http://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership.html Great

30 Best Web 2.0 Tools for Educators

http://edudemic.com/2012/10/best-web-tools-2012/

A Theory of Learning Explained-Constructivism

This is the first of a three-part series relating learning, teaching and cognition to theoretical models. The purpose is to explain how children and adults learn. I will explore the psychological and social influences as it applies to your child’s education. I will keep the jargon and acronyms to a bare minimum. My intention is to provide parents and teachers with sound, research-based suggestions for helping their child learn in a manner that best fits his strengths. Each person learns in a unique fashion. Our job as parents and teachers is to help students understand why they do what they do, and how to use specific mental tools to increase their ability to learn simple and complex concepts. 

Constructivism-Making sense of the world through connections and building knowledge upon what we know or the alternate title- If I have to sit through six hours of lectures, I will pull out my hair!

Constructivism is based on the principles that learning occurs when children are actively connected to creating their knowledge. Children do not learn best when they sit passively and listen to a teacher spew facts and figures. The students use prior and current knowledge to make sense of what they are studying. A good example of constructivism in action is reflected in a fifth grade science lesson. I asked students why manhole (or sewer pipe) covers are round. I could have explained the possible answers and moved on to a different topic, but that may or may not have allowed the students to build knowledge that will be stored in their brains. Instead I gave them cardboard, coffee cans, construction paper, tape and various other supplies to help them support their hypotheses. Through their understanding of basic shapes, geometry and rudimentary engineering, the students hypothesized (guessed) that an object that is a circular shape cannot fall in a hole of the same size. Any other shape, a square for example, could be turned on its diagonal and dropped into the hole. The second answer, one I had not anticipated, is that the cover has to be round because the pipes are cylindrical.

Over the last 16 years in the classroom I continue to observe in awe and excitement when a child finally “gets it”. There is a great satisfaction seeing new learning and connections take place.  On the flip side I witnessed many youngsters struggle with learning. I’ve seen tears, anger and frustration.

I have tried dozens of different strategies to help struggling learners. I have done the same to help gifted learners accelerate and I have worked with a mix of strategies for all of the students who traverse back and forth on the continuum of self-efficacy.  I know I stated I would not use teacher jargon, but self-efficacy is a critical term. I want all parents and students to have a solid grasp of what it means, how it works, and how understanding the psychological impact it has on learning. This term will weave its way through my first article and it is beneficial for all of us to have a clear grasp of the concept.

Self-efficacy is a term that describes how confident a student feels about his potential to succeed in a given task. Some researchers claim that the more confident a student is about a subject, say math, the better he will do.

Of all the strategies I employed with students, I found that the most successful way to get them challenge themselves intellectually is based largely on how they think about themselves and their chances of success. Teachers try to code and secretly label the various ability groups that we corral students into, but it doesn’t matter. They all know who (or think they know) the smartest and weakest students are. That in itself is enough to inhibit a love of learning. Children are consequently self-conscious about their academic ability that it restricts them from truly challenging themselves. I believe this stems from three things: The first is the incorrect assumption that failure is bad. The second is the incorrect assumption that the speed of knowledge acquisition relates to higher intelligence across all disciplines. And the third is that most, not all, of the teaching styles in our schools are delivered with the “average” child as the focus.

School Goals

There is a massive push at the federal, state and local levels to rapidly change the way teachers teach and students learn. The traditional, teacher-directed, student-passive manner that began in the industrial age has not changed much. You would be hard pressed to not find students sitting in neat rows facing a teacher who is standing in the front of the classroom. The teacher lectures and delivers information to the students who in turn show their understanding by answering mostly low-level types of questions such as recalling facts. The student who has trouble reading does not do well in this environment, nor does the student who learns rapidly, nor does the student who learns best if he can touch things, move around, ask a ton of questions, and make connections. That student is sometimes referred to as ADD, ADHD, hyper, fidgety and so on. I get fidgety if I sit quietly for more than 15 minutes too. Our district is combating poor teaching with building a strong knowledge of good teaching skills to classroom teachers. Diversifying the manner in which children are taught strengthens their ability to learn.

Parent Activity and Theory in Action

So how can your knowledge of constructivism and self-efficacy help your child in the classroom? We’ll explore this concept in two areas. The first thing you can do is help your child understand that failing does not mean he is a failure. Smart people ask many questions. The second area I want you to focus on is how people learn. There are decades of research conducted and documented by some of the world’s leading educational theorists. These researchers have painstakingly observed children to determine the myriad ways in which they learn. One such researcher is Jerome Bruner.

Jerome Bruner, who shares a birthday with my wife, just turned 97 years old on October 1^st. He is a leading educational psychologist and has developed theories on how people create and retain knowledge. Bruner (Presno, 1997) believes that children learn by building a base of knowledge and connecting new concepts. He strongly believes that learning goes beyond the school walls. That true learning can only take place when children see how everything interconnects and applies to the real world. Bruner states that teaching and learning should go beyond the curriculum and standards. It should be not be limited to basic facts and memorization. Learning should be constructed through experiences and connections. Children should build their knowledge through a rich and dynamic learning environment. I will give an example of this from my experience as new elementary teacher in the late 90s.

It was common practice for fourth-graders to study the different regions of the United States. Some of you may remember “helping” your child with their cardboard reports. The students were required to memorize the state capitals in their regions throughout the course of the school year. That’s fine. I have no real problem with that. A few years later I visited a 7^th grade social studies class. They were studying state and national capitals. What a waste of time. This is one of those things that are nice to know. Aside from trivia games, what are the intellectual benefits of knowing the capitals of Malaysia, Benin and Sao Tome? I argue that there are no benefits. Bruner, I believe would support the notion that children can learn this and other facts if they see the importance, how it applies to other things, and if they have a vested interest in learning it. If a child finds out that his grandparents emigrated from Liberia, he might develop a strong desire to learn all about that culture, the country and possibly the capital. This knowledge is not learned in isolation. It matters. Other children may learn particular capitals, but I bet they may confuse whether it is a city, state or country. That is clear evidence that they were only learning basic facts for the sake of learning basic facts.

A great way to learn about regions, states and capitals that Jerome Bruner would approve of would look similar to this: Give the student or a group of students a geographical region to study, maybe the northeast U.S. The students would select an area they are interested in. The teacher sets up events with other students across the region to interact with each other. This could be done low-tech with activities such as writing and getting pen pals, or it can be done high-tech where students Skype or video conference with other children across the country. Students could have prewritten questions and learn about locations from primary sources, not just text books. The students are actively engaged in learning that they construct. They are not simply the receptors of knowledge via a teacher’s lecture or text-based assignment.

Final thoughts

Constructivism is one example of how people learn and retain information. Learning is a complex process that is affected by many external and internal influences.  Building your knowledge of how children learn- will help you- help them. If you have any questions or feedback, post a reply or comment in my blog and I will gladly respond.

Must Have iOS Apps for Writers

http://edudemic.com/2012/09/5-must-have-ios-apps-for-writers/

The 10K Race and Taking Tests: What can we learn from the runner?

 Test taking can be extremely stressful for students of any age. To alleviate this, I advise my students to prepare for tests as they would an athletic event.  The parallels are a good way to remember how to get the most out of your brain.

Racing and Tests

An athlete preparing for a 10K race in three months does a few things in advance. He creates and follows a training schedule, establishes a personal goal, and keeps the end target in mind. On the day of the race he is relatively clear on his expected performance. You will be hard pressed to find an athlete cramming in hours of running minutes before the race in hopes of getting a little extra out of his heart and lungs.  This would only hinder his performance. The same rules hold true for studying.  Good advice from professor David Jaffee (2012) on how to study for an exam is to NOT study for an exam. Instead you should “study for learning and understanding.” Research shows that despite what many think, cramming does not help you perform better, it does the opposite. Just like that runner planning for an important race, a student should employ a similar systematic approach in preparation for an important test.

Here are six simple steps to follow when preparing for a test. The same applies to taking multiple tests or exams (think like a triathlete):

Student	Athlete
1.     Be sure to know exactly what you need to learn.	Know what to expect and set goal
2.     Check your understanding or mastery of the sub topics. Do this frequently (daily or weekly)	Monitor progress
3.     Get clarification or explanation for information that is confusing.	Modify training plans as needed to meet goal
4.     Start studying well in advance. Focus on small objectives or topics to help you get the big picture	Set a consistent schedule and routine
5.     Make a confidence list of what you know, what you do not know and what you are unsure of, then address each.	Set short-term expectations for the event. This is part of a long-term goal (the next race)
6.     Visualize yourself taking the test and doing well.	See the event in your mind, build your confidence and convince yourself of doing well.

The day before your exam, it is crucial to physically and mentally prepare your body as you would the day before a race. Eat healthy and get a good night’s rest. On the day of the test, a moderate apprehension level is fine. It helps give you a performance edge. You should be relaxed and confident in your knowledge.

Oxygen and Blood

The brain needs oxygen to work efficiently. When people are nervous their breathing tends to be shallow and restricted. It is very important to breath slowly, deeply and calmly prior to and during the test. 

Runners do not prepare for the race by sitting in a chair, nor should the test taker. If you are a teacher, have your students move around a bit and do some light movement. If you are a student, take a brisk walk or do some light stretching and movement before the test. Get the blood moving!

Gum Chewing?

Yes, but only before a test, not during. Research conducted at St. Lawrence University by (Onyper, et. al, 2011) indicates that students who chewed gum prior to, but not during a test scored higher than students who did not. Why? Onyper (2011) posits that the chewing motion activates muscles, which increase the blood and oxygen flow. The increase blood flow carries sugars that activate areas of the brain used for memory recall. So let the kids chew and have a handy trash basket to discard the gum right before the test.

References

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2011.05.313

David Jaffee, "Stop Telling Students to Study for Exams", Chronicle of Higher Education (27 April 2012: A35)

http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/howtostudy.html 

Students learning with Technology

The rapidly changing environment of using technology in school is met with support and opposition by educators. I've asked some of my students to share their thoughts and recommendations of technology.

Lovely Acronyms and Jargon Simplified

Click the "Say What?!!" link above to view the glossary and explanations for the simplification of educational jargon and acronyms.

Parents, it is always appropriate and encouraged that you interject with clarification of terms used by teachers. You should not sit through a conference without knowing exactly what is being said. It took me over two years as an educator to learn the ever-growing terminologies!

What is Originality?

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2012/07/31/opinion/100000001695225/allergy-to-originality.html

You'll need to sign up (free) for making curriculum pop...great site.

Can technology transform and strengthen learning?

I started a new job this fall as a department chair and teacher in a suburban Connecticut high school. Along with that assignment, I inherited three courses in our Digital Academy. The students who participate in the academy have a good command of infusing an array of technologies to support their learning. The district encourages BYOT (bring your own technology). This much debated topic seems to work well here.

The approach is referred to as Blended Learning. Blended learning is a philosophy and style of teaching that aims to improve the acquisition of knowledge through integrating technology with the curriculum. It takes the learners on a journey outside of the school's concrete walls to expand their world. It connects students in new ways and opens diverse perspectives to broaden their experiences. One of my students who is working on her senior project has a sister studying in Madrid. The siblings have a designated time to video-chat each week. I allow this to happen in school with one condition. The sisters must conduct part of their discussion in Spanish in the Spanish II classroom . The sister in Madrid often has her Spanish friends interact and chat as well. This would be difficult to replicate without technology.


This fall has been filled with new learning for me, most of it lead by the students. They share shortcuts, websites, and alternate technologies that help them in the courses. This is an exciting year.

I subscribe to many educational blogs and networks, most of them are authored by teachers. To get alternative points of view, I asked my students to share their thoughts, perspectives and insights on technology and how it applies to their learning-in school and out. They are the ones driving how educators develop innovative pedagogies and synthesize new tools for the classroom.

Check back for their responses.

A bit of a rant on educational reform

“Can teachers successfully educate children to think for themselves if teachers are not treated as professionals who think for themselves?”
― Diane Ravitch, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education 
There is no such thing as a fix-all in education.

A fellow doctoral student and friend has steadily made one of her missions in education to expose the hidden agendas of corporations, misinformed politicians (large list) and how the media unfairly portrays American education. I’m jumping on that bandwagon.

 Our national education system is unmistakably becoming Orwellian and subversively being pushed in a direction that will ultimately hurt children and benefit large, wealthy businesses that create some of the fires we parents and educators need to often extinguish. I try to keep an open mind. I balance what I read between very knowledgeable educationists such as Diane Ravitch, who is spectacularly savvy regarding testing, curriculum and most issues, and neophyte educational reformers who really do not understand the underpinnings of our public education system.

As an educator and parent of two children, it has been my mission to learn everything I can to help our young population. I want to learn what I can do as a practitioner, what schools can do as institutions, and what universities can do as research vessels to provide solutions. The more I learn, research and understand about American education, the more I realize that for the most part, American students are performing wonderfully amongst their peers and compared to those around the world. If you disaggregate the subgroups and compare our non poor, regular education students, we perform similarly to the highest performing nations.What's often in the media and supported by large educational companies like Pearson Learning and many others, is that our schools are failing. That is a terrible and very inaccurate statement that floods newspapers and political rhetoric. However, I do wholeheartedly believe that the traditional format of schooling, where students are the receptors of knowledge by the teachers is a model we need to move away from rapidly, (more on this in my next blog entry).

We are failing. The real issue with modern education is not a problem with students or teachers; it is about poverty and cultural poverty. Poverty is by definition the deficiency of necessary qualities of life. Cultural poverty is another layer of poverty. It is the feeling of being destitute or powerless to change one’s life situation. According to the erudite educational philosopher John Dewey, it is impossible to change a school without changing the community. So in essence, if you want to improve schools then the community needs to change. If Hartford, Bridgeport and New Haven school systems want to prepare students for a comprehensive work force and create life-long learners, then the politicians and the public need a strong, long-term plan to end poverty, period. It is fascinating how this reality is perpetually skirted. There is no magic pill, no creative program designed by university professors to address the growing gap. There is no such thing as an achievement gap, only an economic gap. The achievement gap is a fictional statistic that hides the impact of socio-economics in school systems. Don’t let the data fool you. I too have seen the results of prescribed educational plans make gains, but seldom are they long-term or panaceas for a larger issue.

I strongly believe that the true achievement gap can only be resolved when our communities, policy-makers and educationists acknowledge the growing caste system being created, the expedition of the separation of the rich and the poor and the intense inequity amongst poor and not poor. I am reminded of the Wizard of Oz with his smoke and mirrors hiding the vulnerable and willing man behind the myth. If we really want to change education, we really need to change our society.

I am writing this from a state that has a commissioner of education with minimal classroom experience. How many of us would employ a physician with six months of practicum experience to diagnose and treat a serious illness? Not me. Yet the commissioner has the Governor’s ear and was a big player in pushing through the SB24 legislation that uses language to identify teachers and pedagogy as the main problems in education. Why do so many believe schools can be fixed by data driven decision making, raising achievement scores and testing our children more? Raising achievement scores is NOT the answer. Moreover, to introduce a bill that would affect all 169 cities and towns is ridiculous. The lawmakers assume that this design would work in New Haven and Westport, Bristol and Avon, New Britain and New Fairfield? Each district has unique populations. To assume a one-size-fits-all mentality is stupid. This is just another example of what happens when people do not deeply understand how to fix something. I am genuinely terrified that there are people making statewide decisions and seriously think that this is the direction we need to go.

Yes, there are terrible teachers out there. Certainly less and less each year, but they are there. There are terrible doctors, lawyers, bus drivers and pilots too, but they’re not to blame for problems with the medical field, justice, or transportation. Those systems are complex and require complex solutions. I draw the analogy of blaming teachers for the condition of public education to blaming the autoworkers for producing poor vehicles. If I buy a lemon-I blame the engineers, the planners, not the people working the line. Yes, they may forget a bolt on a car but they are not to blame for a faulty design on a whole line of cars. Why do teachers receive the blame for education? My answer is that the true problem is too large for any politician to address. So they just keep the public in the dark. That’s the American way isn’t it? Blame some other group for the blight of our society.

The answers lie in equity, creativity, and thinking about changing the education system from its industrial-framed roots to a place that inspires and draws eager minds. It has to be out there, somewhere.

Vi Hart and her perspectives and videos on Math

16MAR

Vi Hart is one of those people that makes you wish you could see things like she does. Vi makes me want to approach teaching and learning from a multiple, creative perspective. Her ability to see the simple relationships in traditionally complex topics is humbling. As a teacher, she inspires me to look at learning through her lens. As a student, she inspires me to look at teaching through her lens. http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2010/12/16/132050207/this-is-for-the-i-hate-math-crowd-not-after-this-you-won-t

This is her website. I love the video on Fibonocci.http://vihart.com/

Relativity, Our Universe and a darn cool webisite

Since Ethan's first words, my son has asked "why?" I'm sure parents reading this can remember those endearing yet sometimes annoying questioning sessions, especially when it's on a long car ride and you cannot jump without risk of injury. Ethan has been fascinated by numbers, comparisons, statistics and the size of things. One of his favorite books was about dinosaurs. It had comparative pictures of the beasts with a small silhouette of a man. He would always ask "Daddy, is the Allosaurus as big as our house? Our car? How about Nana's house? Is it as big as hers?"
I came across an interesting website a colleague had shared. It is right up Ethan's alley. He spent an hour going through it.
So, if you look to the stars, wonder about nature, are a spatial learner or just like playing on cool sites, then take a look at this site developed by the Huang twins. It gives a clear perspective on how important everything is from the tiniest material to the limits of the unknown. Enjoy! http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/A6eSOG/htwins.net/scale2/

Two Kids in a Brook and the Zone of Proximal Development

I learned something about learning today.

It’s Sunday and the weather is perfect for a late winter walk.  My wife and I took our two children and rambunctious puppy to Session’s Woods to burn some energy and calories. About a third of the way on the hilly, two and a half mile hike, my daughter had pout on her face and was walking with her arms crossed in front…that’s 9 year-old code for “ask me why I’m mad!”

My wife, the evil and wicked meanie wouldn’t let my daughter climb the slippery rocks on a twenty foot waterfall. The nerve! After we walked a bit, we came to a clearing where the brook meandered through the trees. There was a large rock in the middle of the water. My son ran ahead and was sitting on the rock. When my daughter arrived a minute later she asked him how he got on the rock without falling. He moved back a bit and told her to just jump. I watched as she teetered, crouched and was ready to spring, but ultimately she chickened out. She was afraid of falling, or getting wet, or any number of things. Even though I encouraged her to try it, and explained that the worst thing would be that she gets wet. Nope, she still wouldn’t. Ethan told his sister Samantha he’d show her how to jump, and he did. Without hesitation she mimicked his jump and landed safely on the rock. They played in and on the rocks for nearly half and hour (without getting wet, which is impressive). Samantha immediately had more confidence and was jumping on bigger rocks farther from the bank. She learned by seeing, asking, watching, taking a risk and doing.

These are examples of how psychologist and social constructivist Lev Vygostsky describes learning as it applies to his theory of the zone of proximal development or ZPD. The simple jump and larger “attempt” to overcome an obstacle will have a positive effect on how Samantha tackles new learning. Her brother, or another more experienced peer may not always be there, but when they are-she and other learners are more apt to emulate the task. What if she failed? What if she jumped short and ended up in the five inches of water surrounding the rock?  I would hope she would try it again. It may have taken some encouragement from her brother or me, but eventually the outcome would be the same.

Earlier in the day I observed a dissertation defense by a doctoral candidate. During her presentation, she made an analogy that resonated with me. She explained that learning is similar to people dancing at a party. The first dancers are usually the most skilled and/or confident ones. They know how to dance well and enjoy it. Then there are the reluctant dancers that observe and join the others when a better song comes on, or others have gathered. They like dancing. They just need a bit more time and courage. Finally there are the lurkers or non-participants. These folks may not like dancing because they’ve had a bad experience and feel self-conscious or don’t like the music style, or they have never danced in a formal setting. But they do want to dance. The sit and watch. The lurkers however, do learn how to dance by simply watching. They make mental notes, see what others are doing and if approached, may give it a whirl. The lurkers are known as the peripheral learners.  They do in fact have the capacity to learn and master the skills needed to dance, but it comes at a different pace and on their own terms.

I strongly believe that using these models of learning in the classroom will strengthen students’ capacity to gain new knowledge and take intellectual risks. Children cannot simply sit idly and absorb information. Learning is a dynamic process that is strengthened by the interaction of students on different levels of understanding. Teachers need to dedicate more time toward group work, peer learning and mentors. Using these proven methods of delivery allow children multiple pathways of gaining knowledge. They make sense of it on their terms. I look forward to our next adventure in the woods. See you there!

The Last Starfighter and Piano Lessons

I must admit. I do allow my children to play video games, watch television and movies, all in moderation of course. There are cognitive benefits for children who play certain types of video games. I'll discuss that later in my commentary. There are benefits to watching TV too. But that depends on what is watched and how often. My son loves the Discovery Channel. Any shows on nature or the weather and he is mesmerized. He also loves shows on the Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and the misnomer- Family Channel. Watching the former is learning, but passively. He is not actively engaged in the field of science. It is similar to attending a lecture. So, even though these nature shows are great, they must be taken in small doses. But they are far better than the latter. I watched a day of shows on the children's channels. The sitcoms are funny, entertaining, but also horribly designed. The characters on these programs do not exhibit respect for authorities (parents and adults) and kids get the wrong impression of how children should interact with adults.

There are times, probably more than I'd like to admit, when a couple hours have passed without my intervention to get the kids off the TV. I may have been occupied with a task and enjoyed the uninterrupted time. But more often than not, my wife or I inform the kids there is no TV today, or for the week. We call it a "no electronics" day. The kids of course whine, complain or begrudgingly begin an activity, but soon enough all is well. They're reading, painting, playing or just doing the weird games only kids can invent. Days like this are easier if the weather is nice or you're on vacation . But I have found that as time passes and they get used to not watching TV, it is easier to get them do alternate activities that don't require a battery. Give kids an umbrella, some Tupperware and string, you'd be surprised what they can do.

Video Games Improve Concentration and other Cognitive Skills


I remember a few years ago I had a professor of writing conducting a workshop with my fourth-graders. He was hired by our school district to prepare them for the Connecticut Mastery Tests, specifically the writing and reader-response portion. Yup, it was boring; boring for me and the students. He was using a basic scaffolding to teach the mechanics of expository writing, snckzzzzz. The only thing I remember from his mundane lesson was how he referred to the kids who played video games. He called them "Vidiots". Initially, it was funny...still is. But the more I thought about it, the more I didn't like his term. I cannot stand it when people, especially educators, insult or belittle students. It just serves no purpose. I can't stand the retro, old-school stupidity tossed around by people who think the way things were was better. It wasn't. The second thought brought me to a 1984 movie The Last Starfighter. For those of you in my generation, it was right in the midst of the arcade craze. The movie was about a high school boy Alex, who was turned down for a student loan for college. He meets a man named Centauri. Centauri informs the boy that he invented the video game Starfighter that Alex plays so well. Earlier in the day, Alex set the all-time high score. Eventually Alex discovers that the video game is actually a trainer and tester to find people (Earthlings) with the speed, skill and dexterity to pilot a real, extra-terrestrial star fighter (space ship). Coincidently there is truth to this science fiction script.

According to Dr. Restak, a leading neuroscientist, video games, if used wisely can help you notice more, concentrate better, respond more quickly, and increase several components of your overall IQ. The effects induced by regular video-gaming can be compared to what occurs in the brain of a concert pianist (Restak, 2009).  He does offer two caveats in addition to his research. One is that violent video games have no or even negative impacts on the gamers, and two, that too much gaming reverses the benefits. So, again...in moderation. His book Think Smart is a fantastic read. It details, among many other things, ways of increasing your brain's performance. Children who play particular types of video games that require attention to detail, finger dexterity and sustained focus develop parts of the supplementary motor cortex, the brain area responsible for planning the finger movements required for each selection. With increase experience and practice, the neural connections are strengthened and made more efficient. This is true for practicing pianists and video-gamers. These applications can be used in real world situations such as finding people in a crowd, ability to focus and information processing speeds.

Just as important to good brain health and staving off alzheimer's and reduced brain-function is using your brain in a positive, interactive manner. Do things such as crossword puzzles, cards, cryptograms and anything that requires thinking and problem-solving. Learn a new language, take up a musical instrument, build models. Activities such as these build more efficient connections. The help keep your brain "in shape". We're all familiar with the saying "use it or lose it". Well it's true. So keep that wonderful nugget in your skulls busy.

Mindset: How to help your child succeed and fail

In a couple weeks, a colleague and I are giving a keynote address to a group of parents and teachers. Our topic is an area that has fascinated me from the first day I started working with gifted children. Mindset, specifically how learners' self-efficacy influences their ability to take academic risks (or not take).

One of the first behaviors I noticed while working with exceptionally bright children is that many of them are inhibited by fear, the fear of failure. For most of their lives, they have been told by teachers and family "oh, you're so smart". Unbeknownst to the adults, a comment like this can have devastating effects on a child's psyche. The child infers that if he cannot do something easily, people may discover he is not smart. You cannot blame the child. He has been complemented for years on his achievements.

The way to help your child is by not praising achievement, but instead, praise effort. This is something that many people have known, but fail to do. Renowned educational psychologist Carol Dweck has developed these concepts into a book, Mindset. Every coach, teacher, parent and leader should read and internalize this book.

I spend a great deal of time at the beginning of the school year introducing the concepts of growth and fixed mindsets. These two concepts detailed by Dweck can be life changing if one follows the advice. Children and adults alike cannot simply rely on their abilities and talents. To be successful it is critical that failures are not seen as dead ends but as an intersection. One must internalized that failure, whether it be short-lived or reoccurring and know that this is the path to true success. It really comes down to how a person handles failure. Does he move forward, dig deep and analyze lessons learned or does he blame, complain and quit?

I find that the title of one of Carol Dweck's presentations captures the explanation well. It is "The Secret to Raising Smart Kids" Hint: Don't tell your kids that they are". She goes on to explain that the focus should be on effort, not achievement. I strongly believe and see evidence every day of the power of mindset. Our young students need guidance to recognize what each mindset looks like and how to increase their ability to build resiliency skills.

I am including a couple links for information on Mindset. The first is a New York magazine article about Dweck's book Mindset. The second is Carol Dweck's site promoting the book. Pass them along to any "fixed mindset" folks you know

-Thanks,

John

Failure, college applications and resilency

I can only imagine how difficult it must be for college admission officers to read hundreds of applications. One of the new trends shared by a panel of these readers is to predict if a student will be a success. One way to do this is for a student to share how he rebounded after a failure or setback. Does he acknowledge his shortcoming and show evidence of accepting it and moving forward? This is what the admissions folks look for. They see pages and pages of student accomplishments-as they should, but life is a journey filled with challenges and setbacks. Students with a growth mindset (Dweck) and fortuitous attitude will be more likely to handle challenges and ultimately succeed.

When I work with my students on various projects, lessons or assignments, it never fails that they are so afraid of failing that they quit before they begin. This fear of "I will look stupid if I do it wrong" cripples children and adults. I admit it. I recall many times sitting in an undergraduate class completely clueless as to what the professor was explaining. Rather than raise my hand and ask for clarification, I would sit quietly and ask a classmate after class. This fear inhibits creativity, learning and confidence. I was relieved when another classmate chimed in for clarification-and by the looks of many others, they were too.

Each day and each lesson I verbalize the mantra that smart people ask questions, successful people do not fear failure. Early in the school year I introduce a simple but difficult pre algebra puzzle/problem to my gifted elementary students. The math is simple, adding and subtracting less than 100. The concept is challenging. Students must decipher shapes and assign weights based on certain rules. The puzzle is a mobile, like the one that hand from a ceiling. It has two sides, both are equal in weight. But, one side may have two shapes and the other three or more. So it requires some trial and error, calculation, planning and critical thinking. More often than not students want to quit. Their comments range from "this is stupid" to "I don't get it". Any parent or teacher knows that "I don't get it" means "do it for me".

Two critical lessons are attached to the algebra. The first is that wrong answers are ok. It will eventually lead to the correct one. The second and most important is students learn "What to do, when I don't know what to do". In other words, problem solve. Identify a problem, make a plan, test it, and revise as needed. Once the learners realize and internalize these lessons, they have the tools to take risks. They are so used to being able to cruise through a lesson or the curriculum that when finally tasked with a difficult situation, they are so afraid to look "dumb" that they won't even attempt something difficult. A lifetime of living in fear like that will lead to a waste of talent.

So encourage children (and adults) to try, work hard and be resilient. Praise their effort not their achievement. Teach them how to learn from failures and move forward. I love the Michael Jordan Nike commercial that played a few years back. It was a narrative by MJ explaining how many game-winning shots he missed, how many games he lost, all of his set backs...his closing line was "I failed over and over and over again in my life....and that is why I succeed!