Progress towards Learning Goals

At the start of this course, I set the following goals for myself. 
1) Become familiar with new web 2.0 tools and determine how to best use them in my math classroom.
2) Relate inquiry learning and information fluency to my sixth grade math classroom.3) Curate a assortment of resources that help support students in my classroom in regards to information fluency.4) Learn how to integrate informational fluency into my math instruction.
These goals are still what I hope to achieve, however I now see that for my third goal that I need to become more thoughtful with my curation. We have been reading about the importance of consuming online material with a critical eye, and I find that to be of the upmost important when curating content for my peers and my students. 

The video of Eduardo Briceno from TEDxManhattanBeach where he speaks on the topic of growth mindset was not new to me, in fact I show parts of it to my students. I incorporate growth mindset and goal setting at the end of each unit. One part stuck out to me even after multiple viewings. 

"People with a fixed mindset see effort as a bad thing, something that only people with low capabilities need. While those with a growth mindset see effort as what makes us smart, as the way to grow. And when they hit a setback or failure, people with a fixed mindset tend to conclude that they're incapable, so to protect their ego, they lose interest or withdraw. We observe that as lack of motivation, but behind it is a fixed mindset. Whereas people with a growth mindset understand that setbacks are part of growth, so when they hit one they find a way around it."

I recently have come to some road blocks in my personal life. I think we need to realize growth mindset is not only about formal learning, but truly applies to so many different aspects of our lives. This video had me thinking about how I can continue to improve my own personal communication skills, where as before I was blaming others and their way of communicating as why a certain situation went south. I was seeing the other person as flawed, rather than trying to see how I could get better for future similar situations. 

Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 1, 2018 at 10:05 PM

    Applying the growth mindset to one’s personal life and qualities is a good idea We all have flaws and ways that makes up our personality, but we must learn to grow from certain ones. I like the idea of working on a personal goal or quality because believe it or not that has an overall effect professionally. as well. Your personal qualities and even life effects your professional life and if you are not willing to allow them to g then you will remain fixed professionally.

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  2. AnonymousJune 3, 2018 at 6:26 PM

    The Eduardo Briceno had some amazing information. The quote that stuck out to me the most was from Josh Wasitzkin, "The moment we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability, we will be brittle in the face of adversity." This is a powerful message for us to wake up and allow not only a growth mindset for ourselves, but also for our students. Those characteristics that stuck with you concerning the fixed mindset are those that will surely fall when things get difficult. The growth mindset, will as you recalled, use difficulties to grow and find another way to tackle the situation.

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