Growth Mindset Lessons

In October I visited classrooms talking with students about Growth Mindset. Students learned how to persevere through challenging tasks by changing their mindset or thinking. I used literature in most grade levels to help facilitate discussions of characters facing something difficult, changing their mindset, and then overcoming. Students applied this new learning to themselves and different things that they haven't learned to do "YET."

In Kindergarten students read the story Giraffes Can't Dance. They learned that even when others tell us we can't, we should believe in ourselves and never give up! Students wrote about something they can't do "Yet" but if they keep trying they will get it!



1st graders heard the story "Jabari Jumps." Jabari is afraid of jumping off the high dive and spends most of his day at the pool making excuses why he can't climb the ladder or why he isn't ready to jump. We discussed that when things are new for us and we haven't tried them yet it can be hard to have the courage to try. However, once Jabari jumped off the high dive, he immediately wanted to do a back flip the next time. Students were able to apply this to when we persevere through something hard and accomplish it, we will want to try more things that are new and different and we will be more willing to take on challenges.

In 2nd grade we read the story "Penelope Perfect." Penelope plans out every part of her day so that she doesn't make any mistakes and gets perfect grades and looks perfect every day. Penelope even skips recess to stay in and study. Students recognized that Penelope was not balanced, she never Sharpened the Saw, and she was always worrying and stressed because of it. One day the electricity goes out and Penelope's day is thrown off. She expects the day to be awful but realizes that she actually has fun at recess and her non-ironed clothes are comfortable. Students decided that balance is best and even when things don't go our way, we can choose to have a positive mindset and learn from mistakes.

3rd Graders read the story "Bubble Gum Brain" that contrasted two characters: Bubble Gum Brain  (a child with growth mindset) and Brick Brain (a child with fixed mindset). Students completed a sorting activity in pairs to discuss the difference between growth vs. fixed mindset thinking statements.

4th Graders learned about Growth Mindset via Google Slide presentation, utilizing different videos including the one below. Then, they played an activity "Going to the Moon" to experience what it feels like to not get something "yet." I would say "I'm going to the moon and I'm bringing cookies but not cake....boots but not shoes..." and students would need to figure out the clue of what you can take to the moon. It took many tries but one student figured out the clue. Can you figure it out? Ask your 4th grader if you have one!



5th and 6th graders worked together in groups to complete a difficult task, and discussed what it felt like to persevere through something hard and eventually figure it out!

Growth Mindset

Books

• The Dot by Peter Reynolds
• The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
• The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Gary Rubinstein
• What to do with an idea  by Kobi Yamada
• What to do with a problem by Kobi Yamada
• Ish by Peter Reynolds
• Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak
• Penelope Perfect by Shannon Anderson
• Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

Bullying Lessons 2017

I am kicking off this school year with class lessons on bullying. My goal with bullying lessons is that students are able to identify what bullying is (repeated or likely to be repeated, purposeful, harmful behavior), the effects of bullying on others, and ways to stop bullying when they see it. We always focus on Habit 1: Be Proactive during these lessons: we are in charge of our own actions and we are able to ensure bullying is not happening if we 1) don't do it, and 2) stand up to others who are. I like to use a read aloud story in most grades so students can use critical thinking skills in order to achieve these three learning goals during my lesson.

Here is a great visual to help students identify what is true bullying vs. other behaviors that they don't like or might need help resolving. I am using this comparison in my lessons with all students so they can identify the difference.

Kindergartners read the story Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully. In this story students were able to see that bullying behavior is purposeful, repeated, causes students to not want to attend school and to be afraid and worried. Students also learned through the story that everyone standing together to say that bullying is not ok is a very effective way to stop bullies. Mama Raccoon tells a story about how rocks that are rough around the edges can be smoothed out to be held. I gave students rough rocks and smooths rocks to help them understand that our words and actions can be rough, painful, and hurt others, or they can be soft, smooth, and cause others to want to be around us. Students completed a simple worksheet to color a picture of the story.

1st graders read the story Lucy and the Bully. After the lesson students completed a character web to compare and contract the victim (Lucy) and the bully (Tommy). Students thought about who they would like to be of these two characters. In one class, a student recognized that after Tommy was talked to by an adult and realized his behavior's harmful effects on others as well as Lucy's kind actions toward him, he was able to change. I loved this ah-ha moment! If students are engaging in bullying behaviors, they are able to change! This was a perfect take-away from the lesson, and I was impressed by the 1st grader's thinking.

In 2nd grade students read The Bully Blocker's Club. In this story the main character is excited about school until one student makes fun of her, steals her things, calls her names, makes jokes about her, and encourages others to join in. Then, the main character feels worried about going to school and doesn't doesn't want to go, and she constantly feels sick to her stomach, causing her to go to the nurse's office but not know why she's going. We were able to identify that this is bullying behavior and not just a mean moment or a conflict between friends because it is repeated behavior and it is significantly interfering with her ability to learn and the school environment. Students then learned from the story different ways to try and stop bullying, but what really works is when everyone stands up to bullying (instead of joining in or standing by and not doing anything), and reporting it to an adult. Students went home with a letter that aids parents in talking with their child about bullying behaviors and reinforces the learning targets from the lesson.

In 3rd grade, students read the book Weird by Erin Frankel. This is a book in a series that tells a story of bullying from each different viewpoint of participants in a bully situation (bully, target, bystander). Weird is from the target's standpoint. The main character is bullied for being different; she speaks Spanish and wears eccentric clothes that fit her exorbitant personality. The book does an excellent job of portraying how bullying can have a significant negative effect on someone's self-esteem. Students then created a poster, something that the students do in the book, of their commitment to "stand up to bullying."

4th graders watched a video on bullying called Gum in My Hair. This video shares various statistics on bullying with interviews by students who have experienced bullying as well as university professors who have researched bullying in schools. It also gives different options for a student to handle a bullying situation, including standing up for a victim and not being a bystander as well as reporting to an adult. Students then read the story Dare by Erin Frankel. This story is about the bystander in a bullying situation. While discussing this story, students are able to identify why bystanders either join in or stand by and do nothing in a bullying situation, as well as learning about the courage it takes to stand up to the bully. The main character in this story must weigh what she has lost to join in with the bully (her identity and special qualities), and what she might lose to stand up to the bully in the story.

5th and 6th graders received a similar lesson using Poll Everywhere to assess their learning about bullying behavior vs. rude/mean behavior, the effects of bullying on others and on the bullies themselves, how to identify bullying and what to do when they see it happening. Here are some student take-away's from the lesson:

Below is a great article that discusses the difference between bullying behavior and rude/mean behavior. Feel free to read this article and have conversations with your child to reinforce the difference.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/signe-whitson/bullying_b_2188819.html?scrlybrkr=ec2d2acc#

Also, here is a link to the district's bullying webpage: https://sites.google.com/lsr7.net/bullyingawareness/?scrlybrkr=7e457dfa#

Welcome to the 2017-2018 School Year!

I want to extend a warm welcome to the 2017-2018 school year to all HPE families! Please take a moment to review important counseling information in my 2017 welcome letter under Parenting Forms at the left hand side of my blog. There is also information listed there regarding this year's Love N Logic classes provided by Lee's Summit Cares as well as other helpful parenting information.

Another easy way to access my welcome letter is by clicking here.

I am looking forward to another great school year working with your child!