessing a shift toward career-oriented education, and a bond between the schools, local businesses and Ridgewater College.

Seppelt said interest has grown because many students still seek four- and six-year degrees, while jobs that call for two-year degrees or certifications account for the majority of open positions. He said the trend is national, but he sees the need for skilled workers locally as well.

When visiting local manufacturers, “They ask me if I have five people with me because they’ll hire them right now,” Seppelt said.

In the past few years, Hutchinson High School began offering TigerPath, where students can take classes of increasing difficulty and explore the skills and experiences of various careers. Business leaders have teamed up with the school by seeking to add internship and mentorship opportunities. Engineers employed by local manufacturers regularly help out with school events, such as STEAM Family Night at West Elementary, and with extracurricular actives such as the Robotics Club. More than 100 students are enrolled in a welding class at Hutchinson High School this year.

When the school district needed a knowledgeable welder to fill in for three months, 3M donated the time of an employee.

“That’s the kind of support we have in the community,” said Superintendent Daron VanderHeiden.

Daryl Lundin, a technical education teacher, said the ties between manufacturers and the school district have given him more chances to see what those businesses do, and what skills they need.

“If you don’t get out to the business, manufacturing community, it’s hard to know if what you are doing is serving students,” he said. “(The partnership) helps with that.”

District 423 and Ridgewater College want to strengthen existing ties as well. Many students use the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option to take college classes, and high school shop classes are invited to use college facilities. Jeff Smith, a technical education teacher at Hutchinson High School, said the chance to use more modern equipment at Ridgewater builds excitement for him, and the staff.

“It allows me to take my excitement, our excitement, and turn it over to the kids,” Smith said. “If they see the teacher is excited, they get excited.”

Many students take PSEO and advanced-placement classes for college credit. Franken’s staff were told that by aligning curriculum between Ridgewater and District 423, educators can give students more options to get an early start on credits that are expensive after high school. Walsh said some students already take advantage of “articulation agreements,” which allow college credit in Ridgewater for specific work in the high school. Students who take drafting one, two and three are eligible for up to 11 credits at Ridgewater, for example. But the regulations for such programs change regularly, Walsh said, and must be renewed.

“We are looking to make these connections more explicit,” Walsh said.

In coming years, students may also see growing options to gain skill certifications they can use in the job market.

“When we get where we want to go, it will be possible for students to get half of their college done before they finish high school,” Seppelt said.

Hutchinson residents will see these programs take shape in the next few years in the high school’s career and technical education area, which will come together amid high school renovations. Thanks to more than $1.2 million in contributions from local partners, it will be equipped with modern machines that students see now at Ridgewater College, and in manufacturers, as part of a plan to show students what manufacturing looks like today.

“It’s exciting for me, having been around for 22, 23 years,” Smith said, “ … seeing our community step up and place the importance on this program.”

Qualified Students are Eligible for Free College Admissions and Testing and More

Help us help you! 

Students who have applied and qualified for free or reduced lunch are eligible to receive fee waivers for college admission testing, AP/IB testing, college application fees, and more! 

Students/families MUST reapply EVERY year in order to maintain their eligibility. Eating lunch at school is NOT required for waivers, but completing the application IS. The application is quick and pain-free!

If you’re not sure, APPLY.

If you have qualified before, APPLY.

If not haven’t qualified before, APPLY.

If in doubt, APPLY.

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Race, Gender Gaps Persist in Computer Science Education

Race, Gender Gaps Persist in Computer Science Education

• By Sri Ravipati

With increasing support from public and private investors, including well-known companies like Google and Facebook, more K–12 schools are offering computer science (CS) classes across the country (up 25 percent since last year). Many students have the opportunity to learn CS now, but research shows that structural and social barriers still persist that keep minority students from learning CS skills. Google for Education, in partnership with Gallup, released several reports today on the status of CS education in the United States.

The latest Google-Gallup study titled “Diversity Gaps in Computer Science” points to a race and gender gap in K–12 CS education. According to the report, Black and Hispanic students “face discrepancies in access and exposure to CS classes and to computer use at home and at school,” despite their parents being more likely to want them to learn CS compared to White parents (92 percent versus 84 percent respectively). Black students are also less likely than White students to have CS class at their school (47 percent and 58 percent respectively).

Other key information includes:

• Girls are less likely than boys to be aware of CS learning outside of school, and less likely to be encouraged by teachers or parents to learn CS skills; and
• It is rare for students to see computer scientists that resemble them in the media, especially for female and Hispanic students.

The report looks at various social barrier that can hinder participation for underrepresented groups in CS, including CS stereotypes in the media; lack of encouragement to learn CS; and misconceptions from parents and teachers that students may not be interested in CS education.

For another report, “Trends in the State of Computer Science in U.S. K–12 Schools,” Google and Gallup surveyed more than 1,600 students, 1,600 parents, 1,000 teachers, 9,800 principals and 2,300 superintendents. Among the highlights are:

• More schools have CS classes this year, with 40 percent of principals reporting they offer CS classes at their schools;
• More than nine in 10 parents believe that opportunities to learn CS are a good use of school resources;
• Relatively few (three out of 10) parents and teachers have expressed their support for CS education to school administrators; and
• Positive perceptions of CS education and careers persist among all groups.

The set of reports also includes older reports like “K–12 Computer Science Education: U.S. State Reports,” which summarizes the status of CS education for the 11 states surveyed in 2015.
“Images of Computer Science: Perceptions Among Students, Parents and Educators in the U.S.” examines perceptions about CS as well as opportunities for students to become more involved.
Another report titled “Searching for Computer Science: Access and Barriers in U.S. K–12 Education” argues that exposure to technology is vital to building student confidence for CS.
Lastly, “Women Who Choose Computer Science – What Really Matters,” published in 2014, looks at four factors that influence young women to pursue CS careers (which includes social encouragement, self perception, academic exposure and career perception).
To access any of the reports for free, visit the Google for Education site.

About the Author

Sri Ravipati is Web producer for THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at sravipati@1105media.com.