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It wasn't like this before...

Wow! This is great. I listened to this article as a PodCast. I thought Nostalgia was always good, you remember good things about the past, right? Well as teachers we use nostalgia to compare our current class/students to the past. But nostalgia can take us away from our current class / relationships with students. Because we are always thinking about previous classes and students and not trying to work on the current.

Don't let nostalgia steal your joy!

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The author was spot on with the response of "Why do we believe that speed reflects intelligence?" Wait time is critical with students, especially students who have dual language. Dual language students sometimes have to code switch and that takes time for their brain to interpret one language into another. I have always questioned timed test (especially in math). I want my children to be accurate in producing math, not speedy. I think of quality over quantity. One math error and the entire problem could end up being wrong. Perhaps I should reconsider having children raise their hands, rather, present the question, count to 20 and then call on someone. This could easily be accomplished in think-pair-share where a couple of students could reflect together.

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This is the third time a Jo Boaler article has been in our Professional Learning modules and for good reason. Boaler is at the forefront of trying to change the way math classes are taught. The title is something we've all heard said a hundred times, and maybe even something you've said yourself. "I'm Not a Math Person." Somewhere along the line we have created a society who believe there are math people or math brains and that it is okay to just say you can't do math. I was shocked when the article said MRIs show that some people's brains react to numbers as if they are seeing snakes or spiders! That is a lot of anxiety about numbers! Boaler preaches not encouraging speed in math class and making sense of numbers over memorizing facts. She also stresses how important it is for students and people in general to adapt a growth mindset. Students need to understand that mistakes cause learning in the brain to occur. It will take a shift in how we teach and how students see math and numbers to change the idea that some people just can't to math. The  fact is, everyone can.

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This article had some great resources. There was a video that showed how a school was able to differentiate within their grade. On Fridays, an assessment was given over the standard. Then the teachers came together to look at how many kids needed to work a little longer on the standard. The teacher with the fewest kids normally retaught the standard due to doing something different than the other teachers. This was a great way to reteach. There were some ideas that I would like to take back to my classroom to try.

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I like how this article encouraged think time for all our students. It should just be something we give our students who are served for ESOL, EIP or SPED. All students can benefit for additional time for thinking to build the why behind their answers. Think-Pair-Share is a great way to incorporate this is classrooms. At times I like to allow my students to volunteer to share, but I like that this article encouraged randomly selecting or even purposely selecting those students who are more reluctant to volunteer to speak. Over time it will become easier for them to gain confidence as they see the learning environment is a safe place for them to share. Otherwise it is common for the same students to want to share over and over again. Some students may not focus as well during the think and pair time if they don't think they will ever have to share things as well. Randomly selecting someone to share encourages all students to have something ready to discuss during share time.

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I've read/ listened to five so far, but this one hit home for me with readers workshop. At first, I was hesitant of RW, but now see so much good that will come from it. Because of the strategies from this article, RW is perfect. Kids need daily review, new material in small steps. They need to be asked lots of questions and be given thinking time. They also need guided practice along with independent practice. RW will be good for these strategies for the kiddos!

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This article had a common theme with the math article I read in that both discussed how speed does not always equate to performance. We all know those students in our room who need more processing time, but when they are allowed to have it, they are able to show how much they know. Classrooms need to be different from the ones I grew up in. We no longer need teachers spouting off questions and calling on one or two students who always raise their hands first. The article gives some good ideas on how to give students wait time. One other thing this article made me think about was how my team handles tests and assignments. Students are allowed to work at their own pace and turn in assignments when completed, even after due dates. I have often wondered if we are doing them a disservice before middle school. I think there needs to be a happy medium. If students are truly working it is beneficial to allow them time to show understanding. Often times though, students are just procrastinating. This is something my team and I can discuss further together.

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Think Time? I agree with this article with the fact - we are looking to see who understands. There are many ways that we do this in our classroom. Teachers know their students best. It is up to them to measure understanding. The article gave us three ways to help with getting all students to participate and to stay focus: 1. Allow Think Time - Set up an allowed time to make the connection. During that time no one is talking. Writing down their answer might help with making connections. 2. Direct students to engage in a conversation with their elbow partner. The teacher walks around listening to the conversations to measure understanding. This is less threatening than speaking out in the whole-class setting. 3. Call on students randomly. Use popsicle sticks with student's name on it to draw out a name.

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This article addressed the habits of nostalgia: the why, the problem, and how to get past it. Using a healthy mixture of nostalgia and the present can be advantageous. The author categorized her thoughts into three segments. Segment #1 was "mindfulness", and she encouraged readers to accentuate the positive by noticing the students who were behaving instead of concentrating on the ones who were not behaving. Segment #2, "Look back with accuracy" and to think back on kids you were in school with to make connections to the present. Segment #3 "Love the ones you're with" is where she encouraged teachers to get to know students. She even provided a spreadsheet where teachers could document interests of each student.

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This was a VERY quick PL, but powerful. It is a great way to get students focused on the lesson.

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I watched the video “See, Think, Wonder.” This is a very simplified version of what I do in the art room already.  I use an art critique system created by Dr. Feldman which first ask the students to describe the work, then analyze it using art vocabulary terms, next interpret what you see based off their description and analysis, and lastly make judgements based off what you stated in the first 3 sections of the critique. This is a great way to get students interested in the subject you are about to teach.  It helps them to generate questions about things they want to discuss further, it helps you as the teacher understand/evaluate their background knowledge of the subject so that you can gage what you need to teach or reteach.  This is also a great tool to use with younger students to help with reading comprehension skills. By doing this type of process with the illustrations in the books they are reading, students check their understanding after they have read the book or the passage.

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I read the article, “Using Think Time to Let All Students Show What They Know.” This article hits home for me.  I always struggled with timed tests.  Thank goodness I had some wonderful teachers that understood me and would let me come after school to finish my test on my time. They knew that I knew the material but once the timer was hit I totally panicked. My daughter is just like me and when they started timed multiplication tests this year she completely shut down and now thinks she is horrible at math. She is a math whiz, but she just needs time to use all the tools in her tool box and that cannot be done in a minute.  I do believe we need to find a way to get rid of the dreaded time limits and actually give students time to process and think about the subject matter so that we can truly get a sense of what they do and don’t understand. Kids need time to learn, process, think, evaluate, ask questions, explore, etc… and they just can’t do that with a rigid time structure/schedule. This is the same for teachers. Teachers cannot be expected to teach and be effective in a tight, rigid schedule. They, too, need more time to present information to the students and given time to dive deeper into the material and have the time to allow the students the opportunity to learn, process, think, evaluate, ask questions, explore, etc… Time would make us all more effective.

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I read the article, “The 7 Key Traits of an Excellent Facilitator.”  I choose this article because I am in a leadership position in my department but have always felt that I am not a strong leader.  After reading this article I can say that 6 out of the 7 traits I am strong at, especially being a good listener and enthusiastic about our department and our mission.  What this article brought to light for me is that I am terrible with patients.  Patients with anything over an extended period of time I am terrible at dealing with.  I like a quick resolve and move on and have zero patients for revisiting the same subject over and over with no resolve for the other person.  This is definitely a subject that I will be reflecting on this coming year and working on being more patient with my team members and myself.

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The author did a great job offering different strategies for students to have time to process their answers.  Some students need longer to process the question and formulate the answer.

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I am always interested in learning about best practices instruction. I believe that using differentiated instruction is necessary to meet the needs of all students. This article provided valuable information. Many of the strategies are already used in my class. It was refreshing to see the videos of teachers demonstrating their strategies.

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I really liked this article because I have been torn about timed tests. In first grade, we give Smart Cookie tests that are timed to see how many math facts students can answer in a certain time period. Most of my students do well, but I see some of my students' faces cringe when I start the timer. I am thinking next year I may do away with timed math tests. The goal is to find out if students know the strategies to solve the problems. This article made me shift my thinking process because it is not important if students can answer questions quickly, it is important if they really understand the material. Some students take longer to think about things, like my EIP and ESL students. I need to remember to not call on the first hand that shoots up. Again, I really liked this article. It was very helpful.

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I found this article to be extremely helpful! I think that great leaders are able to utilize management strategies in order to retain group focus. Some of these management techniques are nothing but verbal reminders as to why the group is meeting. By naming the conflict and reminding team members of group norms, some conflict can be useful and purposeful. By keeping the focus of the meetings centered, conflicting views can an area for growth and self reflection.

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This article about the differences between praising students for being smart and praising students for their growth was a very insightful read. As I read I could easily think of students in my class that have that fixed mindset or more of a growth mindset. IN their studies they found that students who were praised more for being "smart" often give up when they have to complete a task that doesn't make them feel "smart". Rather than learning through their work, students would give up because it doesn't come easily. While I always try to make sure students know that mistakes are OK and that hard work makes their "brains bigger" (in kindergarten terms), this article gave me ideas to better implement and instill a growth mindset in my kindergarterners. I liked how they explicitly teach about how the brain is a muscle, and how we have the ability to help make that muscle stronger. That is something that even young students can understand.

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I listened to the podcast The Dangers of Teacher Nostalgia. I wasn’t sure what this article was going to be about when I started reading. I thought it was going to be about what it was like teaching in the good old days.  But as I was listening I agreed with what the speaker was saying. I have often heard and been guilty of saying wow this group is a rough one.  Or I miss my group from a few years ago. They were better. I know one thing I have always tried to do is once I meet new students I try to see who they are for myself. I don’t like when others look at your class list and say oh you got a good group or oh that it's going to be a tough group of kids.  I know that there are some instances where a teacher may need to know certain aspects of students that might be helpful, but never in a negative way. In one of the classes I was working in I heard someone look at the homeroom teacher’s class list and ask her if she wanted a run down of all the students. She simply responded saying that she would meet them in a few days and she would see for herself. I think when we label kids as being “bad” like the author was talking about we do have self fulfilling prophecies of how they will act. If we automatically think it's going to be a challenging year then it will.  We need to make sure that we don’t look back through rose colored glasses, and only see what we want to see. I think that when we think back we only see the good and we don’t always remember the challenges we faced, because we overcame them. Then when we compare our current situation to the former it only brings us down.

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This article really pointed out the difference in praise that encourages a growth mindset vs praise that promotes a fixed mindset.  Praising intelligence doesn’t empower students to grow as learners.  I thought the comment of how praising intelligence caused students to associate struggle with not being smart was very powerful.  Finding ways to encourage effort, improvement, perseverance, and strategies will encourage students to continue to try even when it is difficult.  This also keeps teachers on their toes to challenge students.  We can’t sit back and let students only have easy tasks, especially those students who generally breeze through activities with little effort.

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I enjoy using these questions stems when introducing a new book or topic with my class. It is a great way to get them thinking about the topic and it helps me see what they already know.

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I read Managing Conflict in School Leadership Meetings.  I am a very non-confrontational person and I hate conflicts. That is why sometimes I dread going to grade level meetings because there are so many personalities that they clash sometimes. One thing the author said was to know the difference between healthy and unhealthy conflict. I like how the author said you need to set norms and you can diffuse conflicts by referring back to the norms. I’ve noticed in some of our meetings when things get off topic or a conflict arises that distracts from our purpose the grade chair redirects by restating the norms that we as a grade level came up with. This usually turns the conversation back around to a productive topic. I really like having the norms for this reason.

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I enjoyed the "Suggestions for Managing Conflict," as i have always been one to shy away from this. I think a good point was made when the author clarified what healthy and unhealthy conflict looks like. Disagreeing is not conflict; it can often promote new and better solutions to a problem. The disagreement just needs to be managed in a productive way.
Another excellent point offered a way to "depersonalize" the issue. I liked how the author changed a negative thought about an individual into a statement about the behavior, not the person exhibiting it When we remember to address behavior,

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This article is a practical and concise read regarding the basics for group facilitating. Of the 7 traits,

1. An active listener

2. Ask questions

3. Is Authentic

4. Aims to be impartial

5. Enthusiastic

6. Patient

7. Keeps the goal insight

I think I naturally thrive with being an active listener, being authentic, aiming to be impartial and patient. The ones that I exert more effort with are being enthusiastic, asking questions and keeping the goal in sight. While I do feel I'm cognizant of these 3, it's where I "check myself" when I'm playing the role as facilitator.  I tend to not be enthusiastic naturally, as I let the energy of the collective group  evolve. However, there are times when a reset of tone (whether to bring back the seriousness, or to lighten in with humor, etc) is necessary and I do that after a time period has gone by and it hasn't naturally occurred by the participating members. Asking probing questions that tend to put people on the spot or to get to heart of the matter are ones I tend to shy away from. These are often the exact questions that can be the "elephant in the room" and I'm more emotionally aware of how it may affect the members of the group. My preference is for the conversation to naturally evolve to the answers. Often times, however, time is lost in the waiting and time is money! I've enjoyed being more direct with my questioning because it saves everyone time and gets results. There is no need to hide behind the elephant. Clear communication and honesty is the most forward and get the job done. While I know the goal is important, I sometimes squirrel and meander because so many positive ideas and creative nuggets flow from tangents. I've come up with a system to write those items down and schedule another date/time to discuss those things further, based on priority, and get back on track to the goal of the current meeting.

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This article has a lot of great information. I feel like our teachers do a good job of implementing the ideas listed within this unit.

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I think this is a great hook for the kids when they first arrive to the classroom, or as a way to stop the class midstream of the day to get them interested in each other's thoughts.

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Differentiation is a BIG SCARY word.  But often, we do it without even thinking.  In the lunch room, we give all the kids a tray with (mostly) the same food and utensils.  Most of them are able to access the tray, open the implements needed to feed themselves, TALK UP A STORM, and get back to class with enough nourishment to last until they get home and raid their cabinets. Others may need help holding their trays to get to the table, some need assistance opening the ketchup and some just eat with their fingers. We have to layer the help as it is needed until the child is able to complete the skill independently. I still need help opening some of the packages at home....I use scissors A LOT!

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This article is about changing the mindset of "I'm Not a Math Person". She emphasizes that it is important to understand numbers and processes rather than memorizing math facts and working quickly.
I also like that she discussed how  when students are incorrect we should try to find what they did incorrect and talk them through it in a positive way, rather than just telling them it is wrong.

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I can relate to this PL because I am a visual learner. Visual aides combined with trigger questions help spark creativity. For example in PE we use examples to spark conversation pre and post lesson.

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When we hear differentiation we all normally have our own interpretation. The thing that stood out to me in this article was the emphasis on observing others who differentiate well. We shouldn't be ashamed to observe and learn from our fellow cohorts because I'm you they've also learned from you as well.

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As a kid, I always hated math. I was never quick at it like the other kids and grasping concepts took me a little longer to master. I love that Boaler says, "Students who work slowly are often left convinced of their own ability, although they may be deeper kind of thinkers who make the best mathematics." This really hit me! All my life I've thought "I suck at math therefore, I hate it." But woah, she just put it into a different perspective! If all those teachers I ever had hadn't put a time limit on tests or quizzes then maybe I could have succeeded more. I wouldn't have put this label on myself that math is not for me. Boaler makes you believe that people who take longer to solve problems doesn't lead to poor math skills. It means they are thinking deeper about what method to use to get the correct answer and that was always my problem! I will keep this in mind when teaching math and some students are taking longer on their Math Ball than others. Finally, I love this quote from her article, "Boaler is a leading voice for a wholly different pedagogy where speed is out, depth is in, and the journey to an answer can be as important as the destination." This is brilliant. Speed does not matter, picking a correct method to getting the right answer and the way you took that route is what is important. Can the student use previous knowledge and methods to solve the problem correctly. It doesn't matter how long it takes them to solve as long as their method is credible and the answer is correct.

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What a great quick PL. The three questions: what do you see?, What does it make you wonder? and What do you think about it? are awesome to spark curiosity in lessons and opening students up for deeper inquiry.

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This article was very helpful in learning about differentiation. The video on reteach, enrich showed a great process that one school uses to reteach what students are missing. We did this in first grade several years ago during our game time. It was very helpful to spend those extra minutes in the day to really concentrate on what students were missing or not understanding.

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This article really resonated with me.  I have struggled mostly with timed math fluency tests.  I believe there is a better way to check for fluency than if a students can complete it in a certain amount of time.  Fluency is not what we can do in a certain amount of time, but can they perform the tasks easily and articulately. Some students must be given more time to think and process what is being asked. Giving all students time to think, will give all students time to process the task.

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Using praise to encourage students to grow and not just accept who they are is an important part of encouraging students to be challenged and learn from their mistakes.

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We are all so guilty of comparing groups of students (both postitively and negatively) with past groups of students. I know I am and also judging a students on their past behavior before I have a chance to form a relationship with them. Relationship is so important in gaining trust and changing students' behaviors. I have watched so many students become model students after forming a bond with them and giving them the trust they deserve and need. We have to start on day one not looking back at our past students and the new students' past behaviors.

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I'm not a math person--I have heard that so many times from parents. I think this come from their own insecurities with math and they are passing this belief along to their children. I think this can be linked to the think time article. When we time students and don't go deeply into the "why" and "how" of math we are setting students up to continue this belief that they are not math people either. Math is not meant to be performed in a certain amount of time, but with understanding. Math talks have really helped me to see how my students think and they are leading students to greater understanding of math and how it works.

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I saw so many of my students in this article. I have seen how the idea of intellectual praise leads the student to believe they are automatically smart and when they are challenged they shut down and give up. To make a mistake totally changes their view of themselves and they don't have the motivation to keep trying. On the other hand to use the growth mind-set idea totally changes the perspective and allows students to want to learn even when they are struggling.

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This article was a great reminder for me about wait time and how helpful that can be especially for those students who lack confidence or who are just quiet in their own personality. I tend to not wait long enough. Great tips on how to include all studenst and allow them to have a voice in the classroom.

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This Reading Rockets article was very informative and addressed numerous aspects of teaching phonics. It also contained great instructional guides for many of the components. I am glad our school system has implemented a county wide phonics program.

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One of the greatest things about being an educator is that you start each school year - new and fresh. Many of us have had groups of students that required more than their share of time and energy. Teachers are go-getters and survivors. Just look at how we are teaching students today! We will always find ways to teach and reach our children. This article reminds us that we shouldn't shirk our responsibilities because it is ______'s problem. It was encouraging for me to read the last section about getting to know your students - as each year, during the first few weeks of school, I talk to each student individually and just ask them questions like: What's your favorite food? Favorite color? Do you like to play inside or outside? ...etc. I record these and often incorporate some of the appropriate information into math word problems. This article talked about nostalgia and I have plenty of that!

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This article talked about some good strategies for getting children to respond in class. I personally call on random students - not just the ones with their hands up. I have often wondered how "fluency" and "timed" became synonymous in the education world. We have "mad minutes, " timed reading passages, various timed tasks in our MClass package...and while I know there needs to be a reasonable time factor - but how did one-minute become the norm? For me, writing is difficult to complete during a timed session. I used to go into writing assessment settings with the mindset and stress that I probably wouldn't finish!

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This was a very easy read on how to differentiate. Many of these ideas I learned about in my gifted endorsement courses, and I am happy to see them discussed to be used in a regular classroom. In my experience when using the strategies described, students were much more engaged with their learning, and had the opportunity to take charge of their learning. Highly recommend!

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I think this is a good technique. It gets the students play attention to details. Our students overlook the details of things which provide they with a lot of information about the topic. This will also get them to make connections. I remember at a former school I worked at making noticings was apart of the everyday lesson. They students enjoyed doing this. More of this needs to be done.

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Cindy Woodall
The article addressed all the facets of reading. We have come to realize that there are many ways that children learn to read and it is not a "one size fits all" process. As teachers we need to  get children to find a love of reading. By reading topics of interest and also fun and  entertaining books, we can promote a love of reading. If the love of reading is there, then the application of a reading program will be accepted more readily by students.

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I love the See, Think, Wonder approach to introducing new topics! I like to get kids thinking about what observations really are and how to look at things critically. It also really gets kids thinking about questions they have. It can be used in so many different ways and all subject areas!

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I am an ISFJ-T. I really like this "strength" that was mentioned about this personality type: Imaginative and Observant – Defenders are very imaginative, and use this quality as an accessory to empathy, observing others’ emotional states and seeing things from their perspective. With their feet firmly planted on the ground, it is a very practical imagination, though they do find things quite fascinating and inspiring.

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This was a great article on conflict. The practices in this article are leaning toward professional conflict but I feel that this can be used to help students with conflict as well. I also liked that this article touches on the point that not all conflict is bad.

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I am a an INFP-A "mediator". I had to take a very extensive version of this test in college and I think it's neat that the results from a long time ago still hold true today. I love personality tests; so much so that I made my whole family and my bestfriend also take this test. My husband Will is an ISTJ which is almost the exact opposite of me. I found both of the explanations of our personality traits were absolutely correct.

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This was a great short PL! It is a great way to open new lessons...What do you see? What do you think about it? What does it make you wonder? It was interesting that yesterday my granddaughter had a superhero day where they had to do a flipgrid video and tell the name of the super hero they would be and what super power they would have. She was Super Mack and wore her Wonder Woman costume. In her video she told that she would have the power of "wonder" and wonder about why things are and use her power to fix things. Spot on!

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"The first step to fixing any problem is diagnosing it!"  As educators we are trained to analyze, assess, and remediate.  I guess it's only natural to want to this for behavior, too!   I think the PL we did on SEL spoke directly to this.  You can't really compare children.
It was jolting when the author stated this type of "nostalgia" gets in the way of building relationships.  I made the connection of being married twice, and how I have to be very careful not compare my two very different husbands.
Every day is supposed to be a new beginning for everyone - not just the teacher.
I am fortunate to work with students multiple years.  I get to build strong relationships with the child and the parents.  Since I often work with them multiple years, I get the benefit of really knowing the student.  I think that causes me to be more understanding and less judgmental.  When you actually begin to care about a child as a person, you don't want them to fail.  You only want to see the good.  I think that's the crux.  It's important to build that relationship.  I am going to be very careful with "nonjudgmental mindfulness".
Love the final thought ... "Love the one you're with!"

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I am an INFJ-A "Assertive Advocate".   This was FREAKY!   I think all teachers tend to have a personality we wear during the day.  It's like the actor/actress we try to present in the classroom.  We are always on, always performing.
This personality profile spoke to who I am at the core.  I believe I do advocate for my students and I  advocate for the gifted program.  I care profoundly about what I believe in.  "Advocates will act with creativity, imagination, conviction, and sensitivity not to create an advantage, but to create balance."  I think that is why I am successful with the students I teach.  I model balance and try to help them achieve balance as well.
Everyone should take this test! It's fascinating - and eerily accurate.

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This was a very easy read on how to differentiate. In third grade this year we did something very similar to what the teachers in the video did with their test results. We were ready to split them based on their needs in math but we had to begin digital learning. We did use our results for what they need more instruction on to guide our lessons for these weeks.

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I really enjoyed reading this article because it reminded me of something that happened at my class reunion one time.  One of my classmates has always been a know-it-all. During the reunion he made the comment, "you guys remember back in school how long it always took Todd to finish tests and answer questions in class. He was always last." Some people laughed but I didn't think it was very funny. I spoke up and said Dwayne Todd has 3 degrees, how many do you have? He had none. You could've heard a pin drop. I tell this story because it conveys the same message presented in this article. We can't overemphasize timing when it comes to tests or discussions. Todd simply liked to take his time processing content.

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I love this! It is so important to give students time to think, wonder, observe when we begin something new. Then we can build on what they've told us. I used to have a Wonder Board that students could place wonders on that we could later research.

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This was a great reminder of not being a Negative Nancy.  Our words and thoughts can make or break our teaching experience.  We tend to label students and classes as the bad kid or bad class and it doesn't benefit the teacher or student.  When I was a classroom teacher I had a teacher who looked at my student roster at the beginning of the year to see if I had any of her students from the previous year. She saw a student and said, "He is so lazy.  He won't do any work for you! He turned out to be one of my hardest workers.
That taught me never to listen to other teachers opinions, and that I needed to get to know each student and each year is a new beginning.

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This was a great article. I agree with everything the author said. These quotes stood out to me, “Why do we bother with timed tests? Why do we believe that speed reflects intelligence?”. We know that all  children are different and we know that what may impede one child may not both another. I think that we as adults would do our best to make the learning environment conducive to showing their understanding. I think it is much better to give students time to think rather than try to force them to guess in order to finish quickly.

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This article demonstrated we must praise and reward students so it benefits them long term. The author pointed out those who have a fixed mindset or think they are born intelligent can become less motivated. Constantly telling this type student their intelligent causes them to struggle when things become more difficult. One example used was the transition to 7th grade. Students are already vulnerable and all of sudden math becomes more difficult. Fixed minded students lose confidence because they're now unsure of their intelligence. Students from the growth mindset are better able to handle this transition. The key is praise their effort and help them understand their potential.

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I agree that we often rush students through think time and assessments. I like the strategies this teacher presented for thinking time on the rug. However, I'm not sure how this would fit with our model that included instruction during that quick mini-lesson (if we allow enough time for them to think by themselves, write, pair up, write, and then share with the class). Obviously the time on this would be shorter as the students get more adept at it, but it still will take more time that I usually present during that segment. I also love not having timed tests to check for understanding. This is one of the reasons I like the MAP test, since it isn't timed.

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This article discussed the difference between a fixed intelligence and growth mindset when relating to praise. As educators, we should not praise the students for how smart they are, instead we should praise their effort. If a student has a fixed intelligence way of thinking, they will not try as hard when a task becomes challenging. This is a result of the student thinking that intelligence is "fixed" concept and they are only smart to a certain point. The students can't change how smart they are. Students who have a growth mindset care about their learning and persevere when facing a challenge. These students know that through hard work they can become smarter. As an educator, I have to encourage a student to try and develop a growth mindset within the learners. Students need to know that the harder they work and persevere, then they can/will become smarter.

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I really liked what the author suggested about removing time limits from testing. Even though I know it's impractical to give all students as much time as they need/want on a test, I think of we removed the "timed" name, many students would be relieved of their test anxiety. Some really do need more time to process and work out their thinking. I think remove timing as long as the student is focused and working.

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I love See, Think, Wonder! It's such a simple but powerful strategy to help kiddos think!

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While we may think that we are providing differentiated instruction, we often times are missing the mark. This article points out that true differentiation involves deliberately determining the individual needs of students and basing instruction on this data. In one school in Arizona, formal assessments are given at the end of every unit and depending on their mastery, students are given the opportunity of remediation or enrichment. I think this is a great idea and seems to better meet the individual needs of students, rather than approaching instruction from a macro "one size fits all" philosophy.

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I think the hardest trait of these is keeping your goal in sight. It is easy for me to go down a rabbit hole unintentionally when I get excited. It's also easy to get side tracked when you are nervous. 

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I think the hardest trait of these is keeping your goal in sight. It is easy for me to go down a rabbit hole unintentionally when I get excited. It's also easy to get side tracked when you are nervous. 

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McClain

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Mrs. Boaler is widely respected in the math community for good reason. She is able to help teachers understand how to engage students in math. She believes we can't rush students through math problems. We must allow them time to process it their own way. One of her goals is to break the stereotype that if you answer slowly then your not as bright.

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This was a short PL, but it is something that is important to me.  I think in order to have students truly learn they have to be vested.  Pulling them in and have them "wonder" sparks that authentic desire to learn.

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I found this article very enlightening. There are 7 key factors of an excellent facilitator presented. Two factors stood out to me, one I struggle with and one that I am strong in. I struggle in the area of patience so I need to continue working on this and keep this on the back of my mind especially while facilitating. Being impatient during a meeting would ruin the whole vibe. Honesty is an area I excel in and people always know where I stand. Facilitators who put on a dog and pony show are not fully appreciated. We must be forthright.

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I loved how this article broke down the different steps to better prepare yourself to differentiate in your classroom. The videos were super helpful in showing different ways to incorporate activities in the classroom. It also included free resources. What really stuck out to me is the video/blurb where the teacher pulls the ELL group to the back table while the other kids do work at their seats. This ONLY works if the time is spent at the beginning of the year setting up routines and expectations.

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It's super important to spark the curiosity of our students. We want them to be engaged and what better way to do that? I like to use "wonder" a lot when introducing a topic for science. Kids get right into it and share everything they want to know and hope to learn. It also helps drive my instruction a little bit as well. See, think wonder as a whole can be implemented through genius hour too. Kids can choose what they want to learn about and dig into research about a topic they're interested in.

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This article was great. I learned that it is important to name the conflict dynamic; the behavior not the person. Also, norms are very helpful. It's a reminder to have mutual respect. Finally, not all conflict is bad. Deep discussions can have positive impacts.

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The article gave 17 principles for effective instruction. At first, I thought that was a lot to squeeze into a 10-minute mini lesson. As I read on I realized we already do many of these things. They don't take long, but they are powerful for guiding kids to mastery. We complain about having to move on before kids really get things, but the principles here really help with that. I'm definitely going to refer back to this one.

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When I was in college and learning about wait time, I thought "Yeah, I'll definitely make sure I give enough time." And then I got to my classroom. And in the hustle and bustle of getting through the lesson in order to provide time, I found myself rushing them! I have one student in particular who needs a good amount of time to complete any assignment. He is capable albeit not very motivated, but is a slower processor. To try and accommodate this, I tried to talk less and let them work longer. I also broke up assignments I would give at one time and spread them over a few days or give a little more to the ones who finished more quickly.

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I actually found this idea of see wonder think to be interesting. I think it takes KWLs one step farther and adds a deeper learning. I like the idea of using artifacts, art, images, and having students think deeper about them and also make connections to what they know and what they may wonder about. I think this could open up dialogue and have students really internalize and use their own knowledge to think about what is being learned.

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I really enjoyed reading this article about being an effective facilitator. This made me think about how I can facilitate conversation in my classroom. This articled listed seven strong points about how to facilitate conversation. Being an active listener is a strong point that I think students can learn early on. I was in a middle school English class with excellent teacher. We didn't always finish the lesson exactly like the syllabus said, but we learned so much that semester... he taught us to reflectively think... "are you listening to respond, or listening to listen?" I think about this all the time now. I know that (as a talker and social bug) I am bad about wanting to talk... sometimes I just need to listen to my students to listen and learn.

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This PL proves that you don't have to listen for hours to get great ideas!  I plan on incorporating I see/I think/I wonder into my next lesson.  It is a great way to stimulate creativity and deeper thinking!   It is simple and quick to incorporate into any lesson, but with exponential potential for those HOTS!

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Differentiated instruction is something that I am continuously eager to learn about and practice with. Being a first year teacher, I have grown to learn that I am not always differentiating instruction like I think I am, which is a point highlighted in the article. I learned a lot through my third grade team this year on how to differentiate with instruction and grouping my students. One thing that the article discussed was choice menus for students to be able to choose what they want to work on. I have loved doing this during this time of distance learning and I plan to continue with something similar when we return to school in the fall. I have lots of ideas about incorporating choice into the students' daily center activities
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Differentiated Instruction is something that I try to learn as much about being an EIP teacher, because in "theory" we are the "differentiation." This was a great way to see and understand different ideas about how EIP teachers can assist their teachers in coming up with ways to differentiate when we are in the classroom and when we leave. I have worked with most of my teachers for many years, so we do our best to practice ability grouping based on more than one form of assessment. I think this makes a world of difference and meets all students at their level - which is what the end goal should be! I am really interested in the book mentioned by Carol Ann Tomlinson - that might be a shelter in place read.

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This was a great article that focused on something that I am sure every educator (I know I am) guilty of...and that is having a fixation on a class you taught in the past, and a terrible attitude with your current, very  challenging,  group of students.  It's important to remember that having a good rapport with our students is key to their success.  If they know/feel as though you do not like them, then you are setting them up for failure, and more than likely a miserable year for the both of you.  As teachers, we set the tone for the day/year.  You can't live in the past and think expect every student to fit in the same box.  Start each day new, no matter what might have occurred the day before!

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So, as we strive to differentiate our instruction on a daily basis... I feel that it's important to constantly remember our job as an educator is not only to "teach" but to also "reach" each of our students where they currently are on their individual paths in the learning process.  I really enjoyed watching the numerous videos with teachers from all different backgrounds teaching students of all different levels in different grades and subject areas. These short video clips each highlighted a unique method or process of differentiation used with their students.  I immediately connected the "tiered exit cards" (used by one upper grade math teacher) with something we use and call "ticket out the door" responses. Both answer responses (no matter what you choose to call it) allow the teacher to grasp a quick glimpse of where the students' understanding of the lesson is at the end of the day.  This then allows the teacher to group the students for re-teaching and support during follow up lessons.  I also enjoyed learning more about "learning menus" (incorporating appetizer, entree, and dessert activities) which helped a groups of middle schoolers think more critically while working independently.
At the end of the day, we must remember that our job is primarily to reach our kiddos "where they are" and help bring them to their highest learning potential.  Differentiated instruction (especially implemented as a support teacher) is vital to each child's individual academic success!

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Beth Clark                         Growth Mindset...so easy to throw out in conversation; so genuinely difficult to grapple with. Doing so requires a sort of death of one's ego.  Christianity calls this death, salvation, if it is participated in willingly, which, I believe, is the only path to its murder. Self-reflection without the fear of self-recrimination...holding on to only the purest form of curiosity, requires a sort of meditative discipline combined with the adoption of this growth mindset, and these traits are crucial for developing the kind of attitude toward "maths" that Boaler is advocating.  I've written about it before: I love Boaler's ideas. But helping our students buy into these ideas is a lot more complicated than I think she makes it out to be. It entails a complete paradigm shift of the mind and, if I can say this without sounding like a complete ass, of the soul of the learner.  

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Beth Clark                         Growth Mindset...so easy to throw out in conversation; so genuinely difficult to grapple with. Doing so requires a sort of death of one's ego.  Christianity calls this death, salvation, if it is participated in willingly, which, I believe, is the only path to its murder. Self-reflection without the fear of self-recrimination...holding on to only the purest form of curiosity, requires a sort of meditative discipline combined with the adoption of this growth mindset, and these traits are crucial for developing the kind of attitude toward "maths" that Boaler is advocating.  I've written about it before: I love Boaler's ideas. But helping our students buy into these ideas is a lot more complicated than I think she makes it out to be. It entails a complete paradigm shift of the mind and, if I can say this without sounding like a complete ass, of the soul of the learner.  

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This really caught my attention: “children (and adults) show distinct levels of competence under different conditions."  That is everything.  So often, we just move on, and we need to fit things in a time limit, and that rush keeps learning from happening, it takes opportunities away from students feeling successful.  It is hard to wait sometimes, I count in my head sometimes just to keep me from rushing students to answer. Another strategy I have heard for younger students is putting a thumbs up close to their body when they have an answer or thought to a question. That way, everyone can take their own time, and they aren't distracted or feel rushed by hands up in the air.  That has helped me a lot in allowing all students to come to conclusions and answers at their own pace. It does make you think more about timed tests, and the requirements on that. It makes you think more about what are we really trying to assess, and why?  Thinking about differentiating assessments in the same way we do instruction could be the new path.

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I really enjoyed reading this article, and found it really useful to how I have looked at students in the past, and how I look at students/classes in the present, and future. I think all of us as teachers have at some point been guilty of nostalgia. There have been many times I have had previous teachers of students want to look at my class roster and tell me about each student. I think this can be very damaging to the relationship that could be built with that student due to information about that students past. It can also be dangerous to how a teachers outlook is about the coming year. I have learned over my years of teaching to try to tune out what others say, and get to know my students for who they are when I meet them.

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Yep- The past always seems better than it actually was. LOL. I liked the part where the author said " we need to get to know the students individually." It's not a herd that tramples through the building. When I catch myself thinking things like" kids were better years ago." I ask myself" have I become the old fart that I used to see when I was a kid?" LOL

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After leading PLCs this year, as soon as I read this title I knew I needed to read! Being a facilitator is hard! I plan on posting this excerpt on my wall near my desk next year to look at during PLCs to help me be an excellent facilitator!

How can you become an excellent facilitator? Here are the key traits that every excellent facilitator must-have:

7 Traits:

An active listener

Ask questions

Is Authentic

Aims to be impartial

Enthusiastic

Patient

Keeps the goal insight

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I really enjoyed this reading. It gave some really good examples in the videos of differentiation at different grade levels. Some of the practices I saw/read about , I already use in my classroom. I think one practice I will start using more next year is the choice menus, especially since the students have had sooooo much practice with them this year due to distance learning.

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This article is on pont and is a great reminder for ALL students! Too often, these types of strategies are used for SPED, EIP, or ESOL kiddos, but in reality, ALL students deserve wait time. Wait time is so hard when we are trying to squeeze so much in a day, but the benefits are so much better. I liked how it talked about once students state the correct answer, all thinking is stopped. It presents a point of view that I don't want to stop my students' thinking and wait till will allow for more thinking!

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THIS IS WHY I LOVE TEACHING KINDERGARTEN! We get them without any knowledge of what might be. We have no idea what they are like coming in, each year is a surprise! :)  This is also why I detest putting comments on pink/blue cards. Teachers have different expectations, classroom management, etc. Kids my thrive with one teacher and not with the next, vice versa! Each year is just that,  A NEW START!

I loved this quote:
"Teaching is undoubtedly harder than it used to be. But so what? If we stop there, throw up our hands and start counting the days to retirement, we lose. And so do our students. We can do better than that."

-Dixon steps off soap box!

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I enjoyed looking at the resources that were available in this article. Most of the best practices I was already aware of, but the ones that I was unfamiliar with were very intriguing. I definitely think that after this experience with distance learning, using technology in the classroom will become more of a best practice in the coming years

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Think Time? Let Students Show What They Know (TKES #5)

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Think Time? Let Students Show What They Know (TKES #5)

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RS Allen
Giving adequate think time is important to me.  Dealing with anxiety daily, I am very  aware  of the importance of thinking about what you say before you say it. The  same process holds true in my classroom. Sometimes before I show something, I tell them "No hands up, no questions, no comments. Our goal here is to think about what we see and think about what we want to say about it.
I also believe in giving students a chance to show what they know. If we are studying the solar system, I want to know it ALL, not just the answer to this question or that question. The results are great and much more indicative of what's in students' minds.