Growth Mindset......

The kids are all growing by leaps and bounds in the K-1s. They are stretching themselves daily, reaching above and beyond their limitations, and learning new things. Yes, there are frustrations at times, but we talk about frustration being a normal part of growth. Kids can easily get bogged down by feeling they "can't do it." My response is always the same - you can't do that YET.

This brings us to the all-important idea of the growth mindset. Children generally tend towards one of two types of mindsets – a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. Praise that focuses on intelligence promotes a fixed mindset, which is the belief that intelligence cannot be changed in any meaningful way. Children with a fixed mindset believe that they are born with certain character traits and a fixed amount of intelligence and creativity, and that nothing they do can alter that.

In contrast, praise that focuses on effort ("You’ve worked really hard on that!") promotes a growth mindset, which is the belief that intelligence can grow and be strengthened with effort. Children with a growth mindset believe that they are capable of achieving what they want if they put in the time and effort to get there.

A growth mindset will supercharge their capacity to learn and grow. We know that for certain. I'm seeing this over and over again in the classroom. We've been taking on some challenging work, and often kids get frustrated when things are not easy for them. Recently, after a challenging morning writing animal poetry (that left a few children feeling frustrated), we sat down together and I explained the growth mindset to them in a way they could understand.

"Imagine that in your brain are billions of tiny light bulbs. There is a light bulb for everything you could ever do. There’s a dancing light bulb, a math light bulb, a crossing the monkey bars light bulb, a writing light bulb, a riding-a-bike light bulb, a cooking light bulb, a reading light bulb …. You get the idea. The thing is, they only turn on when you do what they are there for, so not all of your light bulbs will glow all the time.

If you never ride a bike, for example, the riding-a-bike light bulb won’t glow at all. The first time you ride a bike, that light bulb will glow just a little bit. The more you ride your bike, the brighter the riding-a-bike light bulb will glow. It might take a lot of practice before your riding-a-bike light bulb is as bright as your teeth-brushing light bulb, but when it is as bright, you’ll be just as good at riding a bike as you are at brushing your teeth.

Of course, your teeth-brushing light bulb is very bright because you brush your teeth every morning and every night! When it comes to riding bikes though, you might fall off a few times but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be great at riding bikes. It just means that you’re not good at riding them yet. You’re still charging up that light bulb."

This idea of a light bulb charging up and glowing the more it is used has resonated deeply with the children. A particular boy said to me this week, "My reading light bulb is really starting to glow. I'm getting better every day!" Another boy, out at recess this week, said, "Wow, my monkey bars light bulb is so strong! I can now cross the monkey bars!"

Every time something is hard for the kids, I use this expression. It helps them to actually visualize their brain getting stronger by the day, and they're encouraged to keep going. Intelligence is not fixed and can be flourished with time and effort. Nurturing this belief in children is one of the greatest things we, as the adults in their lives, can do to help lift them so they can reach their full potential. The effort will come from them, but it’s important that we do what we can to have them believe that the effort will be worth it.

Sharing a book with the class 

Working with clay to make a hawk!

Writing and reading the morning message at morning meeting 

Creating a diorama 

Almost done! 

Adding detail to a diorama about the snake 

Reading a Mo Willems book aloud to classmates 

Cutting to get the perfect size paper to cover the outside of the box

A self-created book! 

Proud author of a frog research guide! 

One of the favorite routines that we've established in the K-1's is our daily "gratitude circle." This happens at the end of each day as kids come in from recess and get ready to say good-bye to one another. We sit in a circle and take turns sharing what we are thankful for. Here are some of the common responses:

"I'm thankful for....... "

• My teachers and friends 
• Parker school 
• Recess 
• My family 
• My pets 
• Holidays 
• My birthday 
• Books 
• Being at school 
• Playing sports

Fundamentally, gratitude is about being aware of who or what makes positive aspects of our lives possible, and acknowledging that.  Looking at this list and hearing all of the meaningful things the children are thankful for each day, makes me realize that they are beginning to understand this concept.  

Gratitude also grants perspective - in children and adults. When children recognize that the things they own and the opportunities they have come from someone other than themselves, it helps them develop a healthy understanding of how interdependent we all are - and they may be more inclined to treat others with genuine respect.

Teaching our kids to say "thank you" is important, but truly instilling a sense of gratitude in them is another matter entirely. Gratitude goes beyond good manners - it's a mindset and a lifestyle - one that can help us all live happier, more satisfied lives.

Our class gratitude tree 

I'm thankful for winter, frogs, and friends.  

Learning from our peers

Lately, we've been doing a lot of learning from one another in the K-1's.  A few weeks ago, we welcomed George (Emmett's older brother in the 2-3's) into the classroom to teach us about the solar system.  He sat in front of the students and talked about his passion - space.  The K-1's sat rapt with attention.  Here was a peer, not much older than them, teaching about something that was meaningful to him.  A few days later, he followed up with another "lesson" and take-home activity for the kids.  This turned out to be a memorable learning experience both for George and the K-1 students.

Last week, the first graders presented the geometry books they made during math to the kindergartners. One by one, they each got up in front of the class and taught their classmates something they had learned. Their faces beamed with pride as they read their books and answered questions.  Then came the kindergartners turn - they had the chance to share their counting books with the first graders.  The first grade children showed genuine interest as they looked at each book.  This time it was the kindergartners beaming with pride.

Reading  geometry books to the class

We also recently gathered together as a community to share ideas about kindness, friendship, and solving problems.  The K-1's and the PreK 4 children got together for a "Peace Summit" to share ideas and learn from one another.  It was a productive community building activity.  The K-1's had the chance to be experts on a topic very close to their hearts.

As a teacher, I am always looking for ways to create opportunities for my students to showcase their abilities as well as demonstrate their knowledge. Designing projects and activities that develop higher-level thinking around a chosen topic is just one way to achieve this.  Having the students create these projects themselves and teach their peers is a much more fulfilling way to reach this goal.

Beyond the mastery of the material, these types of activities can instill confidence and a level of engagement that comes with pursuing a genuine interest.  While it’s unlikely that you have ever heard a person say, “that worksheet changed my life,” most people have an assignment from their childhood that they remember with pride because it was meaningful to them. More often than not, that memorable assignment was one that allowed them to express themselves and follow their passions - maybe space, math, or even kindness.

We have noticed many new friendships blooming in the crisp, autumn breeze.  Many of our morning meetings have been devoted to discussing how to handle the new and often challenging dynamics of friendship. Helping children move between friends on a weekly and daily basis is a lesson in flexibility for all of us. Young children can have a very difficult time recognizing social cues sent by their peers.

The most common complaints we hear are that “Mary” either won’t play with me or isn’t my friend anymore. There are a couple of directions we could take with these statements. The first is to call over the other student and directly handle the issue, attempting to solve the dilemma for all involved. The second, and more commonly used within the Responsive Classroom approach, is to meet with the affected parties and oversee a discussion in which they solve their own problems.

We encourage the children to tell each other what they are thinking and feeling. Young children (and even adults) often forget to take the other person’s perspective into consideration when weighing an issue. The emotionally injured child frequently finds that the offending party simply “went off to play somewhere else,” not even realizing that someone was left behind. At other times, we discover that the child didn’t truly ask “Sally” if she wanted to play. Instead, the child stood near “Sally” and was disappointed when “Sally” wandered off. Often children perceive there is a huge social injustice going on when in fact the offending party didn't even realize they were in the midst of game!

Perspective taking is not something we expect our four, five and six year-old students to master. In fact, it is a skill humans continue to work on throughout life. We can help our students to use language to express their own perspective. Vocalization both cements their personal understanding of a situation and allows others to consider a differing point of view. Being able to talk about a problem with a friend is a skill that will be necessary over a lifetime. It's our goal to give children the tools needed to navigate these tricky social waters.

Dyken Pond

We had a spectacular day at Dyken Pond last week.  After what seemed like a rather long bus ride over some very windy country roads, we arrived to a beautiful Fall day at the pond. We were greeted by two excellent educators, Ian and Casey, who gave us a guided tour of the property, pointing out signs of animal life along the way.  We stopped by the lake to learn about differences between lakes and ponds, and about the animals who live there.

A stunning view of the lake

View from the rocks 

Look what I see! 

We paused along the way to notice a dusky salamander and the telltale signs of beaver activity.  Ian and Casey talked about the animals that live near the lake and gave us the opportunity to see and touch different animal furs (fox, beaver, and bobcat).  The children also got to see the large shell of a snapping turtle and the skull of a beaver - both items that generated lots of ooohs and aaahhhs from the group.  

We ended the hike by hearing various bird calls and looking out for these specific birds on our way back.   After a picnic lunch with friends, we gathered together for habitat relay races and a rousing game of "Bat and Moth" where kids took on the role of either a bat or a moth - exploring the idea of echolocation.    We ended the trip with a careful observation of the pond and last look around at the gorgeous fall foliage.  The children returned to school tired and happy, asking when our next field trip will be.  ;)  

A salamander

Checking out the pond

Peak Fall foliage!  

  

Taking Risks

The first few weeks of school are filled with risks.  All of us, from the K-1 student to the most experienced teacher, feel this. Our children have to navigate a new set of routines, manage new personality dynamics, make friends, keep friends, decipher the emotional tone of their new class, and figure out where they fit within this new community. Taking acceptable risks when steering through all of this can be daunting. Grown-ups can put it into words, “What if I fail?” Children usually aren’t able to put it so succinctly.

In the classroom and beyond, a child chooses whether or not these risks are worth it:

• Waiting for a teacher to call on them 
• Calling out the answers 
• Speaking up for their own rights (i.e. I don’t like this game. I want to play something different.) 
• Asking to go to the bathroom 
• Saying goodbye to a parent 
• Raising a hand during meetings 
• Attempting to write their name or other words 
• Drawing a picture 
• Joining a group or single friend in play 
• Reading aloud to a classmate 
• Crossing the monkey bars or rings on the playground

We want our children to be comfortable taking the risks that promote growth. It is for this reason that we create an environment that welcomes mistakes, experiments, discussion, and observation. All of the children in our room are capable of great things. We want to make sure they are willing to build the attempts to get them there.


                

  

And....... we're off!

Circling up with friends in the 2-3's before muddy boots. 

Welcome to the new school year! It's been almost two weeks of school for the K-1 children, and we're off to a great start. This is certainly a dynamic, unique, smart, funny, creative, and kind bunch of children.

At the beginning of the year, our focus is on building community. This is essential during these early days. Our time is spent learning to listen respectfully to one another, treat one another kindly, and most importantly, learn skills that will develop and nurture empathy for one another. Having an understanding of how a friend may feel if we say or do something unkind must be the foundation of our learning at this point. We talk a lot about feelings - ours and our friends'. Spending time on these crucial social and emotional skills will pave the way for what's to come.

Community building with the 2-3's before our muddy boots walk.  

Below is a blog post I shared with families at the beginning of our last school year. I've included it because it is a relevant message during these first weeks of school as children are adjusting. I hope it alleviates any worry or anxiety you may have about your child's transition. These first few weeks will be full of ups and downs - some mornings will run like clockwork, and others will be bumpy. That's all normal as your children internalize the new routines and become adjusted to life as a new Kindergartner or First Grader.

Even though we’ve been back at school for three full weeks, it is not uncommon for some of our little ones to still be adjusting to the demands of a long school day.  This adjustment may manifest in the form of anxiety, inflexibility, clinginess, or just pure exhaustion as they try to internalize all that goes along with school.  While they may behave perfectly fine and seem chipper at school, it is very common for them to melt down at home, falling apart at the seemingly smallest of disappointments or obstacles.

After all, this is a big change for many of these children.  For some, it is their first full day or full week at school.  It is our job as adults to acknowledge the strong feelings that come along with a change.  Once we have committed to the change, all that is left to do is acknowledge whatever reactions and feelings our child has. Acknowledging that it is hard to be at school for a long day, but that our child is ready for this challenge will go a long way in easing the anxiety.  Encourage him or her to express any feelings of sadness, anger, or worry.  Hold strong, but don’t try to talk your child out of his/her feelings.  If you welcome them, they will pass more quickly.  

“When children are overtaxed emotionally, they sometimes misbehave; their intense emotions and the demands of the situation trump their internal resources.  The expression of a need or a big feeling therefore results in aggressive, disrespectful, or uncooperative behavior - which is simply proof that children haven’t built certain self-regulation skills yet.  Misbehavior is often a cry for help calming down, and a bid for connection.”   Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., co-author of the book No Drama Discipline:  The Whole Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind.

Another way uncertainty can manifest is clinginess.  Clingy periods tend to coincide with children taking developmental steps toward independence (like starting school).  Sometimes they occur when children face new situations or transitions.  I advise never resisting clinginess. Yes, there are times we need (or want) to separate, and that’s a healthy and positive thing to do. When we trust that our child needs to be close and give him or her the assurance that we don’t resist this need, separation anxiety eases. So whenever possible — give in wholeheartedly. Hold your child close and try to imagine the day he or she no longer wants to spend time on your lap (or doesn’t fit very well).

Encourage autonomy - a taste of independence doesn’t eliminate separation anxiety and clinginess, but it definitely seems to lessen the frequency, intensity and duration of these episodes. This makes sense, because children who have tasted autonomy have the knowledge that they are capable and will be fine throughout the school day.  With more and more opportunity for independence, their confidence will grow and they will begin to venture out of their comfort zone, trying new things, making new friends, and taking risks.  

At school these little ones are doing great - they are happy, fully engaged, eager, curious, fun, loving, and cheerful.  They are spending their days learning, playing, listening, and talking. Even though this is extremely worthwhile, it is still tiring and a big effort to keep it together all day.  It is not surprising that many of these kiddos come home and collapse into a heap of obstinate, stubborn, and headstrong behaviors.  Luckily, this will not last forever.  In a few short weeks stamina will increase, expectations and routines will be mastered, and these kids will seem like they’ve been doing this forever.  Until then, we need to give them our understanding, unconditional love and support, and instill in them the confidence that they have what it takes to master a new year at school.   The first step to handling any change is a parent’s conviction. Certain about the change ourselves, we can project that certainty for our child and give him or her the united front of conviction he/she needs to handle this new experience.  

And there you have it......this all holds true as we enter our third week of school. I'm also attaching an article that I found to be relevant (and comforting) during this time of transition. It is about staying present with our children - allowing ourselves to acknowledge their challenging behaviors and trusting that they too shall pass.

http://abundantlifechildren.com/2015/09/09/staying-present-with-our-children/

Book Clubs

This past week the K-1's started their "book clubs."  We gathered together to talk as a group about what makes a good book club and what members of a book club do.  We all determined that book clubs are about coming together with a friend to celebrate and talk about reading.  Sharing ideas, thoughts, and opinions are the primary purpose of our little clubs in K-1, all while practicing our reading strategies and comprehension skills.  The goal was not going to be to read the most challenging book in our classroom library, but to choose that "just right book,"  one that your friend could read as well, one that you could retell smoothly and logically, and one you could have a worthwhile discussion about afterwards.

We brainstormed a list of potential book ideas - all titles that would appeal to a variety of readers.  For the First Graders that list included anything in the Frog and Toad series, Mr. Putter and Tabby, and of course, the beloved Magic Treehouse series.  Kindergartners are also participating - reading shorter books appropriate for their age and interests - Elephant and Piggy, as well as duplicates of classroom favorites.

Duplicates of favorite books

Children have time to read during reading workshop time, and after completing a few chapters, we gather together for a discussion.  Favorite parts, characters, plot, and storyline are all items for discussion.  As I listened to two Kindergartners chat about a book they had just finished, I overheard, "Were there any tricky parts for you?"  Then the friend answered, "Yes, I had a tough time with the word compost, but I sounded it out."  Coming together for discussions like this is an invaluable experience - to share ideas, struggles, and opinions is something these children will need to do throughout their school career and their lives.  To start this at such a young age is preparing them for the road ahead.

These book clubs are more than simply reading the book.  They're about talking, thinking, and listening to a friend.  The challenging part for many children is actually listening to one another.  Reading comprehension is all about listening at length to another person's words and ideas and stories, even if this means holding back our own ideas and words for a time. Comprehension often involves having one's own mind changed because of what another person says.  It's about coming to think differently because of what we've heard. Teaching comprehension has everything to do with teaching listening.

Sharing favorite books with a friend also teaches children that we are all unique as readers. While one club may love the Magic Treehouse Carnival at Candelight, another group may prefer Mr Putter and Tabby Feed the Fish, or Elephant and Piggy Go For a Ride.  These groups are about sharing thoughts and ideas, and coming together to think, puzzle over, and open up a story.  Our children will grow up expecting that talking about books will be fun, that friends will hang on their words when they respond to texts, and that those words will spark grand conversations.  We are teaching children that reading is a magnificent way to be together with friends and with authors who become distant friends.  They're on their way to a life in which it is possible to sit down with others to talk about ideas, to change minds, to hold fast to opinions, to listen, and to learn.

Shaking things up.....

I'm a firm believer in the value of routine and predictability for young children.  Children thrive on knowing what is expected of them and having a sense of structure in their day. However, I also feel strongly that there is a time and place for shaking things up, and allowing children to develop skills that enable them to "go with the flow" when necessary. These past two weeks have done just that.

As soon as we returned from Spring break, we immediately got started with our Shakespeare rehearsals. For a few of the children this was new territory, and definitely caused a bit of anxiety.  At this age, anxiety in the unknown is extremely common - and normal.  Their imaginations get carried away thinking of all of the things that may go wrong, or worse, the new and challenging things that will be expected of them.   Throughout the week we came together as a group to share our worries, fears, as well as enthusiasm for the show.  Hearing classmates voice their concerns, or talk about previous experiences with Shakespeare, allowed children to feel they were not alone, and gave them the reassurance they needed to participate.

Rehearsing the balloon act

Watching intently while the other group rehearses

Having fun! 

I loved watching the kids stretch themselves during our rehearsals, and ultimately, at the amazing performance last week.  Acting asks a lot of the kids - they need to listen, take turns, cooperate, memorize lines, and most definitely leave their comfort zone. After a few days of rehearsals and getting the hang of things, I could tell even the most tentative children were showing genuine excitement.  It was hard not to get caught up in the funny stories that Sean-O had created.  By the end of last week, the kids were bursting with excitement about going on stage.   Their enthusiasm about the experience was so evident watching them on stage.  They all literally beamed with energy, emotion, and joyfulness.  Not only did they all have a great time, they also proved to themselves that this was something within their reach.  Getting up on stage, despite the worry or anxiety they felt, was actually fun!  It also provided the children with a huge sense of accomplishment.  They were so proud of themselves, and so was I.

The happy actors 

Fairy Tales

Our latest unit on fairy tales provided the children many experiences listening to and discussing these classic stories.  We've read everything from Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White, The Snow Queen, The Three Little Pigs, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Thumbelina to Cinderella.  These stories are at once captivating, enchanting, fascinating, and at times, slightly scary. There is magic, drama, adventure, strife, and usually a happy ending. The kids let out a sigh of relief when they hear those words, "happily ever after."

Beyond reading these captivating tales, we've also analyzed, discussed, compared and contrasted, and thought deeply about the stories.  Students are given a chance to strengthen those all important reading comprehension skills as they make sense of complicated plot twists in The Snow Queen, or compare versions of Jack and the Beanstalk and Cinderella. Questions are pondered - how is the Egyptian Cinderella similar or different from the original version of Cinderella?  The children get to stretch their thinking muscles and dig deep to compare and contrast.

Comparing and contrasting versions of Jack and the Beanstalk

Identifying story components 

The unit culminated with writing our own fairy tales.  We all started with an outline of sorts called a "Fairy Tale Formula."  This helped students to choose a setting, create characters, and develop a plot - complete with a problem, magic, and a solution.  For some children this was extremely helpful - a way for them to organize their thoughts and remember those critical elements that make a story shine.  Other children got to work on a rough draft in their writing journals, diving right into their story. 

Title page complete! 

First draft in our writing journals

Illustrating the cover page 

Getting ready to illustrate

Outline to help organize thoughts

A first draft in our "frog" books 

One page done! 

Adding illustrations to the title page

The finished products were original and imaginative.  Some children borrowed ideas from one of the many tales we read in class or used other familiar stories as a starting point, while other children developed completely original ideas.   Getting inspiration from quality literature is a useful tool for even our youngest writers.  Some of the children may take off on their own - ideas brimming over while the pencil tries to keep up with the brain.  Others may need gentle coaxing to get their stories out.  This is all part of the writing process.   Organizing thoughts into a logical structure to make sense for readers is no easy task.  This takes planning, thinking, and hard work from our students.  The weeks we've spent sharing examples of these magical stories surely helped to prepare and inspire the students as they wrote their own fairy tales.

At the table getting ready to illustrate their stories

Finished stories awaiting assembly

This week it will be time for the children to read their stories aloud to the class.  Sitting in front of their classmates, reading their work, and taking comments and questions provides that all important, final layer of learning.  A true highlight for all.