A huge phrase in education, currently, is growth mindset. As educators, we should always instill the belief in students that they should embrace challenges, accept criticism, and see how effort contributes to learning. Also, as educators, we should take on and model this belief system. As I am sitting here reflecting over the past year, I embraced a growth mindset and found ways to improve Room 303. Thinking about the path I took, an acronym kept coming to mind – GROW.
G – Goal Setting – Part of my growth is attributed to goal setting. The format I like is SMART goal setting. When I started, I thought about my vision and mission as an educator. I wanted to create a more engaging history experience for my students.
- Is this goal Specific?
- How will you measure success towards your goal(s)?
- Is this goal attainable? Is it realistic?
- Is your goal relevant? Does this goal align with the vision and mission of your school?
- What is the time frame for your goal? Tomorrow? 1st quarter?
R – Risk Taking – I learned growth did not occur until I broke out of my shell. I was stuck in a fixed mindset. Growth does not occur within a fixed mindset. Only when I started dressing up to have “guest-speakers,” adding an element of mystery and curiosity did I start to grow. It takes one “out-of-the-box” lesson to get the creative thinking flowing to change the rest of your school year. Below you will see some of my “guest-speakers”and room transformations that sparked curiosity.
O – On-line – To me, online includes ed-tech tools and social media. From a classroom point-of-view, are students using ed-tech tools to practice the 4 C’s (creating, critically thinking, communicating, and collaborating?)? From teacher point-of-view, are you taking time to understand how these ed-tech tools can be an asset in your classroom?
Two great social media platforms for teachers include Twitter and Instagram. I love sharing my classroom with others from around the globe. I have create a Personal Learning Network (PLN) of people through these mediums who have shared awesome ideas with me!
W – Write About It – In March of 2018, I started my Moler’s Musings Blog as part of a book study with, Innovator’s Mindset. This blog has allowed me to reflect and share ideas with others from around the world. Throughout the school year, I was teaching my students how to reflect, but I wasn’t doing it myself. Creating my blog has allowed me to join my students and reflect on struggles, successes, and big plans for the future.
Moler's Musings 