Growth Mindset
12/14/2019
At PNA, we not only emphasize academic excellence, but social emotional training as well. One important piece of this is helping our students develop a growth mindset. According to Carol Dweck, Ph.D., "In this mindset, the hand you're dealt is just the starting point for development. This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts. Although people may differ in every which way--in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests, or temperaments--everyone can change and grow through application and experience. Do people with this mindset believe that anyone can be anything, that anyone with proper motivation or education can become Einstein or Beethoven? No, but they believe that a person's true potential is unknown (and unknowable)--that it's impossible to foresee what can be accomplished with years of passion, toil, and training." At PNA, we educate students to be exceptional learners and independent thinkers of vision, courage, and integrity. Not one of these important mission pieces is possible without a growth mindset. We want our students to understand that they are not born with a fixed amount of intelligence or talent, but that they can cultivate intelligence and talent through effort and experience, through learning, experimenting, failing, and growing. You do not need to always have the correct answer, but rather ask questions and seek answers to everyday problems and wonderings. A growth mindset leads to resiliency in our students and helps them realize they can accomplish more than they think possible. Images From:
thevectorimpact.com jonnyshannon.com/blog/tag/resilience Prioritizing Play
12/7/2019
Play is increasingly disappearing from schools nationwide. Recently, the Center for Responsive Schools published a journal on the importance of play for students of all ages -- and even adults. Play has physical, social, emotional, and cognitive benefits for students and is an integral part of any school day. Some of the benefits of play and physical activity include (Dorshorst, 2019):
Our little ones have opportunities for both structured and free play throughout the day. Students enjoy structured play opportunities during morning meeting, math, word work, PE, Inquiry Workshop, and brain breaks. Free play opportunities come during quiet choices (their settling in time before morning meeting), recess, and PE. This past week, our kindergartners and I had the opportunity to join first and second graders as they went to the field to play in the deep snow. It was one of the highlights of my week to watch as students joyfully trudged up "mountains" before sliding back down, ran across the snowy field, and explored and played in the winter wonderland. "We were having an adventure!" many students eagerly told me. These types of opportunities are so important for the growth and development of our little learners. "With all of these benefits in mind, the question shouldn't be whether or not we can find time for play in the school day. Instead, we should be asking ourselves: how can we make play a foundational part of every student's school experience?" I am thankful to teach at PNA, where I have the freedom to structure our school day to meet my students needs through both academics and play. Dorshorst, M. (2019). Fun is Essential! Incorporating Play into Today's Classroom. Center
for Responsive Schools Journal of Social and Emotional Learning, 1 (2), 4-5. (2019). How to Integrate Play into the School Day. Center for Responsive Schools Journal of Social and Emotional Learning, 1 (2), 4-5. |
Saania AliMs. Ali graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelors of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. She specializes in Early Childhood Education, ESL, and Special Education. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, and painting! Archives
April 2021
Categories |