After the school year gets underway and students get into a routine, sometimes they seem to need a little something extra to get them over the finish line.
Get some new ideas for growth mindset and grit from fellow secondary English Teachers when we discussed this topic during a recent Twitter chat - just scroll on down!
Welcome! What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
Tonight's #2ndaryELA chat is hosted by @readandwrite3 so look for questions coming from me!
Q1: How do you define grit in the classroom? #2ndaryELA
#2ndaryELA
A1: In the true sense of the word, I think grit in the classroom is the innate motivation to not only learn from the experience, but to think about how it can be taught from a different perspective. #TSUEnglishMAE
A1: In education, I define "grit" as having the stamina to find solutions to the problems we encounter. Both Ss and Ts can show grit in the classroom (sometimes together and sometimes separately)! #2ndaryela
A1: Grit in the classroom is students building, collaborating, problem-solving, discovering, exploring, failing, revising, improving, disagreeing (and all the other infinitives you can think of) for the purpose of learning or creating something valuable. #2ndaryELA
A1: - and doing all of this with a growth mindset! Never give up! Keep encouraging each other to try again! I don’t know it yet, but I will! #2ndaryELA
A1: For me, I define it as when students represent perseverance and determination, even when met with some sort of obstacle(s) #2ndaryELA
A1: Being willing to persevere, stamina #2ndaryELA
Q2: What are the best ways to introduce students to grit? #2ndaryELA
A2: I like to show clips from movies and then talk about those to introduce grit. I also talk about well known fictional characters and we can have great conversations from those. #2ndaryELA
A2 I think the best first way to develop #grit is to start developing relationships and build a student-centered classroom from day 1. Kids won't feel safe to explore and take risks if they don't trust you! #2ndaryela
Teaching growth mindset and the POWER of YET! Also, have them revise something simple like a paragraph multiple times to see the growth. #2ndaryELA
A2: I think introducing grit as soon as possible will have long-term benefits. By giving S’s plenty of time to develop their own definition of grit, they may have a better chance at grasping & sticking to the commitment. #2ndaryELA #TSUEnglishMAE
A2: Maybe a picture book Like "My Fantastic Elastic Brain"? #2ndaryELA
Q3: What types of activities and assignments help students to build grit in the classroom? #2ndaryELA
A3: The first thing that comes to mind is an assignment w/ a similar model to a flow chart. S’s continue to do work that brings them to a final answer, & at the end, they have a finished product they can take pride in. #2ndaryELA #TSUEnglishMAE
A3 I have a series of #hyperdoc units to build a #growthmindset as well as a set of videos/Google form reflections. #2ndaryela
A3: I have never used them but hope to incorporate them in the spring -- genius hour projects! I truly feel like these can help students build grit, especially as they build from their own interests and sustained passions. #2ndaryELA
A3: In ELA, the writing process is a great tool to use. #2ndaryELA
A3: Role-play scenarios? #2ndaryELA
I can do this. This is hard but with work I can succeed. I can find a way to do this. --Just a few off the top of my head. #2ndaryELA
Thank you for those. Maybe having them as visual reminders around the room would be great as well. #2ndaryELA
Q4: How can we assist parents in encouraging grit at home? #2ndaryELA
A4: I would like to implement a question of the week that relates to students' passions and long-term goal setting that parents/guardians could be a part of. #2ndaryELA
A4: Communicating the importance of revision. If parents don't know students are able to improve their work, they cannot encourage the student at home. #2ndaryELA
A4: We can assist parents by including growth mindset statements in our communications with them. #2ndaryELA
A4: On a basic level I would say enforcing how grit will benefit everyone involved: T’s, S’s, AND P’s. Teachers & parents should want to work together to provide a strong support system so students can feel comfortable with their education. #2ndaryELA #TSUEnglishMAE
Q5: How can you build a culture of grit in your school building or district? #2ndaryELA
A5: A culture can be developed only if everyone is on board and speaks the same language. #2ndaryELA
A5: There are great resources available. PD, PLC time - however you get the information out. #2ndaryELA
Thank you for joining us tonight #2ndaryELA nation with an extra special thanks to @readandwrite3 for guest hosting!
This is our last chat for 2018. Join us on January 15, 2019, for our first chat of the new year - New Year, Better Teaching! #2ndaryELA
You can even get reminded of the chat by joining our Remind Group: https://www.remind.com/join/gk78ce #2ndaryELA
We keep the conversation going all day every day at our Facebook Group and we would love for you to join! https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/ … #2ndaryELA
Thanks for stopping by!