Self examination - I remember a teacher who would go over our tests before we handed them in. She would ask us to use a red pen and make the corrections as the questions were reviewed out loud. I remember thinking "this teacher wants me to do her work?!" haha. Perhaps that was not really her goal? That same teacher would take a poll - how many of you answered #21 correctly? and we would raise our hands (or not) - then we would talk about the wrong answers - often she understood where we were coming from and we got some credit if we were willing to participate in the discussion about wrong answers. I often have groups of students practicing motor skills and I find if someone is having a particularly difficult time with a skill let's say jumping jacks - I have them be the class leader and "Talk us through" a jumping jack WITHOUT USING YOUR BODY TO DEMONSTRATE...It is amazing how much they figure it out and how the other are dying to help explain the skill! Then of course everyone wants to pick something to lead the class. I always say it can NOT be something they are good at. Each time I use this approach more children are eager to participate. As for teamwork workplace as far as with my peers...I have to give that some thought..I am lucky to be right next to my peers and we often have open dialog with a common goal of helping our student...not sure what else we can do - but we are always looking for fresh ideas!
I think that in order to create a growth mindset in schools, for both students and teachers, it is important to reward effort not outcomes. As teachers we need to give feedback and show appreciation for the efforts and learning that we can see unfolding, rather than just the outcomes being achieved. We should present skills as learnable, not pass or fail.
As a staff, I think that when the willingness to put in our best effort and to learn and grow is what’s valued the most, and when we feel confident that giving things our best shot and learning from the experience is what really counts, we will be more willing to collaborate with others and try new things. Perhaps most importantly we’d be equipped to deal with setbacks and seek out opportunities for growth.
I think that in order to create a culture of self-examination, open communication and teamwork in our classroom and workplace, teachers and administrators need to ask for feedback and be willing to accept it. When feedback is viewed as an opportunity to grow, rather than taken as a criticism, everyone benefits. Another thing that would help foster a growth mindset in the workplace is the ability to admit your mistakes and bad decisions and learn from them. We all make bad choices. It makes us human. Being able to own our mistakes goes a long way in building teamwork.
Self examination can become easier with confidence. Fixed mindset self-examination typically involves students beating themselves up because they "can't do it." As students begin to understand that effort is praiseworthy I think that they will be more likely to fall into a growth mindset and focus on how they can best use their efforts to improve.
I found the section "Brutal Bosses" very interesting. Reflecting the past 36 years that I have been in the work force, I can remember a few bosses who would fit this description I had my first job at the age of 16. My boss was brutal....he wanted power and was very intimidating. I remember wanting to quit and my father would not let me. He told me I was going to meet all different types of bosses and I needed to learn how to work with "difficult bosses". He said I would learn a lot.....Well let me tell you, I have. I know now that the "brutal bosses" were in a fixed mindset. They felt that they were better than everyone else. No one could grow or feel competent. In the classroom, growth is so important for the teachers and students. I also believe the administrators need to be in a growth mindset so the district can work together and give all the opportunity to grow.
Susan, what great advice from your Dad. You do have to learn to work and be around all different types of people in this world for yourself to be successful. That's why I'm not a fan of parents requesting teachers. Children should learn from all different types of people.
My first job waitressing I had a "brutal boss." I look back on it and I agree with your dad. I am very thankful to have had such a fixed mindset boos that I did. I feel that it gave me the work ethic that I have now. I still work at the same place (in the summer) 20 yrs later and it is very interesting to see that my "brutal boss" has shifted to a more growth mindset. I still see the fixed but in little doses.
You often hear from students (even my own children), " I don't like that student", "I don't like that teacher". But what the children need to hear is that you will encounter all types of people in school, work and life. And we can't always like everyone, but we need to learn to tolerate these people and work with them anyways. It helps them be the kind of people they want to be, and grow up to be the kind of adulth they want to be.
Dana, I couldn't agree with you more. I always encourage my students to find the strong traits and special talents in others. When they bump into a personality conflict I have the saying, "Patience with others and patience with self." It is an interaction of two.
I agree Dana. I always tell my students we don't have to like everyone we just need to respect them because throughout life we will encounter people we don't get along with or necessarily "like" but we need to treat them with respect.
How can we help to create a culture of self-examination, open communication, and teamwork in our classrooms and work place?
I think it starts with our own attitude towards life. Being aware that you can not make it through life alone, without other people, is a powerful motivation to collaborate and communicate with other people. I used to be very unreceptive of constructive criticism, until I finally realized that if I used it to my advantage, I could become a better person. I try every year to help my students feel like we are a definite team for the year and we help and take care of each other. Unfortunately, I have horrible communication skills, especially when I was younger, and it is something I have always struggled with. If it was in my head, it was out of my mouth. No filter, but that came with time. I feel that administration sets the tone in the workplace. It is very powerful yet delicate, and I think difficult to master. You can't make everybody happy and I wouldn't want to have that on my job list of things to do. I consciously try to say something nice, or do something nice for someone each day. It may be as simple as saying you liked someone's haircut, or putting a "thinking of you" card in their mailbox when you they are going through something difficult. Like I try to teach my students, "you have to give to get".
I found this chapter very interesting and kept finding examples of past and present administrators on the pages. Bosses who humiliate others and make others afraid to give ideas and opinions is so real. I have witnessed this occurring. And it snowballs where others adopt the same mindset. I've been in meetings where people had other ideas or opinions but would not dare voice them. In education where we all value learning and teach students to work together this should be happening at the teacher and administrators level. This obviously is not all inclusive but we have a way to go. There are many instances where teachers and administrators work together on committees and invest in learning and productive work in our district. The therapy sessions are different then classrooms but I am reevaluating my approach and considering how students can have more opportunities to give feedback and actively plan their therapy goals with me.
I think by fostering an environment in your classroom that encourages creativity and innovation is the key to helping children gain a growth mindset. I think in order to do this we need to set a good example to our students. We need show our students that we can self-examine and teach them how to.
However, I think the base of this type of classroom needs to be rooted in trust with all parties involved. If students can trust one another AND the teacher they are able to self-examine, work together and not be afraid to fail.
I totally agree with setting good examples for our students...we have to model the correct behavior (mindset) and show them it's alright to make mistakes as long as we learn and grow from them.
This can be very difficult. I too have worked for a variety of types of bosses. Some were very set in their ways and made me feel lesser of a person and that my opinion never mattered. Others wanted my opinions and wanted their employees to have freedom - but in a way it was too much. Sometimes I wanted some direction. At times, I felt like I was doing all of the work. This is somewhat of a Goldilocks situation. You need to have a classroom or a workplace that is "just right" and has just the right balance of open communication. That being said, I think it more important than ever to foster independence and creative problem solving within our classrooms. Too often the students are staring at the teacher waiting for direction. Too much is done for them in life, and they are not forced to stop and think what would/could they do. I think from the first day, you need to have students help in establishing rules and routines in the classroom. They need to take ownership of their education. They will know the consequences that way. I also feel that students need to take ownership of their learning. We shouldn't have to constantly be reminding them to turn in their work, get back to work etc. This is where we become like the nagging bosses. But, instead students should be examining their behavior and their work each day to see where they are. In our classroom this year, our theme is, "You are the author of your own story." We started the year telling them that this was day one of their story and that they would determine what happens on each page, and in each chapter. Which choice would they make before the next page was turned. Each day when the students make decisions, we ask them to think about this. In terms of teamwork, class meetings and group projects are always great. We find that when we work together to make decisions or review a day or a choice, things go better. Again, they are taking ownership. Of course, at the end of the day, if they take a wrong turn, we ultimately as teachers need to get them back on track. We accept input, but it can't always be the rule. It is a process and it can be tricky. But, I think teaching real world skills are vital for student growth.
I love the them you are using this year with your class. Not only does the theme create a sense of ownership in the classroom, it lets students know that each twist and turn in their story is "written" by them. They get to take responsibility for their own actions and words, as well as their learning.
How can we help to create a culture of self-examination, open communication, and teamwork in our classrooms and work place?
I think if you have students complete a self-grading rubric of their own work, it allows them to self-examine their learning, and take ownership of it. Peer-evaluation of work also fosters communication between students and opens discussions. Sometimes the students are harder on themselves and others than the teacher grading the work. This allows the student and the teacher to have a discussion about the work if the student evaluated it first. I believe open discussions occur when a student feels comfortable and safe in a atmosphere, and he/she knows the person they are talking to is fair and objective. Periodically, I will ask for students' ideas on how a project could be changed or improved for the next group of learners. Some of the best ideas for projects came from my previous students.
One way I believe we can foster self-examination in the classroom is by being honest with our students and let them know that teachers have fears too...No one wants to look "stupid" however, sometimes it is beneficial for students to see their teacher as a person and not someone on a pedestal. By opening up to your students, letting them see your faults they in turn might open up to you and their peers evoking a deeper self- examination. In a classroom where learning is the outcome instead of correct answers I think students are more likely to work together creating a classroom where teamwork is an outcome. In my work environment I have been blessed to work with such great colleagues. We truly know how to work together and collaborate to help lighten our load which makes for a great working environment.
Great point Josh. Students can be shocked when you are honest with them! But when they begin to see you for more than your title a higher level of respect develops. I believe that this often results in students who are willing to put in a little more effort!
Josh I agree that there are great teams of teachers and therapists that work together and produce wonderful learning experiences for our students. We now need to find a way to take the spirit from our grade level teams and transfer that energy and enthusiasm to the building and district levels.
One of my favorite activities I do each year is a handwriting tutorial. The first day none of the students want to be there and they are usually disengaged. But, by the end most of the students don't want the tutorials to end. I always start with telling them about my own handwriting struggles in school and how sometimes I would feel stupid when my teacher would write "Neater work next time" even if I got 100% on the paper. Which always leads to a discussion of how handwriting is not a reflection of your intelligence and how handwriting can be improved through practice. As we go through the different activities to improve their skill each student decides if they are proficient (they always seem to love that word) in an individual component of handwriting or if they need further practice. I always give "secret" homework such as pick three spelling words and take the time to write them neatly on the spelling test. They don't have to tell anybody they are doing their "homework" unless they choose to tell their parent or teacher. It is a quick way to reinforce effort. They love to tell their secret homework stories to each other.
If only it were so easy to set up an open safe workplace among adults. I have now typed and erased about three sentences about what I have observed during the district's current growing pains as relatively new administrators try to forge a collaborative workplace. I would say I don't feel safe stating my views in writing. I guess that says it all about how I currently feel.
I love your idea of picking three "secret" words to write in your best handwriting on the spelling test. I'm going to use that idea with a few of my little angels!
Self-examination, open communication, and teamwork are three components that are necessary in our classrooms and work place. We can foster self-examination by setting goals with our students and making them part of the learning process. One activity we do is create a classroom constitution in the beginning of the year. The students come up with the rules and routines together with the teacher. When we are having behavior concerns, we always refer back to the constitution to review what WE came up with as a class. We also use peer evaluations and rubrics for students to further examine their work before turning it in to be graded. This gives them more feedback in the learning process. In the classroom open communication and teamwork are implemented through group work and partner activities. We spend a lot of time discussing how to appropriately communicate and work with each other so these activities run smoothly. In the workplace, collaboration is key. We meet weekly with our grade level to discuss concerns, upcoming events, curriculum, etc. This communication and teamwork creates a positive learning environment for teachers and students.
This chapter also discussed bosses that have a fixed mindsets. Since I have only been teaching for a few years, I have been lucky to not have any “brutal bosses.” However, this chapter made me think of when I observed a teacher during college, who had a very fixed mindset. She wouldn’t help me create lessons, respond to my emails, and was always so negative when I came in. She bashed teaching every time I was there. I wondered why she even took college students. This teacher’s fixed mindset made me not want to go in! I couldn’t imagine how discouraging it would be having a boss like that.
I feel that by including the students in creating a classroom constitution in the beginning of the year is a great way to promote teamwork and responsibility for their behavior and actions. I also believe that having the student help create reflection rubrics and checklists helps promote self-evaluation. I have used class meetings on a regular bases to promote open communication and to build trust and respect in the classroom. I have also used journals and blogging where I respond privately to students to help them resolve issues that they may have. The students really enjoy this and it helps build trust between the student and teacher. The students feel safe to voice whatever issues they may have.
As I think about self-examination, open communication, and teamwork in the classroom, I am reminded how our goal is to reward the effort and the process, not necessarily the "quickness" of the response. Recently, a student asked me what number is the best to get (1,2,or 3) on his daily math exit ticket. Everyone works till they get the correct response (and a star), but a 1 means it was independent, a 2 had one "hint, or guiding question, and a 3 had a few "hints". The student figured a 1 was best. I disagreed and I thought a 3 was best. I told him that the 1 just meant it was easy and the student wasn't too challenged, but the 3 showed me that the student was a hard worker and didn't give up! I also use math journals in the classroom and often use problems that have students write down their thought processes to explain their thinking. This helps them reflect on the problem. They describe the steps they think they might take to solve the problem, and often they realize they can figure it out on their own. I guess one thought comes to mind about grading student work, especially while they are still in the process of learning the material. Wouldn't it be nice to have the time and resources in the classroom to have students keep working until they achieve "mastery" or success, instead of giving them a 70, showing them what they did wrong, and moving on...
Over the years I have been lucky to encounter only a few bosses with a fixed mindset that really felt they had to humiliate others to prove their own importance. In my classroom, students are encouraged to try their best and to realize that it's ok to make mistakes. I try to point out whenever I make a mistake and talk about how we each learn from the mistakes we make. In our therapy room it's not about getting all the answers right, but rather always trying our best!
This post will mainly focus on educators in the work place; however, the same advice can be used with students in the classroom. I feel like the job of an educator has become more like a business, and some business owners can be very fixed minded. Accountability is a good thing unless it involved excessive micromanaging. In addition, micromanaging teachers that have a growth mindset may do more damage than good. These teachers are open minded, creative, and flexible, so they need room to exert those qualities. With that being mentioned, there are ways to create a sense self-examination, open communication, and teamwork in the workplace. Allow grade levels to create the focus for their own meetings. Some of the best curriculum work, self-examination, and curriculum work has been done during the summer when a team is able to talk, plan, and organize...stressing quality....not quantity. The teamwork happens automatically when coworkers feel as if they are working toward a common, meaningful goal. And finally, I fear we might be "over" communicating in a non-face-to-face way. It can be overwhelming and difficult to keep up with all the emails, texts, and mailbox items on a daily basis. I feel teachers will work effectively as a team and with their students, communicate more efficiently, and conduct professional reflection when given the freedom and quality time to do so.
How can we help to create a culture of self-examination, open communication, and teamwork in our classrooms and work place?
Teaching fit well with my personality of being self reflective. As teachers, we must self reflect all the time! Lessons, outcomes, student effort, teaching and learning styles... etc etc etc Just about everything we do requires self reflection to keep our practice moving forward. In demonstrating this self reflection out loud, I think we model it for our students. I try to create opportunities for students to reflect on their work by self assessing the mistakes on a math test, or self assessing their work on a social studies project. I also like to use peer assessment for the same reasons. It also builds teamwork and improves communication. Today, the class has earned a "popcorn party" for meeting a class goal. Regularly creating group goals with celebrations help foster both communication and teamwork. In the workplace, I feel having time to meet and collaborate helps to create teamwork as well as foster communication, but it's also more than that. There always needs to be the personal element blended with the work environment. If we don't know each other very well, it is more challenging to work together. If we find bonds of connection, it increases all communication and teamwork, I feel. I think more out-of-the-building activities are beneficial. an impromptu after work "appetizer", an activity scheduled, anything. ALthough everyone's schedule is busy, even if a few people meet and connect on a deeper level, I feel it strengthens to workplace bond, as a whole. Kind of like a strengthening of the chain, a few links at a time. :-)
I find the topic of "Group Think" very interesting. Having a happy agreeable work place is one goal, but having a truly productive work place should be the focus. To break the cycle of group think there must be a high level of trust. If someone is to put a contradictory idea out there for the good of the project they need to feel secure that others will be objective rather than reactive.
Self examination - I remember a teacher who would go over our tests before we handed them in. She would ask us to use a red pen and make the corrections as the questions were reviewed out loud. I remember thinking "this teacher wants me to do her work?!" haha. Perhaps that was not really her goal? That same teacher would take a poll - how many of you answered #21 correctly? and we would raise our hands (or not) - then we would talk about the wrong answers - often she understood where we were coming from and we got some credit if we were willing to participate in the discussion about wrong answers.
ReplyDeleteI often have groups of students practicing motor skills and I find if someone is having a particularly difficult time with a skill let's say jumping jacks - I have them be the class leader and "Talk us through" a jumping jack WITHOUT USING YOUR BODY TO DEMONSTRATE...It is amazing how much they figure it out and how the other are dying to help explain the skill! Then of course everyone wants to pick something to lead the class. I always say it can NOT be something they are good at. Each time I use this approach more children are eager to participate.
As for teamwork workplace as far as with my peers...I have to give that some thought..I am lucky to be right next to my peers and we often have open dialog with a common goal of helping our student...not sure what else we can do - but we are always looking for fresh ideas!
I think that in order to create a growth mindset in schools, for both students and teachers, it is important to reward effort not outcomes. As teachers we need to give feedback and show appreciation for the efforts and learning that we can see unfolding, rather than just the outcomes being achieved. We should present skills as learnable, not pass or fail.
ReplyDeleteAs a staff, I think that when the willingness to put in our best effort and to learn and grow is what’s valued the most, and when we feel confident that giving things our best shot and learning from the experience is what really counts, we will be more willing to collaborate with others and try new things. Perhaps most importantly we’d be equipped to deal with setbacks and seek out opportunities for growth.
reward effort not outcomes.
Deletelearnable, not pass or fail.
Nicely put, Mike.
I think that in order to create a culture of self-examination, open communication and teamwork in our classroom and workplace, teachers and administrators need to ask for feedback and be willing to accept it. When feedback is viewed as an opportunity to grow, rather than taken as a criticism, everyone benefits. Another thing that would help foster a growth mindset in the workplace is the ability to admit your mistakes and bad decisions and learn from them. We all make bad choices. It makes us human. Being able to own our mistakes goes a long way in building teamwork.
ReplyDeleteSelf examination can become easier with confidence. Fixed mindset self-examination typically involves students beating themselves up because they "can't do it." As students begin to understand that effort is praiseworthy I think that they will be more likely to fall into a growth mindset and focus on how they can best use their efforts to improve.
DeleteI agree with you Karen. Having a culture in which we all feel comfortable giving and receiving feedback will only help us to improve and grow.
DeleteI found the section "Brutal Bosses" very interesting. Reflecting the past 36 years that I have been in the work force, I can remember a few bosses who would fit this description I had my first job at the age of 16. My boss was brutal....he wanted power and was very intimidating. I remember wanting to quit and my father would not let me. He told me I was going to meet all different types of bosses and I needed to learn how to work with "difficult bosses". He said I would learn a lot.....Well let me tell you, I have. I know now that the "brutal bosses" were in a fixed mindset. They felt that they were better than everyone else. No one could grow or feel competent. In the classroom, growth is so important for the teachers and students. I also believe the administrators need to be in a growth mindset so the district can work together and give all the opportunity to grow.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. A good administrator will foster the growth mindset to help their teachers feel comfortable taking risks to better themselves.
DeleteSusan, what great advice from your Dad. You do have to learn to work and be around all different types of people in this world for yourself to be successful. That's why I'm not a fan of parents requesting teachers. Children should learn from all different types of people.
DeleteMy first job waitressing I had a "brutal boss." I look back on it and I agree with your dad. I am very thankful to have had such a fixed mindset boos that I did. I feel that it gave me the work ethic that I have now. I still work at the same place (in the summer) 20 yrs later and it is very interesting to see that my "brutal boss" has shifted to a more growth mindset. I still see the fixed but in little doses.
DeleteYou often hear from students (even my own children), " I don't like that student", "I don't like that teacher". But what the children need to hear is that you will encounter all types of people in school, work and life. And we can't always like everyone, but we need to learn to tolerate these people and work with them anyways. It helps them be the kind of people they want to be, and grow up to be the kind of adulth they want to be.
DeleteDana, I couldn't agree with you more. I always encourage my students to find the strong traits and special talents in others. When they bump into a personality conflict I have the saying, "Patience with others and patience with self." It is an interaction of two.
DeleteI agree Dana. I always tell my students we don't have to like everyone we just need to respect them because throughout life we will encounter people we don't get along with or necessarily "like" but we need to treat them with respect.
DeleteHow can we help to create a culture of self-examination, open communication, and teamwork in our classrooms and work place?
ReplyDeleteI think it starts with our own attitude towards life. Being aware that you can not make it through life alone, without other people, is a powerful motivation to collaborate and communicate with other people. I used to be very unreceptive of constructive criticism, until I finally realized that if I used it to my advantage, I could become a better person. I try every year to help my students feel like we are a definite team for the year and we help and take care of each other. Unfortunately, I have horrible communication skills, especially when I was younger, and it is something I have always struggled with. If it was in my head, it was out of my mouth. No filter, but that came with time. I feel that administration sets the tone in the workplace. It is very powerful yet delicate, and I think difficult to master. You can't make everybody happy and I wouldn't want to have that on my job list of things to do. I consciously try to say something nice, or do something nice for someone each day. It may be as simple as saying you liked someone's haircut, or putting a "thinking of you" card in their mailbox when you they are going through something difficult. Like I try to teach my students, "you have to give to get".
Audrey you are completely right. Collaboration and communication are key to making a classroom and work place function positively.
DeleteI found this chapter very interesting and kept finding examples of past and present administrators on the pages. Bosses who humiliate others and make others afraid to give ideas and opinions is so real. I have witnessed this occurring. And it snowballs where others adopt the same mindset. I've been in meetings where people had other ideas or opinions but would not dare voice them. In education where we all value learning and teach students to work together this should be happening at the teacher and administrators level. This obviously is not all inclusive but we have a way to go. There are many instances where teachers and administrators work together on committees and invest in learning and productive work in our district. The therapy sessions are different then classrooms but I am reevaluating my approach and considering how students can have more opportunities to give feedback and actively plan their therapy goals with me.
ReplyDeleteI think by fostering an environment in your classroom that encourages creativity and innovation is the key to helping children gain a growth mindset. I think in order to do this we need to set a good example to our students. We need show our students that we can self-examine and teach them how to.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think the base of this type of classroom needs to be rooted in trust with all parties involved. If students can trust one another AND the teacher they are able to self-examine, work together and not be afraid to fail.
I totally agree with setting good examples for our students...we have to model the correct behavior (mindset) and show them it's alright to make mistakes as long as we learn and grow from them.
DeleteThis can be very difficult. I too have worked for a variety of types of bosses. Some were very set in their ways and made me feel lesser of a person and that my opinion never mattered. Others wanted my opinions and wanted their employees to have freedom - but in a way it was too much. Sometimes I wanted some direction. At times, I felt like I was doing all of the work. This is somewhat of a Goldilocks situation. You need to have a classroom or a workplace that is "just right" and has just the right balance of open communication. That being said, I think it more important than ever to foster independence and creative problem solving within our classrooms. Too often the students are staring at the teacher waiting for direction. Too much is done for them in life, and they are not forced to stop and think what would/could they do. I think from the first day, you need to have students help in establishing rules and routines in the classroom. They need to take ownership of their education. They will know the consequences that way. I also feel that students need to take ownership of their learning. We shouldn't have to constantly be reminding them to turn in their work, get back to work etc. This is where we become like the nagging bosses. But, instead students should be examining their behavior and their work each day to see where they are. In our classroom this year, our theme is, "You are the author of your own story." We started the year telling them that this was day one of their story and that they would determine what happens on each page, and in each chapter. Which choice would they make before the next page was turned. Each day when the students make decisions, we ask them to think about this. In terms of teamwork, class meetings and group projects are always great. We find that when we work together to make decisions or review a day or a choice, things go better. Again, they are taking ownership. Of course, at the end of the day, if they take a wrong turn, we ultimately as teachers need to get them back on track. We accept input, but it can't always be the rule. It is a process and it can be tricky. But, I think teaching real world skills are vital for student growth.
ReplyDeleteI love the them you are using this year with your class. Not only does the theme create a sense of ownership in the classroom, it lets students know that each twist and turn in their story is "written" by them. They get to take responsibility for their own actions and words, as well as their learning.
DeleteHow can we help to create a culture of self-examination, open communication, and teamwork in our classrooms and work place?
ReplyDeleteI think if you have students complete a self-grading rubric of their own work, it allows them to self-examine their learning, and take ownership of it. Peer-evaluation of work also fosters communication between students and opens discussions. Sometimes the students are harder on themselves and others than the teacher grading the work. This allows the student and the teacher to have a discussion about the work if the student evaluated it first.
I believe open discussions occur when a student feels comfortable and safe in a atmosphere, and he/she knows the person they are talking to is fair and objective.
Periodically, I will ask for students' ideas on how a project could be changed or improved for the next group of learners. Some of the best ideas for projects came from my previous students.
One way I believe we can foster self-examination in the classroom is by being honest with our students and let them know that teachers have fears too...No one wants to look "stupid" however, sometimes it is beneficial for students to see their teacher as a person and not someone on a pedestal. By opening up to your students, letting them see your faults they in turn might open up to you and their peers evoking a deeper self- examination. In a classroom where learning is the outcome instead of correct answers I think students are more likely to work together creating a classroom where teamwork is an outcome. In my work environment I have been blessed to work with such great colleagues. We truly know how to work together and collaborate to help lighten our load which makes for a great working environment.
ReplyDeleteGreat point Josh. Students can be shocked when you are honest with them! But when they begin to see you for more than your title a higher level of respect develops. I believe that this often results in students who are willing to put in a little more effort!
DeleteJosh I agree that there are great teams of teachers and therapists that work together and produce wonderful learning experiences for our students. We now need to find a way to take the spirit from our grade level teams and transfer that energy and enthusiasm to the building and district levels.
DeleteOne of my favorite activities I do each year is a handwriting tutorial. The first day none of the students want to be there and they are usually disengaged. But, by the end most of the students don't want the tutorials to end. I always start with telling them about my own handwriting struggles in school and how sometimes I would feel stupid when my teacher would write "Neater work next time" even if I got 100% on the paper. Which always leads to a discussion of how handwriting is not a reflection of your intelligence and how handwriting can be improved through practice. As we go through the different activities to improve their skill each student decides if they are proficient (they always seem to love that word) in an individual component of handwriting or if they need further practice. I always give "secret" homework such as pick three spelling words and take the time to write them neatly on the spelling test. They don't have to tell anybody they are doing their "homework" unless they choose to tell their parent or teacher. It is a quick way to reinforce effort. They love to tell their secret homework stories to each other.
ReplyDeleteIf only it were so easy to set up an open safe workplace among adults. I have now typed and erased about three sentences about what I have observed during the district's current growing pains as relatively new administrators try to forge a collaborative workplace. I would say I don't feel safe stating my views in writing. I guess that says it all about how I currently feel.
I love your idea of picking three "secret" words to write in your best handwriting on the spelling test. I'm going to use that idea with a few of my little angels!
DeleteSelf-examination, open communication, and teamwork are three components that are necessary in our classrooms and work place. We can foster self-examination by setting goals with our students and making them part of the learning process. One activity we do is create a classroom constitution in the beginning of the year. The students come up with the rules and routines together with the teacher. When we are having behavior concerns, we always refer back to the constitution to review what WE came up with as a class. We also use peer evaluations and rubrics for students to further examine their work before turning it in to be graded. This gives them more feedback in the learning process. In the classroom open communication and teamwork are implemented through group work and partner activities. We spend a lot of time discussing how to appropriately communicate and work with each other so these activities run smoothly. In the workplace, collaboration is key. We meet weekly with our grade level to discuss concerns, upcoming events, curriculum, etc. This communication and teamwork creates a positive learning environment for teachers and students.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter also discussed bosses that have a fixed mindsets. Since I have only been teaching for a few years, I have been lucky to not have any “brutal bosses.” However, this chapter made me think of when I observed a teacher during college, who had a very fixed mindset. She wouldn’t help me create lessons, respond to my emails, and was always so negative when I came in. She bashed teaching every time I was there. I wondered why she even took college students. This teacher’s fixed mindset made me not want to go in! I couldn’t imagine how discouraging it would be having a boss like that.
I feel that by including the students in creating a classroom constitution in the beginning of the year is a great way to promote teamwork and responsibility for their behavior and actions. I also believe that having the student help create reflection rubrics and checklists helps promote self-evaluation. I have used class meetings on a regular bases to promote open communication and to build trust and respect in the classroom. I have also used journals and blogging where I respond privately to students to help them resolve issues that they may have. The students really enjoy this and it helps build trust between the student and teacher. The students feel safe to voice whatever issues they may have.
ReplyDeleteI like that idea of responding privately to writing to help students resolve issues. Good idea.
ReplyDeleteAs I think about self-examination, open communication, and teamwork in the classroom, I am reminded how our goal is to reward the effort and the process, not necessarily the "quickness" of the response. Recently, a student asked me what number is the best to get (1,2,or 3) on his daily math exit ticket. Everyone works till they get the correct response (and a star), but a 1 means it was independent, a 2 had one "hint, or guiding question, and a 3 had a few "hints". The student figured a 1 was best. I disagreed and I thought a 3 was best. I told him that the 1 just meant it was easy and the student wasn't too challenged, but the 3 showed me that the student was a hard worker and didn't give up! I also use math journals in the classroom and often use problems that have students write down their thought processes to explain their thinking. This helps them reflect on the problem. They describe the steps they think they might take to solve the problem, and often they realize they can figure it out on their own.
ReplyDeleteI guess one thought comes to mind about grading student work, especially while they are still in the process of learning the material. Wouldn't it be nice to have the time and resources in the classroom to have students keep working until they achieve "mastery" or success, instead of giving them a 70, showing them what they did wrong, and moving on...
Over the years I have been lucky to encounter only a few bosses with a fixed mindset that really felt they had to humiliate others to prove their own importance. In my classroom, students are encouraged to try their best and to realize that it's ok to make mistakes. I try to point out whenever I make a mistake and talk about how we each learn from the mistakes we make. In our therapy room it's not about getting all the answers right, but rather always trying our best!
ReplyDeleteThis post will mainly focus on educators in the work place; however, the same advice can be used with students in the classroom. I feel like the job of an educator has become more like a business, and some business owners can be very fixed minded. Accountability is a good thing unless it involved excessive micromanaging. In addition, micromanaging teachers that have a growth mindset may do more damage than good. These teachers are open minded, creative, and flexible, so they need room to exert those qualities. With that being mentioned, there are ways to create a sense self-examination, open communication, and teamwork in the workplace. Allow grade levels to create the focus for their own meetings. Some of the best curriculum work, self-examination, and curriculum work has been done during the summer when a team is able to talk, plan, and organize...stressing quality....not quantity. The teamwork happens automatically when coworkers feel as if they are working toward a common, meaningful goal. And finally, I fear we might be "over" communicating in a non-face-to-face way. It can be overwhelming and difficult to keep up with all the emails, texts, and mailbox items on a daily basis. I feel teachers will work effectively as a team and with their students, communicate more efficiently, and conduct professional reflection when given the freedom and quality time to do so.
ReplyDeleteHow can we help to create a culture of self-examination, open communication, and teamwork in our classrooms and work place?
ReplyDeleteTeaching fit well with my personality of being self reflective. As teachers, we must self reflect all the time! Lessons, outcomes, student effort, teaching and learning styles... etc etc etc
Just about everything we do requires self reflection to keep our practice moving forward. In demonstrating this self reflection out loud, I think we model it for our students. I try to create opportunities for students to reflect on their work by self assessing the mistakes on a math test, or self assessing their work on a social studies project. I also like to use peer assessment for the same reasons. It also builds teamwork and improves communication.
Today, the class has earned a "popcorn party" for meeting a class goal. Regularly creating group goals with celebrations help foster both communication and teamwork.
In the workplace, I feel having time to meet and collaborate helps to create teamwork as well as foster communication, but it's also more than that. There always needs to be the personal element blended with the work environment. If we don't know each other very well, it is more challenging to work together. If we find bonds of connection, it increases all communication and teamwork, I feel.
I think more out-of-the-building activities are beneficial. an impromptu after work "appetizer", an activity scheduled, anything. ALthough everyone's schedule is busy, even if a few people meet and connect on a deeper level, I feel it strengthens to workplace bond, as a whole. Kind of like a strengthening of the chain, a few links at a time. :-)
In regard to "bully bosses"..... we are in the middle of a contentious election. I need to stay very, very quiet as to my thoughts on this one.
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I find the topic of "Group Think" very interesting. Having a happy agreeable work place is one goal, but having a truly productive work place should be the focus. To break the cycle of group think there must be a high level of trust. If someone is to put a contradictory idea out there for the good of the project they need to feel secure that others will be objective rather than reactive.
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