Raymond Gerson :
Mindset is an idea by Carol Dweck, Stanford University psychologist and author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (3). She has spent over four decades researching the types of beliefs that bring about success in school, career and life.
People with a fixed mindset believe their intelligence and talent are fixed traits that cannot be improved. Therefore they are less likely to try to develop these traits. They believe that their talent and intelligence should not require effort and they lack perseverance when faced with difficult challenges.They think that the need for a lot of effort means that one is not smart and therefore it is better to not try and risk failure or to look dumb.
Those with a growth mindset believe their talent and intelligence can be increased through effort and by working hard at a task. Therefore they love learning, enjoy challenges and they persevere toward long-term goals. They do not see mistakes or errors as failure, but as feedback for how to improve and succeed. They believe effort to learn difficult tasks increases their intelligence. These are characteristics of successful people.
The good news is that Dr. Dweck’s years of research have demonstrated that a growth mindset can be taught and learned. The result on the part of learners is increased motivation, productivity and success.
One characteristic of successful people and students is grit. Research by Angela Duckworth (2), psychologist at University of Pennsylvania, demonstrated that grit is important for the accomplishment of long-term goals. However, it may not be so easy to directly teach people how to develop grit.
From my review of research studies and my own observations of students I believe that grit is a byproduct of a growth mindset. In other words grit is likely to increase when students are taught and acquire a growth mindset.
One aspect of grit is academic perseverance which is the ability to work hard and smart for a long period of time. For example, the completion of a college education usually requires academic tenacity. Helping students to to develop a growth mindset is one way to increase academic perseverance and performance.
In one study (1) with seventh graders who were struggling in math, the students were divided in to two groups.
Both groups of students were taught excellent study skills. One group was also taught about a growth mindset and ideas for developing it. The math performance and grades of the students who were taught only study skills continued to decline over a two year period. The math performance and grades of students who learned both study skills and a growth mindset continued to improve over the two year period.
In another study (6), fixed mindset students with higher SAT scores did more poorly in four years of college than those with a growth mindset and lower SAT scores, had less self-esteem and were less persistent.
Without a growth mindset students are less likely to have the motivation to apply good study skills and strategies. Teaching students how to study and learn is important, but they also need the mindset to make use of this ability.
Students need to be taught how to develop a growth mindset combined with higher-level thinking cognitive skills and non-cognitive skills. Higher-level thinking includes critical and creative thinking skills.
Non-cognitive skills include goal setting, time management and other self-regulatory skills. When students have a growth mindset they can make better use of cognitive and non-cognitive skills which is usually a recipe for academic, career and life success.
University of Chicago researchers reviewed years of research studies (5) on factors which enhance student success. They concluded that academic perseverance and performance improves when students are taught to develop positive mindsets and are also taught effective learning strategies. They found that student perseverance is a byproduct of academic mindsets and metacognition and self-regulatory skills.
In Carol Dweck’s book, Self-Theories: The Role in Motivation, Personality and Development (4), she says “The hallmark of successful individuals is that they love learning, they seek challenges, they value effort and they persist in the face of obstacles.” This is the result of a growth mindset which enhances a strong work ethic.
What are some strategies that educators can use to help students to develop a growth mindset? Here are a few suggestions:
Praise effort and not intelligence. Praise a good job that included hard work. Praise strategies, perseverance and improvement.
Teach students about the plasticity of the brain and that they will increase their intelligence when they work hard at learning difficult material.
Have students set a challenging goal and work hard to accomplish it. Then ask them to reflect on how the hard work paid off.
Ask them to write about a past success and to reflect on the work that went in to this achievement.
Ask students to write a paper for younger students who will come after them and explain what they learned about a growth mindset and intelligence.
Have students research one of their heroes to find out if he or she was born great or whether their hero had to work hard, practice and overcome obstacles.
Ask former students who used to struggle, but who are now doing well, to share their success stories with your class. Consider having the former students make short videos of themselves and their stories that you can show in class or students can watch later at home.
I believe that about 80% of success (or failure) has to do with our mindset. A growth mindset contributes to success and a fixed mindset makes failure more likely.
As educators we must teach students not only academic content, but also non-cognitive skills and the beliefs needed for success. Carol Dweck (4) puts it this way, “As adults our mission is to equip the next generations with the tools they need to live a life of growth and contribution.”
Internet safety for kids
Jackie Penn
Kids surf the Internet, download from it, listen to music on it, watch movies on it, chat with friends on it, use social networking sites like Face Book and My Space, shop on it, and play on it. The Internet is an awesome learning tool for homeschool kids, private school kids, or public school kids; however, parents need to teach their kids how to surf safely. They must be proactive. There are plenty of predators, bullies, porn sites, and scam artists just lying in wait for their next victim.
Take the necessary steps today to keep your child as far from Internet dangers and abuse as possible.
Internet safety for kids is crucial today because one out of every five kids connect to the Internet via a cell phone, and they report that their parent is unaware they do so. Some even connect via their DS or Wii. According to Kim Thomas, “Teen Online & Wireless Safety Survey: Cyberbullying, Sexting, and Parental Controls,” Cox Communications (2009), one half of all teenagers post their real age on social networking sites. Two out of five post the name of the city where they live. Most kids do not take time to set the privacy controls on their social networking page either which means anyone can view their posts, pictures, information…
Content filters and blockers are super tools to use with young kids. They give you more control over where they go and what they do online. Consider tracking software for older teenagers.
Tracking software means you are able to see which sites your child visits. Even if you use content blockers, filters, and trackers, please understand that many kids will discover ways to get around them. You have to stay on top of it all the time. In addition, not all sites post industry ratings that filters, blockers, or trackers will recognize. Because of this, make sure you talk to your child about what to do when something scary or inappropriate happens.
Many families today find that setting up a Signed Contract, Usage Agreement, or Internet Policy with their child is effective. You might want to print your Internet Safety document and post it beside the computer as a reminder. Begin by discussing with your child the various pitfalls of the Internet. They need to be aware of what is out there and what types of things might entice them in order to avoid them.
Once your child has a basic understanding that safety is important while surfing, you can begin to talk about a usage agreement. Brainstorm with your child about ways to surf safely. Write down their ideas and your ideas. Together, choose the best and most important ideas for the new agreement. When some of the child’s ideas are included in the agreement, they are more willing to abide by it. Ownership is important.
Here are some suggested ideas:
I will not give out a credit card number online without a parent present.
I will always tell a parent if something is confusing or seems scary or threatening.
I will never give out my full name, real address, telephone number, school name or location, schedule, password, or other identifying information when I am online.
I will check with an adult for any exceptions.
I will never fill out any form online that asks me for any information about my family or me without asking my parents first.
I will never have a face-to-face meeting with someone I have met online. In very rare cases, my parents may decide it is O.K. only if they are with me in a public place.
I will not post or send pictures or other content that will embarrass me or get me into trouble.
I will never post inappropriate pictures of others or talk bad about someone online.
I will not respond online to any messages or emails that use bad words or words that are scary, threatening, or just feel weird. If I get that kind of message, I will tell my parents immediately.
I will avoid chat rooms.
I will not go into a new online area that is going to cost additional money without first asking permission from my parent.
I will never send a picture over the Internet or via regular mail to anyone without my parent’s permission.
Mindset is an idea by Carol Dweck, Stanford University psychologist and author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (3). She has spent over four decades researching the types of beliefs that bring about success in school, career and life.
People with a fixed mindset believe their intelligence and talent are fixed traits that cannot be improved. Therefore they are less likely to try to develop these traits. They believe that their talent and intelligence should not require effort and they lack perseverance when faced with difficult challenges.They think that the need for a lot of effort means that one is not smart and therefore it is better to not try and risk failure or to look dumb.
Those with a growth mindset believe their talent and intelligence can be increased through effort and by working hard at a task. Therefore they love learning, enjoy challenges and they persevere toward long-term goals. They do not see mistakes or errors as failure, but as feedback for how to improve and succeed. They believe effort to learn difficult tasks increases their intelligence. These are characteristics of successful people.
The good news is that Dr. Dweck’s years of research have demonstrated that a growth mindset can be taught and learned. The result on the part of learners is increased motivation, productivity and success.
One characteristic of successful people and students is grit. Research by Angela Duckworth (2), psychologist at University of Pennsylvania, demonstrated that grit is important for the accomplishment of long-term goals. However, it may not be so easy to directly teach people how to develop grit.
From my review of research studies and my own observations of students I believe that grit is a byproduct of a growth mindset. In other words grit is likely to increase when students are taught and acquire a growth mindset.
One aspect of grit is academic perseverance which is the ability to work hard and smart for a long period of time. For example, the completion of a college education usually requires academic tenacity. Helping students to to develop a growth mindset is one way to increase academic perseverance and performance.
In one study (1) with seventh graders who were struggling in math, the students were divided in to two groups.
Both groups of students were taught excellent study skills. One group was also taught about a growth mindset and ideas for developing it. The math performance and grades of the students who were taught only study skills continued to decline over a two year period. The math performance and grades of students who learned both study skills and a growth mindset continued to improve over the two year period.
In another study (6), fixed mindset students with higher SAT scores did more poorly in four years of college than those with a growth mindset and lower SAT scores, had less self-esteem and were less persistent.
Without a growth mindset students are less likely to have the motivation to apply good study skills and strategies. Teaching students how to study and learn is important, but they also need the mindset to make use of this ability.
Students need to be taught how to develop a growth mindset combined with higher-level thinking cognitive skills and non-cognitive skills. Higher-level thinking includes critical and creative thinking skills.
Non-cognitive skills include goal setting, time management and other self-regulatory skills. When students have a growth mindset they can make better use of cognitive and non-cognitive skills which is usually a recipe for academic, career and life success.
University of Chicago researchers reviewed years of research studies (5) on factors which enhance student success. They concluded that academic perseverance and performance improves when students are taught to develop positive mindsets and are also taught effective learning strategies. They found that student perseverance is a byproduct of academic mindsets and metacognition and self-regulatory skills.
In Carol Dweck’s book, Self-Theories: The Role in Motivation, Personality and Development (4), she says “The hallmark of successful individuals is that they love learning, they seek challenges, they value effort and they persist in the face of obstacles.” This is the result of a growth mindset which enhances a strong work ethic.
What are some strategies that educators can use to help students to develop a growth mindset? Here are a few suggestions:
Praise effort and not intelligence. Praise a good job that included hard work. Praise strategies, perseverance and improvement.
Teach students about the plasticity of the brain and that they will increase their intelligence when they work hard at learning difficult material.
Have students set a challenging goal and work hard to accomplish it. Then ask them to reflect on how the hard work paid off.
Ask them to write about a past success and to reflect on the work that went in to this achievement.
Ask students to write a paper for younger students who will come after them and explain what they learned about a growth mindset and intelligence.
Have students research one of their heroes to find out if he or she was born great or whether their hero had to work hard, practice and overcome obstacles.
Ask former students who used to struggle, but who are now doing well, to share their success stories with your class. Consider having the former students make short videos of themselves and their stories that you can show in class or students can watch later at home.
I believe that about 80% of success (or failure) has to do with our mindset. A growth mindset contributes to success and a fixed mindset makes failure more likely.
As educators we must teach students not only academic content, but also non-cognitive skills and the beliefs needed for success. Carol Dweck (4) puts it this way, “As adults our mission is to equip the next generations with the tools they need to live a life of growth and contribution.”
Internet safety for kids
Jackie Penn
Kids surf the Internet, download from it, listen to music on it, watch movies on it, chat with friends on it, use social networking sites like Face Book and My Space, shop on it, and play on it. The Internet is an awesome learning tool for homeschool kids, private school kids, or public school kids; however, parents need to teach their kids how to surf safely. They must be proactive. There are plenty of predators, bullies, porn sites, and scam artists just lying in wait for their next victim.
Take the necessary steps today to keep your child as far from Internet dangers and abuse as possible.
Internet safety for kids is crucial today because one out of every five kids connect to the Internet via a cell phone, and they report that their parent is unaware they do so. Some even connect via their DS or Wii. According to Kim Thomas, “Teen Online & Wireless Safety Survey: Cyberbullying, Sexting, and Parental Controls,” Cox Communications (2009), one half of all teenagers post their real age on social networking sites. Two out of five post the name of the city where they live. Most kids do not take time to set the privacy controls on their social networking page either which means anyone can view their posts, pictures, information…
Content filters and blockers are super tools to use with young kids. They give you more control over where they go and what they do online. Consider tracking software for older teenagers.
Tracking software means you are able to see which sites your child visits. Even if you use content blockers, filters, and trackers, please understand that many kids will discover ways to get around them. You have to stay on top of it all the time. In addition, not all sites post industry ratings that filters, blockers, or trackers will recognize. Because of this, make sure you talk to your child about what to do when something scary or inappropriate happens.
Many families today find that setting up a Signed Contract, Usage Agreement, or Internet Policy with their child is effective. You might want to print your Internet Safety document and post it beside the computer as a reminder. Begin by discussing with your child the various pitfalls of the Internet. They need to be aware of what is out there and what types of things might entice them in order to avoid them.
Once your child has a basic understanding that safety is important while surfing, you can begin to talk about a usage agreement. Brainstorm with your child about ways to surf safely. Write down their ideas and your ideas. Together, choose the best and most important ideas for the new agreement. When some of the child’s ideas are included in the agreement, they are more willing to abide by it. Ownership is important.
Here are some suggested ideas:
I will not give out a credit card number online without a parent present.
I will always tell a parent if something is confusing or seems scary or threatening.
I will never give out my full name, real address, telephone number, school name or location, schedule, password, or other identifying information when I am online.
I will check with an adult for any exceptions.
I will never fill out any form online that asks me for any information about my family or me without asking my parents first.
I will never have a face-to-face meeting with someone I have met online. In very rare cases, my parents may decide it is O.K. only if they are with me in a public place.
I will not post or send pictures or other content that will embarrass me or get me into trouble.
I will never post inappropriate pictures of others or talk bad about someone online.
I will not respond online to any messages or emails that use bad words or words that are scary, threatening, or just feel weird. If I get that kind of message, I will tell my parents immediately.
I will avoid chat rooms.
I will not go into a new online area that is going to cost additional money without first asking permission from my parent.
I will never send a picture over the Internet or via regular mail to anyone without my parent’s permission.
