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Growth Mindset & Feedback Cats: Four Ways We Learn

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Growth Mindset & Feedback Cats: Four Ways We Learn

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WORK. Challenging experiences. "Work that stretches."

"Most of the learning is under the waterline."

Learning in the Context.

PRACTICE. Opportunities to practice. "Practice feeds high performance."

CONVERSATION. Creative conversations. Conversation is the lubrication of learning and development. "Our world is others."

REFLECTION. Time for reflection.

Experience + Reflections = Learning that lasts.

Reflect in the workflow with others ... and away from work: individual reflection.

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This infographic is drawn by Tanmay Vora , and inspired by the work of Charles Jennings . WORK. Challenging experiences. "Work that s...

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Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education

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Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education

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Prepare our children for this world. Educate the heart. It's already happening around the world with astonishing results. http://educatingtheheart.org Video Produced by Giant Ant Media http://giantant.ca Art by Sander Van Dijk http://sandervandijk.tv Voiced by Shane Koyczan http://shanekoyczan.com Produced for the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education http://dalailamacenter.org

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An Ethical Island | How to Teach Without a Lecture and other fun

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An Ethical Island | How to Teach Without a Lecture and other fun

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As a kid, I read Calvin and Hobbes religiously, checking out collections from the library and cutting out favorites from the newspaper. Now, I read these same comics and see Calvin in a different light: an example of all of the unexpected traits of gifted students.

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As a kid, I read Calvin and Hobbes religiously, checking out collections from the library and cutting out favorites from the newspaper. Now, I read these same comics and see Calvin in a different light: an example of all of the unexpected traits of gifted students.

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Your form went through, but there's one more step! We have to make sure we can actually get an email to your address. Check for a confirmation email and just click the link.

However, if you used a district email, this may get blocked by a filter. There's nothing I can do on my end. If you don't see the confirmation email, try again with a personal email account.

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Your form went through, but there's one more step! We have to make sure we can actually get an email to your address. Check for a confirmation email and just click the link. However, if you used a district email, this may get blocked by a filter.

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Thinking Skills tell us how we want students to think about the content. I use Bloom's Taxonomy. Make sure students are actually doing the thinking you want! For example, "create a list of odd numbers" is not high-level thinking, despite the word "create."

Content is the topic you're teaching! Click "click to edit" in the objective above to change it. You can differentiate your content by using Depth and Complexity below.

Resources are where students will get their information. You might lecture, give them a book to read, show them a video, etc. You'll want to get way more specific than these options.

The product is how students' show you their thinking. It should match the level of Bloom's that you aimed for. ⚠️ Products tend to be over-emphasized! A cool-looking product does not mean that there was high-level thinking.
Product list adapted from David Chung and The Flip Book, Too by Kaplan, Gould, Siegel
Beware the negative side of putting students in groups! Group work is vastly overused and will limit what students can produce.

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The Differentiator: Build Differentiated Objectives in Seconds

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Pick a thinking skill, a Depth and Complexity icon, and a content area - the Differentiator builds a differentiated lesson objective for you. Free tool, no login required.

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Asynchronous vs. Synchronous: How to Design for Each Type of Learning |

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Asynchronous vs. Synchronous: How to Design for Each Type of Learning |

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Asynchronous vs. Synchronous: How to Design for Each Type of Learning

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There is a lot of skill-building (academic and self-regulation) involved in helping students thrive during asynchronous learning. You are also correct that some students will gravitate to one type of learning over the other.

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(5) George Couros on Twitter: "MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70" / Twitter

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(5) George Couros on Twitter: "MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70" / Twitter

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70
— George Couros (@gcouros) January 14, 2015

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70

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(5) George Couros on Twitter: "MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70" / Twitter

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(5) George Couros on Twitter: "MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70" / Twitter

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70
— George Couros (@gcouros) January 14, 2015

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70

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MT @sylviaduckworth: The 5 stages of innovation #sketchnotes http://t.co/8007nagPS0 #psd70

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Compare | Sketchnote by Sylvia Duckworth | Morning thoughts, Person, Yesterday and today

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Jul 21, 2015 - This Pin was discovered by ADHD / ADD freeSources. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest

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(5) Sylvia Duckworth on Twitter: "New #Sketchnote: 6 Hurdles for Teachers Using Tech: https://t.co/QzDCs0cXmV #edchat @zecool http://t.co/uD32T8GkN2" / Twitter

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(5) Sylvia Duckworth on Twitter: "New #Sketchnote: 6 Hurdles for Teachers Using Tech: https://t.co/QzDCs0cXmV #edchat @zecool http://t.co/uD32T8GkN2" / Twitter

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Applying the SAMR model to ExploreLearning Gizmos | ExploreLearning News

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Applying the SAMR model to ExploreLearning Gizmos | ExploreLearning News

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Technology in the classroom can aid students in learning and aid teachers in classroom administration and monitoring, proving, and celebrating progress. But understanding what specific technologies offer and what can be accomplished with them can be daunting, as can determining how they fit into the classroom.

The SAMR framework-Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition-is an effective way to assess and evaluate the technology teachers use, or are considering, in their classroom. Developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, the model has gained significant traction in recent years with the rise of classroom-friendly technology such as tablets, smartboards and online learning tools and apps.

According to Technology is Learning, SAMR "offers a method of seeing how computer technology might impact teaching and learning. It also shows the progression that adopters of educational technology often follow as they progress through teaching and learning with technology. As one moves along the continuum [from Substitution to Redefinition], computer technology becomes more important in the classroom but at the same time becomes more invisibly woven into the demands of good teaching and learning."
The four steps of the SAMR model include:
Substitution. Technology acts as a direct substitute, with no functional change. This might involve students coloring in blocks on a spreadsheet created in Excel to demonstrate their knowledge of fractions.

Augmentation. Technology acts as a direct substitution tool, with functional improvement. In this stage, students might color blocks on Google Sheets and receive immediate feedback from their teacher.

Modification. Technology allows for significant task redesign. At this stage, the technology has the opportunity to really change the look and feel of what students do. A student might still be using Google Sheets to color in blocks, but now the teacher can offer feedback and direct students to online examples and supplementary learning materials for areas that they might struggle with.

Redefinition. Technology allows for creation of new tasks that were previously inconceivable. Students use an online app or simulation like Gizmos to explore fractions, letting them practice extensively and learn at their own pace.
ExploreLearning Gizmos and the SAMR model
A great example of a technology tool that fits with every step in the SAMR model, from Substitution to Modification, is ExploreLearning Gizmos. One of more than 400 math and science Gizmos in the library, Chemical Changes, helps illustrate the model.

In Chemical Changes, students observe and measure a variety of chemical reactions. Along the way they learn about chemical equations, acids and bases, exothermic and endothermic reactions, and conservation of matter.

First of all, the Chemical Changes Gizmo is a Substitute for actual lab work that would involve costly and dangerous chemicals. With this simulation, students can experiment and combine different chemicals without danger to themselves, others, or school equipment.

Chemical Changes also Augments teaching and student learning by allowing students to answer assessment questions online, while still using the Gizmo. This allows for quick just-in-time feedback.

Modification is present in all the different ways a Gizmo like Chemical Changes can be used. The teacher material supplied with the Gizmo guides learners through different experimental scenarios. Instead of simply mixing one chemical with another and noting the reaction, students can use different tools in the Gizmo to learn about not only chemical changes and reactions, but physical reactions, changes in mass, acids and bases, and more.

But it's in Redefining what is taught and how where Gizmos really shine. In the Chemical Changes Gizmo, students can not only experiment with chemicals at length, safely, and in a number of ways, but as with every Gizmo, teachers can immediately assess what their students have learned, steer them to other resources to help fill in gaps or expand their understanding, and share lesson plans and ideas with other teachers.

There is good technology and bad technology out there. And there are right ways and wrong ways to use technology in the classroom. By using Gizmos, you'll know you're aligned with the SAMR model and bringing powerful new-and effective-learning experiences to your classroom.

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Applying the SAMR model to ExploreLearning Gizmos | ExploreLearning News

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Technology in the classroom can aid students in learning and aid teachers in classroom administration and monitoring, proving, and celebrating progress. But understanding what specific technologies offer and what can be accomplished with them can be daunting, as can determining how they fit into the classroom.

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SAMR - Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything

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SAMR - Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything

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Dr. Puentedura graciously Creative Commons-licenses some of his papers to allow for reproduction on other sites with attribution.

I have taken one of the PDF files and turned it into a slideshow below. I have included links to the original PDF files in case you want to download it from Dr. Puentedura's site.

Bloom's and SAMR:
​My thoughts based on the work of R. Puentedura, A. Churches and L. Nelson

I feel teachers need to both create tasks that target the higher-order cognitive skills (Bloom's) as well as design tasks that have a significant impact on student outcomes (SAMR). A visual to illustrate that follows.

Educators will argue they have seen redefinition tasks that only target the remembering level or have a creative assessment that is only at the augmentation level. Of course that is true, but I believe we should be planning for technology tasks, activities, and assessments that include both the higher levels of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and the transformation area of the SAMR model.

My vision of how the Bloom's and SAMR models work together and intersect follows below.

Bloom's and TECH: My thoughts

Work by others

Videos by others

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SAMR is a model designed to help educators infuse technology into teaching and learning. Popularized by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, the model supports and enables teachers to design, develop, and ...

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SAMR - Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything

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SAMR - Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dr. Puentedura graciously Creative Commons-licenses some of his papers to allow for reproduction on other sites with attribution.

I have taken one of the PDF files and turned it into a slideshow below. I have included links to the original PDF files in case you want to download it from Dr. Puentedura's site.

Bloom's and SAMR:
​My thoughts based on the work of R. Puentedura, A. Churches and L. Nelson

I feel teachers need to both create tasks that target the higher-order cognitive skills (Bloom's) as well as design tasks that have a significant impact on student outcomes (SAMR). A visual to illustrate that follows.

Educators will argue they have seen redefinition tasks that only target the remembering level or have a creative assessment that is only at the augmentation level. Of course that is true, but I believe we should be planning for technology tasks, activities, and assessments that include both the higher levels of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and the transformation area of the SAMR model.

My vision of how the Bloom's and SAMR models work together and intersect follows below.

Bloom's and TECH: My thoughts

Work by others

Videos by others

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SAMR is a model designed to help educators infuse technology into teaching and learning. Popularized by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, the model supports and enables teachers to design, develop, and ...

# data[].attributes.headline
SAMR - Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything

# data[].attributes.subject
SAMR - Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dr. Puentedura graciously Creative Commons-licenses some of his papers to allow for reproduction on other sites with attribution.

I have taken one of the PDF files and turned it into a slideshow below. I have included links to the original PDF files in case you want to download it from Dr. Puentedura's site.

Bloom's and SAMR:
​My thoughts based on the work of R. Puentedura, A. Churches and L. Nelson

I feel teachers need to both create tasks that target the higher-order cognitive skills (Bloom's) as well as design tasks that have a significant impact on student outcomes (SAMR). A visual to illustrate that follows.

Educators will argue they have seen redefinition tasks that only target the remembering level or have a creative assessment that is only at the augmentation level. Of course that is true, but I believe we should be planning for technology tasks, activities, and assessments that include both the higher levels of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and the transformation area of the SAMR model.

My vision of how the Bloom's and SAMR models work together and intersect follows below.

Bloom's and TECH: My thoughts

Work by others

Videos by others

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SAMR is a model designed to help educators infuse technology into teaching and learning. Popularized by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, the model supports and enables teachers to design, develop, and ...

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The 4 Stages of EdTech - The SAMR Model for Technology Integration | Lingo Media - changing the way the world learns english

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The 4 Stages of EdTech - The SAMR Model for Technology Integration | Lingo Media - changing the way the world learns english

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Lingo Media - changing the way the world learns english

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Growth in technology within the education sector has advanced rapidly. This movement has increased the learning capability of students and the techniques of educators. Ultimately the global workforce and society as a whole will benefit positively. As expectations grow and progressively fashionable methods and tools are touted, it is important to keep track of the anatomy of these advances in learning, so that they end up being used most efficiently.

Dr. Ruben Puenedura has described the stages of technological advance in education as the SAMR model. SAMR has become a widely adopted roadmap to the integration of technology into classroom settings.

The model describes the first stage of EdTech in a classroom setting as Substitution, where technology acts as a direct replacement of older equipment. For example, lessons being written on computers instead of notebooks. While we are long beyond this stage in classrooms at the richer end of the education spectrum, many places are still progressing through this first stage.

The second stage, Augmentation, is where the blossoming of learning opportunities begins to happen in earnest. Here, the substitution begins to bring about functional improvement in learning. Beyond the neat and tidy notes produced by a computer in the substitution phase, students may become able to share the notes over a network, or perhaps seamlessly integrate them with source material.

In the Modification stage, tasks are fundamentally redesigned as the technology allows for improved lessons and a richer array of learning. At this stage, a student's notes or assignment may well contain links to third party citations on the web, or embedded media relevant to the topic.

Finally, the Redefinition stage enables entirely new lessons that were previously impossible and likely not even conceived. Instead of writing analysis of individual works of romantic era poetry in an English Literature class, students may write an algorithm that identifies stylistic similarities and differences between various poems from the era, develop models, and then compare them to stylistic models of the Neo-Classical or Victorian periods. It is in this final stage that entire disciplines are able to be viewed through new lenses and their very understanding is changed and expanded.

Lingo Media's EdTech products inhabit the Augmentation and Modification stages or the SAMR scale. We are proud to provide an integral part of the process by which learning English becomes easier and more accessible. Instead of repeating phrases back as a class while a teacher taps on a blackboard, ELL Technologies' speech analysis and accent reduction via its Speak2Me and The Studio tools can provide individual feedback to students, decreasing the learning curve. Basic foundations of oral communication like diction and speaking will enable learners to gain the confidence necessary to practice their newly found language skills. Students are able to move on to more complicated lessons quicker.

Ultimately, the exciting Redefinition stage of the scale is driven not only by technology but by the intellectual innovation of both students and teachers. As ELL's products become an increased part of the middle two stages of the model, we're looking forward to the products' classroom use leading to their involvement in the future of English education.

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The 4 Stages of EdTech - The SAMR Model for Technology Integration

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Growth in technology within the education sector has advanced rapidly. This movement has increased the learning capability of students and the techniques of educators. Ultimately the global workforce and society as a whole will benefit positively.

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25 Things Successful Teachers Do Differently | Help Change The World. The Future Of The County Is Now.

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25 Things Successful Teachers Do Differently | Help Change The World. The Future Of The County Is Now.

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Development of Ownership: From Compliance to Autonomy | Rethinking Learning

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Development of Ownership: From Compliance to Autonomy | Rethinking Learning

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The Development of Ownership by Barbara Bray (2018) is a derivative adapted from the original continuum and content by Bray and Kathleen McClaskey (2015) with g raphics by Sylvia Duckworth. The content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

I've had many conversations educators who commented that developing ownership of learning takes time and that it doesn't always happen in school. Most of us grew up in a system that valued sameness and compliance. In fact, many of the change agents I had conversations with during my podcasts who are successful entrepreneurs today had similar experiences that I had during their K-12 education. They stated that they did not have a voice in their learning and found ways to just follow the game of school. There was no ownership of their learning except outside of school.
The following four phases below and in the graphic above show how any learner moving from Compliance to Autonomy can build the self-confidence they need to own and drive the learning.
Compliance

In the Compliance phase, learners do not own their learning or may not believe they are the ones that have to do the work to learn. They have no idea that they can own or drive their learning at this phase. This is what most of us as leearners experienced because "school" was designed for "students" to follow instructions. Since the late 1800's, a school was designed with the teacher as the person responsible and accountable for what students were learning. Students didn't feel they had a choice in how or what they learned so they just went along and learned how to "do" school the way they were told. When you walk into a class where the teacher owns and drives the learning, the teacher tends to be the hardest-working person in the classroom. You will see walls covered with materials the teacher purchased or created. The teacher is usually doing most of the talking and students contribute to the class by doing what is asked of them.

Understanding

In the Understanding phase, students share how they learn best with the teacher. Being able to write how they learn and include their interests, talents, and aspirations gives students a voice in what and how they learn. These conversations with the teacher help start the shift of the responsibility for learning from the teacher to the student. In this phase, students also consult with the teacher to determine what resources, tools, and learning strategies can support what they need to meet learning goals and tasks. Students share evidence of what they are learning as they learn with the teacher and their peers. In this phase, the teacher with the students will choose the most appropriate resources to use and the evidence of learning to share and post on the walls.

Investment

In the Investment phase, students start developing the skills they need to work independently and collaborate with others. They see the value of goal setting with guidance from the teacher to determine the next action steps they will need to progress in their learning. They are now more invested in the process of learning. They know how to identify and choose the best evidence of their learning that demonstrates what they understand and learned. Walking into a room where students are invested in their learning looks different. This is the phase that validates them as learners. They are focused on completing tasks, reflecting on what they understand, and talking about their learning. They enjoy sharing the evidence they collected or created that demonstrates what they learned.

Autonomy

In the Autonomy phase, students as learners have acquired the skills and now have the self-confidence to work independently and collaboratively with others. By using innovative and creative strategies, learners extend their goals to now pursue their interests and passions to discover their purpose for learning. They are determined to self-monitor their progress as they meet their goals. Learners identify something they are interested in and completely involve themselves in the process. Autonomy means they are learning because they are motivated to learn. When you talk to learners in this phase, you can hear the excitement in their voices. Learners want to share what they are doing throughout the process and look forward to showcasing and exhibiting the process and products to peers, family, and possibly a global audience. When learners have autonomy, they own and drive their learning. Autonomy means that learners have agency.

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Barbara McCombs, Ph.D., from the University of Denver, states in her research Developing Responsible and Autonomous Learners: A Key to Motivating Student s that motivation is related to whether or not learners have opportunities to be autonomous and to make important academic choices. Having choices allows children to feel that they have control or ownership over their own learning. This, in turn, helps them develop a sense of responsibility and self-motivation.

This approach that McCombs states in her research demonstrated how learners can move from compliance to autonomy by teachers creating a learning environment that provides learners with choices and opportunities for growth and ownership of learning. When a learner at any age pursues an interest that they are passionate about, they are motivated to learn and own their learning. When learners own and drive their learning, they want to become more independent and eventually self-directed learners.

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I want to give a big thank you to Sylvia Duckworth @sylviaduckworth ( http://sylviaduckworth.com) from Toronto, Canada for designing the graphics for the Development of Ownership.
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Other Websites related to moving to Learner Agency

About the author

Barbara is a Creative Learning Strategist, owner/founder of Computer Strategies, LLC and its divisions My eCoach (my-ecoach.com) and Rethinking Learning. She loves to write and is co-author of Make Learning Personal and How to Personalize Learning. This website is where Barbara shares her own views of teaching, learning, and life and is honored to share guest posts and host podcasts from awesome educators and influencers with you!

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Development of Ownership: From Compliance to Autonomy

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The Development of Ownership by Barbara Bray (2018) is a derivative adapted from the original continuum and content by Bray and Kathleen McClaskey (2015) with g raphics by Sylvia Duckworth. The content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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Levels of Engagement: Balancing Challenges and Skills | Rethinking Learning

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Levels of Engagement: Balancing Challenges and Skills | Rethinking Learning

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Rethinking Learning - Define Your WHY Through Stories

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The Levels of Engagement design was created by Barbara Bray using some of the original content by Bray and Kathleen McClaskey with graphics by Sylvia Duckworth. Updated content and design is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
The original Continuum of Engagement focused on the teacher's role in engaging students. After reading more about engagement with the "Flow" theory and the differences between engagement and empowerment, I believed it needed to be clearer that engagement is about how much any learner is engaged in a task or activity and the balance between the challenge before them and the skills they have to meet that challenge. Empowerment is what the learner or someone else can do to encourage engagement. The levels are more about how the learner is engaged in learning, not about the teacher or the learning environment. Yet, teachers are learners, too and they can create experiences and environments that are compassionate, creative and innovative. This idea of levels of engagement can pertain to any of us who are defining who we are as a learner.

Defining Engagement

Engagement is the affective side of learning and has been found to be a robust predictor of learner performance and behavior in the classroom. (Martin-Kniep, 2012) Engagement refers to the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion that learners show when they are learning. So this may mean "engagement" is about how much we learn in the classroom or anywhere we learn. I needed to explore this more so checked out the 2016 Gallup Poll.

Measuring hope and engagement, the Gallup Student Poll helps educators gauge school success beyond test scores and grades. With nearly 5 million since 2009, the 2016 survey helps educators provide a more positive school culture - one that builds engagement, creates hope for the future, fosters talent and prepares students to meaningfully participate in the economy. Gallup Student Poll measures are linked to desirable learning outcomes, including self-reported grades, the perception of school success and self-reported absenteeism.

Download the 2016 snapshot report to learn more about how to empower hope and engagement in school. From the results, it is apparent in the Gallup Study that engagement decreased over the years in school. Yet, learning can happen anywhere and at any time especially now with content available at our fingertips. Some questions for you to consider when discussing engagement:

Do we only measure learning that happens in a school?

Are teachers or a school responsible for engaging the learners?

Can teachers empower learners to want to be more engaged in learning?

Have you noticed some learners more engaged than others?

Could it be who the learners are that impacts their level of engagement?

How does the environment impact the learning?

What might keep some learners from being engaged in the learning process?

How much does the system have to do with stopping curiosity, creativity, and engagement?

What can we do to transform the system so learners are more curious, creative, and engaged in learning?

Flow Theory

When learners have a voice and choice in what and how they are learning especially if it is about something they are passionate about or interested in, they jump in and can get lost in the task or project. This is called "flow." When learners are in the flow, you can notice, see and hear the engagement. Sometimes flow is quiet.
[Source: Adapted from Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow:
The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper and Row]
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is best known as the architect of the theory of flow. Flow is when a person is fully immersed in what they are doing and there is a balance between the challenge of the task and the skill of the learner. Flow cannot occur if the task is too easy or too difficult. Csíkszentmihályi published the graph above that depicts the relationship between the challenges of a task and skills. Flow only occurs when the activity is a higher-than-average challenge and requires above-average skills. Both skill level and challenge level must be matched and high; if skill and challenge are low and matched, then apathy results. (Csíkszentmihályi, 1990)

In Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Invention and Discover (2013), Csíkszentmihályi explains why creativity is so fascinating that when we are involved in it, we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of our lives. The examples and stories in the book help the reader understand how we change when we are immersed in an activity we are passionate about.

Levels of Engagement

Compliant

In the Compliant level, learners may appear to be bored or anxious. Some may just give up on learning and follow whatever the teacher or school requires them to do. They may be good "students" who know how to "do" school. Their grades may be good but they are not empowered to do more than they have to do for a grade. There are others that have a fixed mindset and just give up because they were not empowered to learn or do not have a voice in what and how they learn. The school system might be focusing on test scores, worksheets, and homework that are probably not relevant or meaningful for the disengaged learner. The teacher may feel they are the only one responsible and accountable for all the learning in their classroom. Sometimes learners who are compliant have other issues at home that keep them from being engaged in learning.

Commit

At the Commit level, learners are starting to take on more responsibility for their learning. The teacher is building relationships with the learners by guiding the process for them to understand how they learn best. At this level, the teacher may still be laying the groundwork for learning and determining prior knowledge but learners may be demonstrating that they are more involved in what and how they learn. The commit level is where the learners find their voice to help become better learners. When they understand why they may be anxious about learning something, they discuss this with the teacher to help them through their anxiety. Learners are also reaching out to others to help them build the skills they will need to perform a task. They commit even more to want to learn when they have time to explore what interests them. This level is where learning is personal and the student finds out more about themselves and who they are as a learner. This is also the level where the teacher realizes that some children need more time or may have other issues keeping them from learning. The teacher-student relationship is so crucial at this level for all learners to help find their voice.

Connect

In the Connect level, learners realize now that learning is social. They can expand on what they learned at the commit level by connecting with others who are at the same level or have the same interests. They are more in control of their learning but realize they can learn much more if they collaborate with others who can work together to build on their ideas. At this level, the learners are doing more of the talking than the teacher. This is where learners enjoy learning from each other and even teaching their peers. Learners are more engaged at this level when connected to real-world problems that are relevant to them. Today, learners connect with smart devices before and after school. Teachers and schools can make this level more effective if these smart devices are allowed during school hours. This is where "trust" and "letting go" of control can be so important. Our learners are using these devices and need to know the appropriate use so they can connect globally in an effective and safe way. This is the level where you notice it is getting a little noisier in some parts of the classroom.

Flow

At the Flow level, many call it "messy learning" because it may seem chaotic to some people. Learners are curious, creative, and innovative. There is no one way to capture what it might look like. A few learners might be in the hall, another on a smartphone contacting a mentor, two sitting together animated on the floor in the back of the room, a small group brainstorming in the corner, and someone presenting evidence of learning to others for critical feedback. Some learners are working quietly immersed in the task at hand where others are reaching out to others to collaborate on solving a problem. This is when learners have the skills to pursue their interests and are curious by seeking what they are passionate about. They want to challenge themselves to investigate and solve solutions to real-world problems where they can make a difference. You can hear it in their voices and actions. They want to share what they learn. The teacher is more of a mentor and coach as they guide the process. This level is when learners self-advocate for what they need or want to learn and when they have agency.

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What I did notice about the engagement is that sometimes we are in the flow because of the activity or task at hand. Other times we may not be engaged because of the activity. We may be at different levels at home or at school or in other learning environments. The engagement level can be high in a makerspace and low in a classroom depending on the activities.

Several teachers have said to me that when their kids are in the flow, "they never want to go back to the traditional way of teaching." Some questions for you to think about and reflect on:

Have you experienced flow?
How much flow did you experience in school?
Where are you in the Levels of Engagement?
What about your learners in your classroom?
Do you notice different levels of engagement with different activities?

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Resources

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990) Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York. Harper & Row.

Martin-Kniep, G. (2012) 27. Neuroscience of engagement and SCARF: why they matter to school.
https://lciltd.org/WebsitePublications/HandbookNeuroleadership_EngagementArticleGMK.pdf

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Thank You to Sylvia Duckworth @sylviaduckworth from Toronto, Canada for designing the graphics for the Levels of Engagement. Please make sure you visit http://sylviaduckworth.com A few relevant websites about moving to learner agency: for all the graphics she created and to ask her for permission to use any of her graphics.
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About the author

Barbara Bray is a story weaver capturing stories from inspirational people about insightful journeys to discover their purpose. As a creative learning strategist, speaker, coach, and disruptor, Barbara has been trying to transform teaching and learning for over 30 years. Her journey as a teacher, coach, columnist, database developer, and grant writer led to her becoming the owner/founder of Computer Strategies, LLC with its divisions, My eCoach and Rethinking Learning. From 2013 to 2017, Barbara was the past co-founder of Personalize Learning, LLC, and co-authored Make Learning Personal and How to Personalize Learning. In 2017, Barbara became the host of the Rethinking Learning Podcast where she has conversations with inspirational educators, thought leaders, and influencers! At the same time, Barbara started the #rethink_learning Twitter chat. Through all the stories and her journey, Barbara is the author of "Define Your WHY" which is all about owning your story so you live and learn on purpose.

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Levels of Engagement: Balancing Challenges and Skills - Rethinking Learning

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The Levels of Engagement explain how engagement is how a learner balances challenges and the skills needed to move from being compliant to flow.

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Dino Kiveric Films on Twitter | Home schooling, Sketch notes, School help

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Mar 29, 2015 - “What we remember? #edchat #teacheredchat #tlap #MSMathChat”

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Philip Schlecty's Levels of Engagement @sylviaduckworth | Engagement strategies, Student engagement, Instructional coaching

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Jul 2, 2015 - Philip Schlecty's Levels of Engagement @sylviaduckworth

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My Top 10 Sketchnotes in 2016 | Sylvia Duckworth

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My Top 10 Sketchnotes in 2016 | Sylvia Duckworth

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As the clock ticks down to the end of 2016, it's a perfect time to reflect on the past 12 months. I derive a huge pleasure in creating drawings related to education and then sharing them on social media. A question I often get is, "What are your most popular sketchnotes?" Well, thanks to Twitter, it's easy to get hard statistics to find out the answer. So here they are, in order from 10 to 1. Make sure to read to the end to find out the most popular sketchnote for 2016!
#10: The Benefits of Creativity (134 retweets) #9: Three Questions to Ask Your Child Every Day (135 retweets) #8: Modes of Thinking (168 retweets) #7: Teaching Digital Citizenship (173 retweets) #6: 10 Reasons to Use Inquiry-based Learning (181 retweets) #5: 10 Reasons Why Every Teacher Needs a PLN (221 retweets) #4: 10 Growth Mindset Phrases for Teachers (225 retweets) #3: 10 Things We Can Learn from Superheroes (241 retweets) #2: Seven Digital Citizenship Rules (293 retweets) #1: A Checklist for Today's Teachers (413 retweets)
Click here to read about my most popular sketchnotes for 2015. NOTE: Free downloads for these drawings can be found on my Flickr site or in my book, 100 Sketchnotes for Educators. ( Click here to order.)

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As the clock ticks down to the end of 2016, it's a perfect time to reflect on the past 12 months. I derive a huge pleasure in creating drawings related to education and then sharing them on social media. A question I often get is, "What are your most popular sketchnotes?"

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100 Sketchnotes of Inspiration | Sylvia Duckworth

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100 Sketchnotes of Inspiration | Sylvia Duckworth

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(This is a cross-post from the EdTechTeam Blog)
Many thanks to Kim Pollishuke for writing this review about my book, "Sketchnotes for Educators." (SD)
A few years ago, when I joined Twitter (see page 172), Sylvia's sketchnotes quickly caught my eye. I had seen people doodle before but never like this. What a beautiful and succinct way to capture learning! I followed her and eagerly waited for each new drawing. Soon after, I was lucky to have the chance to meet her and she became part of my growing PLN (see pages 166 & 178).

What I love about Sylvia is her willingness to step out of her comfort zone (see page 28). I couldn't believe that her very first sketchnote was only in 2015! What a risk she took, trying something new and then sharing her efforts publicly so that others could learn alongside her.

Reading this book will replenish your educator's soul. On those days when you come home tired and frustrated, turn to page 54 and discover the "10 Steps to Happiness" or page 22 to learn about "Life". On the days when you come home feeling like you just got it all wrong and you're stuck, open page 72 to compare a "Growth Mindset vs Fixed Minded" or page 156 to begin walking the path out of "Stagnation".

Now, on those great days when you come home feeling awesome because your students demonstrated problem solving, collaborative and critical thinking skills, flip to page 70 to see how you have a truly innovative classroom. When you wake up feeling like you can take on the world, jump to page 32 for "10 Things We Can Learn from Superheroes".

Want to learn about Google tools, Breakout EDU, digital citizenship or effective leadership and innovation? Sketchnotes for Educators really does have it all. This is not a book that you will read and then stick on a shelf to collect dust. This is that special book that you will want to have at your fingertips for years to come. At least I know I will.
Thank you, Sylvia!

Kim Pollishuke
Google for Education
Certified Innovator and Trainer
Digital Literacy Resource Teacher
Thornhill, Ontario

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(This is a cross-post from the EdTechTeam Blog) Many thanks to Kim Pollishuke for writing this review about my book, "Sketchnotes for Educators." (SD) 2017 couldn't have started off better when I checked the mail on January 3rd. Sylvia Duckworth's new book Sketchnotes for Educators: 100 Inspiring Illustrations for Lifelong Learners arrived!

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My trip to New Zealand | Sylvia Duckworth

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My trip to New Zealand | Sylvia Duckworth

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Recently I had the good fortune to travel to New Zealand to deliver a keynote and some sketchnoting workshops. I jumped at this opportunity because my youngest daughter, Lauren, lives in Auckland and we were long overdue for a visit. My husband, Steve, also decided to come with me and we met our good Toronto friends Jeff and Doris Plunkett for a few days who were also travelling there. I had been to New Zealand once before, but never had the time to explore it properly. This time, we had 10 days in Kiwiland, and I turned to my daughter for advice since she had already toured NZ in her van. She said that we should focus on the South Island because that's where all the great hikes are. So we did, and boy, was she right!

Reunion with Lauren in Queenstown

Queenstown
Queenstown Airbnb
Day 1: We landed in Queenstown and immediately we were overwhelmed with the beauty of the green, rolling hills covered with sheep that we could see from the plane. Everywhere you looked, it seemed like a picture postcard. We were there in our spring which was their fall, so we were able to enjoy the spectacular fall colours. We picked up our car rental then drove to our which had a stunning view of the harbour and was a five-minute walk into town. Queenstown is adorable, with many shops, bars and restaurants and a nice, flat hike around the harbour. We had tapas and cocktails at a cozy bar called Eichardt's Bar which is attached to the luxurious Eichardts Hotel. A great spot for breakfast is the Bathhouse Cafe, right on the water.

After the hike we visited , a quaint village with shops and restaurants and with trees that seemed at the peak of fall colours. We had a delicious meal at Restaurant.

Day 4: We left Queenstown and had breakfast in Wanaka Town, another beautiful small town on Lake Wanaka. We picked up some groceries, then headed to for the hike of a lifetime. It took us 2hrs45 to climb up and another 2 hours to climb down. The uphill climb was relentless, and if it wasn't for Lauren cheering me on, I don't think I would have made it. But boy, was it worth the view!

Later that day we arrived at our next Airbnb in , a tiny town 22 km from our . It was one of the most enchanting Airbnb's I have ever stayed at, in the middle of an 11,000 acre sheep and cattle farm, on the edge of a lake with Aoraki Mount Cook in the background.

Steve cooked us a delicious lamb dinner while Lauren and I went for a walk down to the lake. With a wood stove keeping us warm inside the house, we pulled out our books after dinner and decided that we could be happy staying here for a long time, but alas, we could only stay for one night. Early the next morning our hostess showed up with freshly laid eggs, bread and milk and we had a yummy breakfast.

Our Airbnb hostess, Sonja.

Day 5: We drove up to Mount Cook, the tallest mountain in New Zealand.

Lake Tekapo, en route to Christchurch (Yes, the water really is this blue!)

The hike at Mount Cook was nice and easy, a flat walk up to the base of the mountain and back, with a view of some tiny icebergs which had broken from the glacier above.

Mount Cook
Later that evening we arrived inChristchurch and I had a chance to finally meet Arnika MacPhail who is the vivacious organizer of the Cyclone Energise Conference.

With Arnika MacPhail, Rob Smith, Louka Parry, Jordan Priestley, and Gerry MacManus who drove me to the airport in his super-cool Austin mini! (Read his blogpost about the conference )

Day 6: At the end of the conference today , who attended my sketchnote sessions, surprised me with a wonderful sketchnote of my keynote: "Why Creativity Matters". Yes, this is her first sketchnote. I know, c-r-a-z-y good! She blogged about the conference here: and . Another teacher I was looking forward to meeting was Rachel Chisnall, having "met" her on Twitter previously. You can read her blogpost about the conference (scroll down to read about my keynote).

Sketchnote by Emma Scott

I met so many wonderful, energetic teachers at this conference, who were keen to learn about new methods to engage their students and were so much fun! We danced, made paper airplanes and drew cartoons during my keynote. A huge thank you to for inviting me! Cyclone

This is my "Mihi": The Maori way to introduce oneself. Many thanks to Arnika and Sylvia Fidow for helping me with the pronunciation! Click here for a translation.

We met a tour guide/driver, , at the Blenhelm airport who drove us 30 minutes to and we arranged for him to take us for a wine tour the following day. When we woke up in our the following morning, we gasped at the beautiful view of Picton harbour and the mountains beyond.

Day 9: We took a 2 ½ hour ferry from Picton to Wellington but sadly, the skies were gray and rainy so we were not able to see much. Our in Wellington was beautiful, but a little out of town so we Ubered back and forth to get a taste of Wellington city life. It looked lovely but we couldn't really see much because of the rainy weather. We did discover a great cocktail bar called "The Library" with live music, and we had an amazing meal at . Also, an amazing breakfast place near the Airbnb called "Scorch-o-rama" right on the water's edge.
Wellington Airbnb
The Library cocktail bar in Wellington

Day 10: We flew from Wellington to for our final destination. We stayed at the Grand Mercure Hotel, a boutique hotel right in Auckland Harbour. We wandered around the harbour and had oysters and drinks at Dr. Rudi's Rooftop Bar overlooking the harbour.

Lauren then took us to two of her favourite neighbourhoods: and Later in the evening we discovered a really cool whisky bar called "The Jefferson", and then we had one of the best meals of the trip at an Italian restaurant called near our hotel. "

"The Jefferson Bar", Auckland

Papa Rangi greeting me the Maori way: nose-to-nose, "Sharing the breath of life".

The staff at Te Whānau o Waipareira

Yes, dear readers, New Zealand is as beautiful as all of the pictures you have ever seen. In fact, it is even more beautiful than you can imagine. Our daughter Lauren might never leave and I don't blame her. Its unspoiled, pristine beauty, majestic mountains, epic hikes, friendly people and tremendous respect for the Maori culture makes it a must-see destination for everyone. Put it on your bucket list! for a list of useful Maori words and expressions. Click here for a complete photo album of our trip.

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Recently I had the good fortune to travel to New Zealand to deliver a keynote and some sketchnoting workshops. I jumped at this opportunity because my youngest daughter, Lauren, lives in Auckland and we were long overdue for a visit. My husband, Steve, also decided to come with me and we met our good Toronto...

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Macul15 Keynote Sketchnotes | Sketchnotes, Visual note taking, Notetaking

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Mar 23, 2015 - Explore karly b's photos on Flickr. karly b has uploaded 9503 photos to Flickr.

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Followers, PLN, and Tribe – doug — off the record

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Followers, PLN, and Tribe – doug — off the record

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I think we all feel it...back to school jitters! We are excited, we are nervous, we are filled with anticipation. We have long to-do lists, big hopes and dream

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11 tips for keeping up with technology – SylviaDuckworth.shop

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11 tips for keeping up with technology – SylviaDuckworth.shop

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Home / All drawings / For Teachers / 11 tips for keeping up with technology

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Once you have purchased a digital download, head to Printful.com to create a customized product using the image.

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Home / All drawings / For Teachers / 11 tips for keeping up with technology $10.00 Related products Once you have purchased a digital download, head to Printful.com to create a customized product using the image.

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Moving Students From Digital Citizenship To Digital Leadership

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Top 10 Reasons for Students to Blog – Kidblog

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I like this creative list you put together stating all the benefits of blogging. Our school hasn't done any blogging. Seeing these benefits listed could motivate our school to try it.

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Images Available from Sylvia Duckworth under Flickr Creative Commons

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Some change sucks and it is why a lot of educators hate it. Many educators see change as being done for the sake of change, and to be honest, in many cases they are right. There are [...]

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Connected Learning Infographic | Connected Learning

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Connected Learning Infographic | Connected Learning

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Created and curated by community members

Welcome to The Current, where connected learning and teaching matter.

The Current is an open publishing site of Educator Innovator-powered by the National Writing Project-and provides a forum for the sharing of resources and stories about what we as educators are observing, doing, and reflecting upon related to Connecting Learning and teaching.

Participate Learn More

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Created and curated by community members Welcome to The Current, where connected learning and teaching matter. The Current is an open publishing site of Educator Innovator-powered by the National Writing Project-and provides a forum for the sharing of resources and stories about what we as educators are observing, doing, and reflecting upon related to Connecting Learning and teaching.

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RSA ANIMATE: How To Help Every Child Fulfil Their Potential - YouTube

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RSA ANIMATE: How To Help Every Child Fulfil Their Potential - YouTube

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RSA ANIMATE: How To Help Every Child Fulfil Their Potential

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An Introduction to Technology Integration - YouTube

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An Introduction to Technology Integration - YouTube

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An Introduction to Technology Integration

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Integrating technology with classroom practice can be a great way to strengthen engagement by linking students to a global audience, turning them into creators of digital media, and helping them practice collaboration skills that will prepare them for the future. For more about technology integration, visit http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration.

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Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education

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'Teachers Inspire Us' directed and illustrated by Morgan Birch and Courtney Maxfield.

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Learning That Technology Is Not A Silver Bullet: Ed Tech Challenge Intro (1/4) - YouTube

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Learning That Technology Is Not A Silver Bullet: Ed Tech Challenge Intro (1/4) - YouTube

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Technologies That Will Change Classroom Education

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Learning That Technology Is Not A Silver Bullet: Ed Tech Challenge Intro (1/4)

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Suggestion for using this video to facilitate discussion with a group- create a copy of this spreadsheet, make it publicly editable, and share the video in the four sections: http://tinyurl.com/etctalk Learn more about the project at: www.edtechchallenge.com Full transcript: http://www.edtechcoaching.org/2013/09/the-ed-tech-challenge-what-is-this.html

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Responsible rewards: using the “now-that” principle with students | The Cornerstone

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Responsible rewards: using the “now-that” principle with students | The Cornerstone

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In last week's Truth for Teachers episode, I explained why 'reward' isn't a bad word and argued my case for why they can be an integral part of your classroom practice. I talked about how a district administrator criticized me during a surprise walkthrough and why I think that teachers, of all people, know how detrimental it is to be expected to work hard in a place where they're not recognized or appreciated for their efforts.

We do not want to create that same culture in our classrooms.

So, if you have a problem with rewards or just want to know why I think rewarding students is appropriate, check that episode out first. That was the WHY. In this episode, I'm going to share the HOW.
Want to listen to this post instead of read? Click the player above! I've found that the most effective way to use rewards with students is by creating a culture of appreciation in the classroom and using unexpected "now-that" rewards.
When we talk about building the culture of appreciation, some teachers like to mention a whole-class reward system. A reward system is different from a behavior management system.

'Flipping your card' and 'moving your clip' are behavior management systems. Students are acknowledged when they misbehave.

A reward system does not track misbehavior or provide any sort of punitive consequences. Instead, it provides an incentive for students to work hard and exercise self-discipline, and gives a pay-off when they do. For young students, there's the added benefit of taking very abstract ideas like being responsible and showing respect to others, and pairing them up with concrete things that having meaning to students.

A whole-class reward system allows you to recognize individual children by giving compliments accompanied by a token, bean, counter, or some other small item when they make good choices. I created one that I called the bead reinforcement system.

It's a simple premise: kids earn beads which are traded in at the end of the week for additional center time. Bead distribution was fairly random and unexpected: the kids never knew when they'd get one because I didn't dangle the promise of reward ahead of time with bribes like "If you're quiet, you'll get a bead."

Instead, I'd give a task and watch for positive actions to reinforce with specific praise and a symbol of appreciation (the bead): "I love how you kept trying even when the work was hard" or "You were so patient and supportive when you explained that answer to him." I'd quietly slip the child a bead and watch her face glow with satisfaction, knowing that she'd made a good choice and it was noticed by someone who cared about her.
I loved this system because it kept my focus on the positive things kids were doing, and I felt like most of them responded by doing the right thing because it was the right thing to do, and not in anticipation of earning a bead.
To be honest, I wasn't sure exactly why the system worked so well until I read Daniel Pink's book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. Drive isn't a book about education, per se (it's a Malcolm Gladwell-type read that compiles research studies into really compelling stories), but most of what the author talks about is relevant to teachers since one of our biggest and most challenging tasks is getting kids motivated to learn.

Pink conducted a number of fascinating behavioral studies, including a bunch with children, to see what factors made them want to work hard and try their best. He writes,

When children didn't expect a reward, receiving one had little impact on [did not detract from] their intrinsic motivation. Only contingent rewards-if you do this, then you'll get that-had the negative effect. If-then rewards require people to forfeit some of their autonomy... and that can spring a hole in the bottom of their motivational bucket, draining an activity of its enjoyment.

Instead of "if-then" rewards, Pink recommends "now-that" rewards.
The practical application? Think about recess, the classic student motivator.

If you tell kids that if they get their work done, then they'll get to go to recess early or have free time, you'll take their focus off the work itself. Throughout the assignment (and every time you give one afterward), the class will be waiting for you to offer them their motivation, and rushing through the task to get to it. On days when they won't be able to have extra free time, there will be little incentive to complete the task. Kids not only expect the reward, but often start criticizing or questioning the teacher when they don't get one.

But the outcome is totally different if you have students complete the assignment and afterward say that now that they're done, you'll allow some extra recess time.
When you expect kids to do their work everyday with no mention of reward and then surprise them occasionally with a gesture that shows appreciation for their ongoing and continual hard work, they'll learn to focus their attention on the task and not the reward.
You have to intentionally cultivate this culture of appreciation so kids don't ask for rewards. Explain to students:

The extra free time is a Thank You gift. You can't ask someone for a gift. Just like I don't ask you, When are you going to draw me another picture or bring me flowers you picked? I just try to be the best teacher I can be, and accept any recognition and appreciation you all give me. You can't expect the gift of a reward from me. Don't steal my ability to surprise you with something you love. Just do your job well and do things that inspire gratitude and appreciation in others.

Then, when you DO provide a reward after a job well done, the kids show gratitude and there's a moment of shared pleasure as the teacher gets to do something nice for the children she cares about and they actually appreciate it.

It's a totally different classroom climate-you're building that culture of appreciation by modeling it for students. We often expect students to be grateful to us as teachers but how often do we model gratitude for them?

These "now-that" rewards can be regularly infused into the school day to model gratitude, reinforce classroom expectations, and let students know you're noticing their good choices. Here are some examples to get you thinking:

When students use manipulatives the correct way during a lesson, give some free time with the materials. Say, "You all did a fabulous job staying on-task and practicing your math skills. I'm going to give you the last few minutes of our time to create a design or pattern with them in any way you choose. Have fun!" Then when you incorporate manipulatives again in an upcoming lesson, tell the kids you're doing so because of their hard work and effort the last time: the reward is an expression of appreciation to them.

After kids successfully stay engaged during a tedious test prep activity or other paper and pencil task, announce that you'll let the class complete the last few questions using individual wipe-off boards. (You know you can get a class set for about $15 using a shower board from a home improvement store, right?) Let the kids decorate the boards with their markers as they work. Use the boards again during the next lesson if the kids are responsible with them, and point out that's why they've gotten to use the boards so much.

Present differentiated tasks as a "now-that" reward, even if you were planning to provide choices all along.Tell the class you've noticed their hard work on a research project and you're going to let them choose their presentation method: recording a video, writing a blog post, making a slideshow, creating a skit, etc. Make a clear connection between the good decisions they've made and your allowance for more freedom of choice.

If you finish a lesson early because you didn't have to stop a hundred times to redirect behavior, tell the kids that, and let them use the time for something fun."You were focused and attentive today, and I'm really impressed by how well you helped manage our time. Since I wasn't interrupted by kids playing around, you were able to learn this material in only 40 minutes instead of 45! That gives us an extra five minutes to play a game." Play a quick round of a review game or other short activity the kids love.

Recognize whole class achievements.When every person in the entire class does something truly miraculous (like getting an 80% or higher on a test, turning in all their homework, or behaving maturely on a field trip), give up your lunch period and eat with the kids in the classroom or outside in an impromptu picnic. Let the kids see that you truly enjoy talking and laughing with them. If you can, go out on the playground together and participate in a class game like kickball. Figure out something that works for your students and teaching context.

The more you incorporate "now-that" rewards into instruction, the better students understand that their behavior impacts the way the classroom is run, and they will be more motivated to follow the routines and put in effort. They will demonstrate a more positive attitude toward you and a willingness to work together with their classmates toward a common goal.

Just as you've shown gratitude for their efforts, they will show gratitude for yours and will think carefully about how to show you they are responsible and ready for additional privileges.

If you want to find out more about meaningful, effective rewards, check out my online course on on pro-active behavior management. It's a five-part series that explains how to choose incentives and rewards that work for your students and reinforce self-discipline as well as shared responsibility for making the classroom run smoothly. The course walks you through everything from teaching routines and procedures to how to respond when students don't meet expectations, to individual behavior plans for students who need extra support. Click here to watch free excerpts and learn more.

"Now that" rewards-non-contingent rewards given after a task is complete-can be effective in reinforcing good choices without undermining intrinsic motivation. "Now-that" rewards are especially effective when they provide useful information about performance and you give verbal feedback about why the reward was given.

So even though "now -that" rewards are effective even creative tasks, we still want to make sure we're not distracting students from the inherent value of the work itself.
Is there still a time and place for "if-then" rewards? Daniel Pink's research tells us yes.
He argues that carrots and sticks aren't all bad. They can be effective for rule-based routine tasks, particularly when the person giving the reward offers a rationale for why the task is necessary, acknowledges that it's boring, and allow people autonomy over how they complete it.

The reason why "if-then" rewards work for routine tasks is because there's little intrinsic motivation to undermine and not much creativity to crush. It makes sense then why "if-then" rewards were the basis of most class behavior management systems in America for many years. "If-then" rewards are pretty effective motivators for the rote tasks, drills, and non-creative tasks that students did all day long.

But now we want our kids to be problem-solvers and critical thinkers. The research of people like Daniel Pink shows us that when kids are involved in higher-level thinking tasks, we have to inspire them to learn, not bribe them to learn.

If you're using a traditional "if-then" reward system in your classroom and it's working, that might be a sign that most of the assignments you're giving are rule-based, routine tasks.

Ultimately, we need to think about the type of tasks we're giving kids in addition to how to reward children for completing them. I've noticed that when I give an assignment that provides kids with a lot of choice and control over what they're doing, most children will work diligently and with a great deal of focus. If you've experienced this in your classroom, then you know one of the most beautiful and rewarding moments of teaching is to look around the room and see every child eagerly reading, writing, and discussing concepts they're excited to be learning about.
When creating more of those moments is our primary goal, we don't have to worry so much about a creating a reward system.
We can show appreciation for our students' efforts with "now-that" rewards, but rewards will never drive instruction or be the primary reason why students are doing the work. We can build a culture of appreciation when kids are working on meaningful tasks and we simply recognize all their accomplishments.
Show kids in every way possible that reward follows work. So the best approach? Inspire your students with work that matters, give them tasks that are inherently rewarding and satisfying to complete, and join them in recognizing and celebrating their accomplishments. See blog posts/transcripts for all episodes Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes Subscribe to the podcast in Stitcher Click To Tweet

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Responsible rewards: using the "now-that" principle with students

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In last week's Truth for Teachers episode, I explained why 'reward' isn't a bad word and argued my case for why they can be an integral part of your classroom practice. I talked about how a district administrator criticized me during a surprise walkthrough and why I think that teachers, of all people, know how detrimental it is ...

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6 Ways Social Media Can Change Your Classroom | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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6 Ways Social Media Can Change Your Classroom | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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6 Ways Social Media Can Change Your Classroom

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15 Rules of Great Teaching | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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15 Rules of Great Teaching | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers Who Use Technology | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers Who Use Technology | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers Who Use Technology

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Connected Educator | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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Connected Educator | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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Growth Mindset and Failure | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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Growth Mindset and Failure | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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Infographic: Preparing Teachers for Deeper Learning | Digital Promise

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Infographic: Preparing Teachers for Deeper Learning | Digital Promise

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Education can scratch the surface, or it can go deep - providing students with not just subject knowledge, but the skills required to master that subject.

Skills such as inquiry, critical thinking, and collaborative problem solving equip students with the tools they need to succeed in college and the workforce. Tools that set the foundation for lifelong learning.

In order to move to a competency-based system, we should take advantage of the opportunity to model that approach for those at the head of the classroom: teachers.

Digital Promise CEO Karen Cator, along with Tom Vander Ark and Carri Schneider from Getting Smart, lay out a new approach to teacher professional development in "Preparing Teachers for Deeper Learning," a paper and corresponding infographic.

This approach balances an educator's goals with those of their district's leadership, and can be seamlessly integrated with classroom practice.

And, perhaps most importantly, this approach allows teachers to take ownership of their learning by giving them control over when, where, and what their professional development looks like.

Micro-credentials, issued in the form of digital badges, are an exciting and compelling vehicle for delivering personalized, competency-based opportunities for teachers to continuously learn and grow in their practice.

As a founding member of the Badge Alliance, Digital Promise is leading a growing group of individuals and organizations interested in digital badges for teachers. We are also developing a series of micro-credentials to reward competence based on portfolios of artifacts and reflections.

These credentials are granular and the expectations are transparent. Expert and peer reviews will ensure the micro-credentials are rigorous, and ultimately worthwhile endeavors for professional educators within schools, districts, and beyond.

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Infographic: Preparing Teachers for Deeper Learning

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Education can scratch the surface, or it can go deep - providing students with not just subject knowledge, but the skills required to master that subject. Skills such as inquiry, critical thinking, and collaborative problem solving equip students with the tools they need to succeed in college and the workforce.

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It’s Monday! We Are Reading (and Rereading) A Mindset for Learning | Assessment in Perspective

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It’s Monday! We Are Reading (and Rereading) A Mindset for Learning | Assessment in Perspective

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It's Monday! We Are Reading (and Rereading) A Mindset for Learning
The class is transitioning between two activities. The teacher places two logs (They are really rolled up pieces of chart paper) in the center of the meeting area. The children see the logs and immediately move to the rug - They know that it is time to sit around the campfire for storytelling. The lights go down and the teacher begins a familiar story titled, "The time Ella was persistent." As the story ends the teachers says, "Turn to your partner and tell a story about a time you were persistent" (85).
If this image from a classroom grabs you the way it grabbed us, then you will love reading A Mindset for Learning by Kristine Mraz and Christine Hertz.

This book is all about how we can teach students to be active, engaged learners who understand the power of a growth mindset. A Mindset for Learning gives powerful examples of how two teachers redefined the word rigor in their classrooms by teaching the traits of joyful, independent growth. Daniel Siegel explains the importance of this work - "Children who develop social and emotional competence are happier, have more rewarding relationships with peers, are resilient in the face of stress and even perform better academically" (Gordon 2015, xiv).

Kristine Mraz and Christine Hertz begin this teaching with a subject that is close to our hearts - Assessment. They urge all of us to "observe intentionally" and they share tips for collecting data to understand how a student approaches learning (20):

Begin with a question - What was happening right before ___________ (child's name) difficult moment?

Sit for five or ten minutes and kid watch. Make this time sacred by reminding students not to interrupt.

Take detailed notes about what you see and hear.

Repeat this process during different times of the week so you have multiple perspectives.

This assessment data helps move beyond "treating just the symptoms" and towards identifying some of the causes behind a student's behavior. Now that the teacher knows the "whys" behind a student's actions s/he can help the student develop the habits of mind for successful academic learning.

Mraz and Hertz explicitly teach these habits of mind in the classroom. Here are the five stances they teach their students:

In order to make this learning meaningful and to show how one stance by itself is not nearly as powerful as the interplay with others, they created a constellation of stances (p. xix). (i.e. Constellation Woman)

To teach these stances Mraz and Hertz use guided inquiry to help students construct the meaning of these ideas (45):

1. Study a text as a whole class - In Appendix E they list many texts to use in K-5 classrooms.

2. Discover the concept - As students talk about the characters, they foster conversations about how a character handled a difficult situation or what a character might have learned.

3. Name the concept - They name the stance or stances a character exhibits. Then the teacher or the students draw a quick sketch with a symbol to represent this trait.

4. Reflect on and generalize the concept - Students share ideas, times or examples of the stance and this stance is revisited many times throughout the year.

These steps help students understand the deeper meanings of the five stances (empathy, flexibility, persistence, resilience and optimism) and learn how these stances help us grow, think, and face challenges.

Mraz and Hertz share how they teach positive self-talk to help children internalize and apply this learning when challenges arise. They explicitly teach children what it means to self-talk and then share different self-talk "scripts" to help children internalize the habit of positive self-talk. Here are just a few examples from the text (69):

Example from Chartchums
Self-Talk That Supports Different Traits

Optimism
I can try; let's see what happens.

Resilience
I made a mistake; it happens. I can look it over and see what I can change.

Flexibility
That way isn't working; what else can I do?

Persistence
I am getting frustrated, but if I try again maybe I will get it.

Empathy
When this happens to me, I feel...I bet he/she feels the same

As you read the examples from K-5 classrooms in this book, the teaching of these stances comes to life. For us, A Mindset for Learning is a companion book to Choice Words by Peter Johnston. It is a book we will recommend to teachers and a book we will reread each summer. It provides ideas and tools for how to help students develop a growth mindset or as Peter Johnston says, a sense of agency. Peter Johnston explains the importance of this work - "If nothing else, children should leave school with a sense that if they act, and act strategically, they can accomplish their goals " (2004, 29). We completely agree. The teaching Mraz and Hertz share in this book can change our students' perceptions of themselves and their outlook on life.

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Teachers for Teachers | It's Monday! We Are Reading (and Rereading) A Mindset for Learning

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The class is transitioning between two activities. The teacher places two logs (They are really rolled up pieces of chart paper) in the center of the meeting area. The children see the logs and immediately move to the rug - They know that it is time to sit around the campfire for storytelling.

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A Collection of Project Based Learning End Products — Learning in Hand

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A Collection of Project Based Learning End Products — Learning in Hand

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I'm always on the lookout for products created by students through project based learning experiences. I'd rather see what students create to express their answer to a driving question than just read a summary of the project. I can find loads project ideas and descriptions online, but it's much harder to find quality end products by students.

I've spent quite some time searching all over the internet for end products. I think these samples can be used as inspiration for your own projects. And, critiquing these samples can help students think of ways to make their own productions better.
What I look for in projects:

The project answers a driving question.

The production is made by students or documents students' learning.

The production is made for an audience.

The project is open-ended, so each end production is different.

The product is hosted publicly online.

Read more about project based learning.

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A Collection of Project Based Learning End Products

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I'm always on the lookout for products created by students through project based learning experiences. I'd rather see what students create to express their answer to a driving question than just read a summary of the project. I can find loads project ideas and descriptions online, but it's much harder to find quality end products by students.

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5 Characteristics Of Project-Based Learning That Works | TeachThought

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5 Characteristics Of Project-Based Learning That Works | TeachThought

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5 Characteristics Of Project-Based Learning That Works
by Drew Perkins, Director of TeachThought PD

As I've written before (What PBL Can Do For Your School...And What It Won't) project-based learning can be an amazing tool for student, teacher, and school growth but only if you're getting great thinking and learning as a result. It's not enough to just have students making something or doing hands on, experiential work.

Quality PBL takes advantage of built-in and designed levers of quality that helps the teacher as facilitator align the thinking and learning we're after in our students. As the graphic above shows, it's these 5 Levers of Quality working in concert that elevate the desired thinking and learning whether that be content standards, skills, or both.

Aligned Thinking and Learning

The project is intentionally designed to solicit thinking around desired standards, content, & skills students need to know.

When planning for project design what thinking and learning do we want our teaching to align with? While this certainly can be and most often is focused on content and standards, that may not necessarily be the case with all projects. In fact there's a great case to be made for a very healthy balance between content and skills and perhaps even focusing on thought to more deeply learn content. The big emphasis here though is that there is intentionality in planning on the part of the teacher/facilitator about the thinking and learning, whatever that may be, that students will need to know and demonstrate understanding of in order to complete the project and challenge.

Rich Inquiry

The project provides multiple opportunities & need for high level questioning by students & teacher.

Good facilitators/teachers plan good questions to ask learners, great ones plan for scenarios from which great questions grow from everyone. Throughout a project we want to see opportunities and the need for students and teachers to ask questions both planned and organically. Starting with an open-ended Driving Question aligned with the desired thinking and learning, students might have questions for an outside expert, questions for fellow students around a text or other resources, questions to help lead the thinking of others or just clarifying questions. Moving from a classroom where answers are the norm, rich inquiry yields profound thinking and creativity as one idea builds upon another.

Authenticity

The project challenges students to create products for real world purposes & audiences.

Students (and teachers) need to be clear about the product, purpose and audience in a project and this is closely linked to authenticity. Connecting the product to an authentic purpose and audience allows another leverage point that is missing if the work is just "for school". Instead of asking how many points they earned or what their grade is, authenticity shifts those inquiries to asking if and how well the work is serving the purpose and needs of the audience. While we do want to use the process and the products of PBL to measure learning, the addition of authenticity helps to increase student interest and engagement and can empower them as they do real, meaningful and purposeful work that transcends traditional schoolwork.

The project provides opportunities for student voice & choice in the process & product.

As Daniel Pink notes so eloquently notes in Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, if you want commitment and engagement, not just compliance, self-direction is better. As teachers and students grow in a PBL environment this is a culture shift where teachers are increasingly releasing "control" and becoming more of a facilitator. This autonomy can show up in a number of ways including allowing for increased student inquiry and choice over what to investigate, how to uncover the necessary learning as well as the ways in which they will show they know and understand.

Meaningful Assessment

The project guides teaching & learning using purposeful formative and summative assessments.

Ask most students how they feel about assessment and you're likely to get a less than positive response but this doesn't have to be the case. Using assessment as a tool to inform next steps and needed areas of improvement can be exciting, especially when the work is authentic, meaningful and purposeful. Meaningful assessment can come in many forms including formal and informal and may in fact be questions, not always just answers. It can also originate from multiple sources including self, peers, outside experts, and of course teachers.

Craftsmanship

The project provides opportunities & reason for students to create craftsman-like products.

We want students to produce high quality work and thinking but how often do we provide them with authentic challenges that they see as worthy of refinement and improvement outside of pursuit of just a grade? Quality project-based learning empowers students by engaging them in processes of reflection and revision as they seek to improve their products to meet the needs of an authentic audience instead of just playing school.

Interested in learning more about how to leverage great thinking and learning using authentic project based learning?
Schedule a TeachThought Professional Development PBL Workshop For Your School >

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5 Characteristics Of Project-Based Learning That Works -

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5 Characteristics Of Project-Based Learning That Works by Drew Perkins, Director of TeachThought PD As I've written before (What PBL Can Do For Your School...And What It Won't) project-based learning can be an amazing tool for student, teacher, and school growth but only if you're getting great thinking and learning as a result.

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Resources for Teaching Growth Mindset | Edutopia

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Resources for Teaching Growth Mindset | Edutopia

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Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)

Find information about growth mindset, discover how learning mindsets can affect student performance, and explore strategies that support student confidence.

Understanding Growth Mindset

Strategies for Addressing Mindsets

Embracing Failure: Building a Growth Mindset Through the Arts: Learn how educators at New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico teach students how to integrate critical feedback. (Edutopia, 2016)

Nurturing Intrinsic Motivation and Growth Mindset in Writing: Review tips from a high school English instructor about how to conduct better conferences with students; take a look at specific examples of process praise and feedback that can encourage autonomy, purpose, and choice. (Edutopia, 2014)

Praising the Process: Watch this video of a writing workshop from a first grade classroom to see how to use process praise to encourage a growth mindset. (Teaching Channel, 2015)

Using Praise to Enhance Student Resilience and Learning Outcomes: Explore Do's and Don'ts, FAQs, and other information about how to use feedback to alter student mindsets. (American Psychological Association)

The Secret to Raising Smart Kids: Read an article authored by growth-mindset researcher Carol Dweck about research into growth mindset, and learn how to give valuable feedback by focusing on the specific process a child used to accomplish something; at the end of the article, there are several useful examples of effective praise. (Scientific American, 2015)

Growth Mindset Within Math

Giving Better Student Feedback

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Find information about growth mindset, discover how learning mindsets can affect student performance, and explore strategies that support student confidence.

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A Checklist How will you make a difference today? Check off the difference that you are making for students. Add to our list. Share in the comments section below. Rich