Personalised Learning- What is it and how do we achieve it?

We hear a lot about 'teaching to the individual', or running 'individual programmes', or "personalised learning'. But what is this?

Personalised learning was part of a movement within OECD nations to improve student achievement, in particular student engagement with learning. NZ drew heavily on the leadership of Canada, the US, the UK and Australia and the concept was introduced to the NZ school system in 2006 by the then Minister of Education Steve Maharey.

The concept centered on a developing a discussion around how children were taught in each school, with an emphasis on teachers and leaders having a better understanding of how each child was performing within the school environment. The key component was a shift in thinking from schools changing their identity from being a place of teaching to a place of learning. muritai.school.nz

"Personalising Learning is a way of describing the shifts that are happening in our education system as we respond to the new meaning of knowledge in the 21st Century. It reflects our focus on high standards, high achievement and a commitment to lifelong learning." (Steve Maharey, Let's Talk About Personalising Learning, 2007) 
It is obvious that we, as humans, are all different, and experience the world in different ways. Two people can experience the very same experience or event, but recall it in completely different ways. This is because we are all unique.

It therefore, makes no sense whatsoever, to 'teach' a group or room full of children the same thing in the same way. This method may have been what education consisted of in the past, but now we know so much more about human development, education, what works and what doesn't.

So, then the question becomes- what is personalised learning really about and how can we deliver personalised learning in today's schools?

"The definition of personalised learning is any learning experience that is self-initiated and self-directed in pursuit of outcomes that are first personal (e.g. curiosity-based.) This includes the identification of potential topics, self-assessment, publishing, connecting with peer sets and experts, and other important components of any authentic learning process. The end result is, ideally, a learner who is literate in both the content and process of learning." (TeachThought.com 2013)

Traditionally in education, the teacher was seen as the wise one who imparted knowledge to others. Hopefully.
Today we know that for true educational success, and for the development of competent and capable learners, teachers need to now learn how to act as guides or coaches, supporting children as they learn HOW to learn for themselves. If anyone is going to learn something deeply, and engage fully, the content AND delivery must be relevant to their individual interest, needs and learning style.
My own fondest memories of my primary and secondary education, are ones that showed me the teacher actually knew me, and was able to connect my learning with my interests. There are only a few examples that come to mind, but if everything I 'learnt', those are the memories that have stuck with me.
Personalised learning is more than differentiation.



Differentiation revolves around the teacher being in the 'drivers seat', making the decisions and instructing a group or individual. Personalised learning puts the learner at the centre, gives them choice, ownerships, responsibility and most importantly, allows the learning to make meaningful connections between their life and their learning.
It is important to acknowledge, and remember, that children all bring the curriculum to school with them. It is inside them. If this is true, then curriculum delivery should not be linear. A linear program of learning cannot be child-centred and will most certainly not work for all learners.

So what are the key attributes or components of personalised learning?

1. Learning to learn. This means we as educators, help our pupils develop strategies and skills that will support them to become self-directed learners.

 

2. Assessment for learning. Using a variety of formative assessment that engages learners, as a tool to guide their learning journey.

 

3. Teaching and learning strategies. Knowing and using a wide range of strategies so that both the teacher (guide) and the learner will know which strategy to use and when.

 

4. Curriculum choice. Giving learners the opportunity to develop their own learning pathway that is focused on the development of skills rather than transmission of knowledge.

 

5. Mentoring and support. Ensuring there are systems in place for a range of mentoring and support- peer support, tuakana-teina, one-to-one mentoring.

It all sounds ideal does it not?
But how does one (teacher, school) organise and maintain such personalised learning?

Organisation, structures and systems are required to successfully implement personalised learning in a meaningful manner. Such can be categorised in four management strategies;

1. Minimise variation within the school. This is particularly important for larger schools. Consistent and high quality learning experiences must be ensured for all learners.

2. Student voice and choice. This is about engaging our learners to become partners in the development of their learning. This is about being able to make real, not superficial choices.

3. ICT (Information and Computer Technology). This means providing the appropriate technology for students to be able to access their learning and data to support it.

4. School systems and structures. A re-think about the way time, spaces and people are organised so that personalised programmes can be developed. This could include things such as providing different learning spaces- a place for quiet learning/ learners, a place for cooperation and collaboration, different types of furniture and arrangement etc.

Successful personalised learning also requires commitment and skills from a leadership perspective;

1. Culture and values. Clear management strategies that support values focused on learning.

2. Learning-centred leadership. This is about leaders empowering students and staff by acting as mentors and providing encouragement and support.

3. Distributed leadership. Replacing the old fashioned hierarchical structure with leadership that is built across the school.

4. Networks and partnerships. Developing relationships that will contribute to effective learning and success.

5. Leading change. A good leader will model and inspire change rather than enforce it. They will lead the shift towards personalised learning.

Developing a personalised learning profile can be achieved in a four step process;

1. Using a range of assessment tools and understanding student achievement data.

2. Teacher collaborate with students to create learning and achievement targets.

3. Plan personalised learning programmes.

4. Share these plans with the learners and communicate learning goals.

'Personalised learning is a structured and responsive approach to learning for each individual child and young person. It creates an ethos in which all pupils are able to progress, achieve and participate as both an individual and as a member of a class and school community.' muritai.school.nz

 

The purpose and end result of personalised learning is that students will have a much greater awareness of their learning needs, and what they need to be able to do in order to reach their full potential.

After all, that is what we want for every child.

Sources:
Ted Talk: A vision for radically personalized learning
www.muritai.school.nz
www.sirjohnjones.com (the need for personalisation)
www.teachthought.com (the definition of personalised learning)


 

 

 

 




  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

MY FIRST TERM AS A SOLE-CHARGE PRINCIPAL!

It has been a long time since my last post! 2016 has been a busy one so far.

At the end of 2015 I made the decision to challenge myself, move out of my comfort zone, and apply for a sole-charge Principal position.

Why?
I have always loved rural areas.
In my days of teacher training, Mum and I would day dream about the little rural school I would one day be teaching in or running. We would frequently drive past Flag Swamp School, between Dunedin (where I studied) and Oamaru (where my family lives). I would picture being the sole-charge teacher (didn't put much thought into the Principal side of things back then!) and Mum and I would joke about "my school".

I also felt in a 'rut' at the end of 2015, and in need of not only a change of scene, but a new challenge in my career. I loved being a part of the Catholic School in Oamaru, but my feet were itchy!

SO, move forward several months and here I am, sole-charge Principal of a small rural school on the West Coast of the South Island.

Barrytown School is located approximately 25 minutes up the stunning Coast Road from Greymouth- a further 10 minutes up the Coast Road takes you to beautiful Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks). I moved over in January with my huge truck of possessions, my cat and my dog, my hopes and dreams too! Summer was a whirlwind of excitement and adventure! Here I was in this stunning new environment (mountains, forests, bush, rainforest, waterfall, cliffs, beaches etc. etc.) and the weather was incredible! For weeks on end I would travel up to Punakaiki to cool off in the river in the evenings- I couldn't believe the heat- and the beauty. I was exploring every nook and cranny of my new region and having a ball. How lucky was I to land in paradise?!
The unpacking (of the school paraphernalia) began and in the midst of intense heat and sweat, I slowly put my stamp on the single classroom. I was dying to change the drab and tired interior into something that would excite the children on their return. I was anxious, excited and thrilled all at once.

Fortunately, I had come over in December to meet the children, so day one was not quite as terrifying as it may have been! With my school dog (Jazz) at my side, I welcomed the children to their 'new' classroom on the 4th of February. They were, of course, excited, but also apprehensive. 2015 for the children had been a year of change and disruption. Due to a variety of circumstances, the school had been led by four principals in the past 18 months. I knew that building relationships would be a priority- more than ever before.

HOW DID I ESTABLISH SOLID RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CHILDREN?
We all know as educators, that consistency is vital in behaviour management and building relationships with students. I knew that in this particular situation it was more important and more vital. I put a lot of time and energy in the first term, into showing- through my actions, that I was consistent, fair and calm. I established very clear expectations, reward systems, and tried to bring as much fun into the classroom as I could.
-DAY ONE BEGAN WITH A TREASURE HUNT- THE PRIZE- GOODY BAGS, DESCRIBED THE YEAR WE WOULD HAVE TOGETHER
-WE PLAYED MANY COOPERATIVE GAMES
-A LONGER "ALL ABOUT ME"/ "POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS' UNIT THAN USUAL
-CLEAR BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS
-CONSISTENCY IN MY MANNER AND APPROACH
-LOTS OF TIME TO PLAY AND RE-ENGAGE IN QUALITY LEARNING EXPERIENCES
Some of the children were expecting me to leave, and I spent a lot of time reassuring them that I was staying for a long time, and that my personality was not going to suddenly change.
I think it is fair to say that it took longer than usually expected to develop strong relationships with all the children, but we got there in the end. There is a feeling of mutual respect, trust, and comfort in the school- this took basically all of the first term to establish, and needs constant maintenance as you would expect- and as it does in any school.
But- as we know, children are the most important, but not only, group of people to form solid relationships with.

HOW DID I ESTABLISH SOLID RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PARENTS?
As the community had experienced much change, and this was a new position for me- Principal as well as Teacher- this important aspect of school life is continuing to develop and grow. There is nothing particularly out of the ordinary that I did to work on establishing these relationships- these are things we all do as teachers- there was perhaps the added element of being seen as the leader, getting out in the community, and raising the image and reputation of the school (not that it was bad, but had perhaps lost some contact with the wider community due to changes in Principals). Again, I was conscious of being very consistent. I also knew (as much as I wanted to), that coming in and changing too many things at once would most likely be challenging for the community. So I considered how to "make my mark" without creating great alarm and disruption.
-GAVE THE CLASSROOM A COMPLETE MAKEOVER
-MADE A NEW NOTICE BOARD FOR PARENT COMMUNICATION
-MADE SOME CHANGES TO CREATE A MORE OPEN AND WELCOMING SPACE IN THE (VERY SMALL) OFFICE
-SENT OUT REGULAR NEWSLETTERS TO KEEP COMMUNICATION OPEN, PROMOTE POSITIVES, AND LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW ABOUT ME
-SHARED AFTERNOON TEA (WEEK TWO)- A CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER
-ASSEMBLIES
-BEING VISIBLE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL
-SMILING! (SOUNDS SIMPLE, BUT SO IMPORTANT)
-MAINTAINING A CALM AND APPROACHABLE MANNER

WHAT HAVE I LEARNT SO FAR?
The learning curve as a first time principal, and a sole charge one at that, is very steep. At first I was very overwhelmed with information and 'to-do's. We are fortunate to have a First Time Principal's Programme in NZ, which also comes with a local mentor. I am also working with a mentor Principal from the Ministry of Education, and know who to contact when I don't know something or have a question. I have also found the Sole Charge and Rural Teaching Principals Facebook group invaluable. There are so many other Principal's out there willing to share their ideas/ information, and provide support where needed.
This remains to be a huge undertaking, and almost two terms in, I know I am only just scraping the surface of what I need to know. I think this time next year, I will feel like I have a handle on the year as a Principal. In a nutshell, these are my discoveries;
-BEING A TEACHING PRINCIPAL IS LIKE HAVING TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT JOBS
-THE TWO ROLES CONSTANTLY CROSS OVER EACHOTHER, BUT ALSO REMAIN QUITE DIFFERENT AND REQUIRE DIFFERENT SKILL SETS
-A PRINCIPAL NEEDS TO HAVE, OR DEVELOP A 'THICK SKIN'- TAKING EVERYTHING PERSONALLY BENEFITS NO ONE, LEAST OF ALL YOURSELF
-SLEEP WELL, EAT WELL, EXERCISE!!!
-ASK QUESTIONS! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW
-BE COMFORTABLE WITH BEING A LEARNER- YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET EVERYTHING RIGHT THE FIRST TIME
-KEEP YOURSELF SAFE- MAKE SURE YOU BACK UP ALL THAT YOU DO WITH RECORDS, RESULTS, PAPER WORK ETC.
-SMILE AND BREATHE DEEPLY! ALTHOUGH YOU WILL FACE MANY DIFFERENT CHALLENGES DAY TO DAY, EVERYONE AROUND YOU NEEDS THE BEST OF YOU- THE CHILDREN, STAFF AND PARENTS
-REMEMBER THAT THE CHILDREN'S WELL BEING AND LEARNING IS ALWAYS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AND SHOULD DRIVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO
-HAVE FUN!!! REMEMBER THE GIFT IT IS TO BE IN SUCH A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT, AND HAVE SUCH A CHALLENGING BUT IMPORTANT JOB

So, very briefly, that is a run down on (almost) my first two terms as a Sole Charge Principal. Some days I think the job is impossibly hard, and then I look at the children and listen to their learning and their enjoyment, and I feel pretty darn lucky!

Cooperative Learning in Modern Classrooms

"Cooperative Learning" has been talked about in education since the 1970's, so, people may wonder, in "modern learning environments" or "21st  century learning", is something from the 70's still relevant? The answer is- absolutely!
We are living, learning and working in a world where interaction between people are ever-increasing and jobs are more and more geared towards networking and collaborating. So, if we are not specifically teaching cooperative skills, we may not be effectively preparing students for future success. A modern learning environment, or digital classroom does not equate to children becoming insular in little learning worlds of their own, only interacting with their device. In fact, in successful and effective learning environments, it is the complete opposite. Students are able to use modern technology and devices to collaborate and connect more than ever. So developing competencies in this area may be more important than ever before. Cooperative learning is so important for a variety of reasons:

 

-it promotes active involvement in learning & higher levels of engagement- in small groups each member has the opportunity to participate, students take more ownership and think more critically when involved in a team

-it promotes a celebration of diversity- children have the opportunity to work with all kinds of people, not just their friends or those they choose to work with

-it allows for interpersonal development- children learn to relate to others and work together

-it provides more opportunities for personal feedback- more exchanges among the children

 

A true cooperative learning experience requires that a number of criteria be met. 

They are:
    -Division of labour among students in the group
    -Face-to-face interaction between students
    -Assignment of specific roles and duties to students
    -Group processing of a task
    -Positive interdependence in which students all need to do their assigned duties in order
     for the task to be completed
    -Individual accountability for completing one's own assigned duties
    -The development of social skills as a result of cooperative interaction 

(www.behaviouradvisor.com)
   

What does cooperative learning look like?

Cooperative Learning does NOT look like:

* Groups of students sitting together at one table and talking about their task or learning as they individually work on their task or learning

*A group of students working on a group task or activity where one student takes the lead, completes the work, and all the other students put their names on the task or activity

Cooperative Learning DOES look like:

*Positive Interdependence- meaning there is a group sense of "sink or swim" together

*Face-to-face promotive interaction- meaning children are helping each other learn, and complimenting others successes and efforts

*Individual and group accountability- meaning each of us has to contribute to the group achieving its goals

*Interpersonal and small group skills- this involves communication, trust, leadership, decision making, and conflict resolution skills

*Group processing- this involves reflecting on how well the team is functioning and how it could function even better

 

(Based on research compiled from the website –http://clcrc.com/index.html#essays of the Cooperative Learning Center at the University of Minnesota)

 

COOPERATIVE LEARNING BASIC CHARACTERISTICS:

 

1. Positive Interdependence-

This is the most important element — the heart of co-operative learning. If there is no positive interdependence, there is no co-operation. The Johnsons call it the “we” rather than the “me” element. When students believe that they “sink or swim together”, when they develop an “all for one and one for all” attitude to working in their groups, then the teacher has succeeded in structuring positive interdependence.

The members of the group perceive that they cannot succeed unless everyone succeeds; that if one fails all fail. This creates a commitment to other people’s success as well as to one’s own. Teachers can structure positive

interdependence by:

-ensuring mutual goals (having a single product, report)

-division of labour (ensuring that everyone is required to contribute a different piece of work to the finished product)

-resource interdependence (sharing of information, materials, and resource among members of the group)

-assigning various group maintenance roles to students

 

2. Individual Accountability-

In co-operative learning, the individual student is responsible both for his or her own learning and for contributing to the group. It is essential that teachers check the progress and understanding of individual students. This can

be done by:

-using the usual individual test and assessment

-randomly selecting a student to report back from the group

-checking the understanding of individual students as the teacher monitors the groups

-having the students do self reports on their learning and contribution to the group. This ensures that there is no "hitch-hiking" and that everyone does their share of the work

One of the underlying notions of cooperative learning is that the group strengthens the individual. As Vygotsky (1978) put it, what students can do in the group today, they can do on their own tomorrow.

 

3. Group Reflection-

Groups learn about working together by reflecting on their experiences of teamwork. Reflecting on their work is the key to continuous improvement. It involves evaluating how well they achieved their goals and how well they

worked together; analysing what they did in order to identify what the factors were that helped or hindered the smooth running of the group; and setting goals that will help the group function better in the future. Evaluating,

analysing and goal setting are higher order thinking skills, so that reflection encourages students to take a metacognitive and strategic approach to their work. The task of reflection can be done in a variety of ways — in small groups or with the whole class, informally through discussion or with reflection sheets. It adds a bit of variety to use a range of methods.

4. Small Group Skills-

A basic tenet of co-operative learning is the explicit teaching of the required skills. Nobody is born with the skills for effective group work — they have to be learned. For group work to be effective, students must be taught task skills, which include skills and strategies for learning; and interpersonal skills, which ensure the smooth functioning of the group. These are complex skills which have to be identified, taught, modelled and practised. A guiding principle in co-operative learning is to teach the skills in the context in which they will be used,

so as to enable the student to practise the skills in authentic situations where they are needed and naturally reinforced. A co-operative classroom affords many opportunities for such practice.

While it does take time to teach these skills, it is invested time which will pay off in the smoother running of the classroom and more effective learning strategies for students.

5. Face to Face Interaction-

The first aspect of face to face interaction is the notion of physical proximity. For effective communication, groups have to be “eye to eye” and “knee to knee”. When a group is working well, it shows — heads are together, bodies are leaning inwards. It is also easy to see when a group is dysfunctional. One or two students may

be apart, members of the group may be looking around or engaged in individual tasks.

A second aspect involves the notion of

promoting each other’s learning face to face by encouraging each other, giving feedback, explaining concepts, sharing ideas, challenging suggestions. All these help to make the group become personally committed to each other and the goals of the group. This actively involves them in the learning process. Talking helps thinking, and face to face interaction encourages talking and discussion. These five elements form the basis of cooperative

learning and are the foundation for co-operative group work. Each is important, but it is the combination of the five which makes co-operative learning such a powerful tool for thinking and learning. Together they form the

acronym PIGSF (Pigs Fly):

 

P Positive interdependence

I Individual accountability

G Group reflection

S Small group skills

F Face to face interaction

Not all co-operative learning activities will incorporate all five elements; but to establish a truly co-operative classroom, teachers must develop competence in structuring into their programme all these essential elements.

Everyone has had personal or observational experience of groups that did not work. We have all experienced the domineering person who takes over the group, the “hitchhiker” who lets you do all the work and then takes the credit, the lack of achievement of goals because of bickering and badly handled conflict and controversy in the group, and/or the exclusion of the team member who is a bit different. If we were to stop and analyse the reason for the group dysfunction, it is likely that one or more of the essential elements of cooperative learning were not present.

www.nzcer.org.nz

My classroom recently identified what cooperative learning would look, sound and feel like for them:

 

 
This post is to be continued as we develop and practice our cooperative learning skills....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VISIBLE LEARNING- JOHN HATTIE

John Hattie is renowned for his research  in education and his book "Visible Learning For Teachers" is a must-read for all teachers "who want evidence-based answers to the question" 'how do we maximize achievement in our schools?'"

SO WHAT IS VISIBLE LEARNING?
When I started teaching- a mere nine or so years ago- I remember being absolutely terrified at the prospect of parents actually being INSIDE my classroom or knowing EXACTLY what I was teaching! I look back now and think 'how ridiculous'! But I was a new and nervous teacher in those days. However, since then, I have worked in schools where parental presence in the classroom was not encouraged and almost frowned upon, and the doors did not seem 'open'. This is such a shame, and for me being a young teacher, it meant I did not fully realise the unlimited potential there is in having transparency and visibility in learning.
I am fortunate now to have worked in schools (including currently) that not only welcome, but INVITE regular and consistent parent involvement in the classroom. Where the 'open door' policy is neither frightening nor threatening. Because- what are we trying to hide? Nothing. We want parent involvement, we want community involvement, and we want leadership involvement. No classroom should be an island, navigating a rough sea of secrecy and fear!
Now more than ever, children are experiencing a broad connection with a global community through the internet and social media. If we have student blogs that make student learning visible, why would our door be closed to real visitors? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that students achieve best when there are strong connections between home and school, and in fact the wider community and world also.
So, visible learning in a very simple sense, is just that- visible learning. But it does go deeper than just people being able to "see" what's happening inside the classroom, and I am simplifying one aspect- the literal sense of learning being visible to students, teachers and parents:

"The 'visible' aspect refers first to making student learning visible to teachers, ensuring clear identification of the attributes that make a visible difference to student learning, and all in the school visibly knowing the impact that they have on the learning in the school (of the student, teacher, and school leaders). The 'visible' aspect also refers to making teaching visible to the student, such that they learn to become their own teachers, which is the core attribute of lifelong learning or self-regulation, and of the love of learning that we so want students to value. " Hattie, 2012

So whilst parents are not mentioned in this excerpt, we can see that when learning is visible to the learners themselves, they are more able to make that learning visible at home also.
At my current school, St Joseph's Oamaru, we make everything visible and transparent. This is evidenced through our 'Teaching and Learning Site' (click here) where students, parents and the general public can access our goals, planning, timetables, and in fact all information that is available from a school (that is appropriate to share). There is nothing better than knowing that a previously disengaged student now prints of his timetable and weekly goals each Sunday night, discusses them at home and sticks them on the fridge to refer to and monitor progress throughout the week. Success! That feels really good! And the children are so proud when they can articulate what exactly is happening in the classroom, with their learning, and what is expected of them.
Gone are they days when a parent asks at 3.15pm, "What did you do at school today?' and their child answers, "Nothing." Instead, children are fizzing and parents are engaged. Parents can now initiate conversations with their children about their current learning and support any work that may need finishing at home.
"While all parents want to find ways in which to help to co-educate their children, not all parents know how to do this. A major barrier for these latter parents is that they are often not familiar with the language of learning and schools. For many of them, school was not always the most pleasant experience." Hattie, 2012
So, what better way to overcome such barriers than to make learning visible? That is surely at least the first step in overcoming certain fears or misconceptions. We, at St Joseph's Oamaru, have held several "open mornings" where parents can come into the classes whilst normal programmes are running, and see and experience for themselves what learning is like for their children. It can be a very eye-opening experience for some. For some it is their first experience of "21st century learning", for others, a stepping stone to understanding how teaching and learning operates for their child. Whatever the outcome, it makes learning visible and breaks down possible or perceived barriers between home and school.

When we began to plan our ELS (Engaging Learning Spaces), we thought carefully about how our planned programs would reflect visible learning:

"It is critical that the teaching and learning are visible. There is no deep secret called "teaching and learning:" teaching and learning are visible in the passion displayed by the teacher and learner when successful learning and teaching occurs, and teaching and learning requires much skills and knowledge by both teacher and student. The teacher must know when learning is correct or incorrect; learn when to experiment and learn from the experience; learn to monitor, seek and give feedback; and know to try alternative learning strategies when others do not work. What is most important is that teaching is visible to the student and that the learning is visible to the teacher. The more the student becomes the teacher and the more the teacher becomes the learner, then the more successful are the outcomes." Hattie, 2012
By making our planning accessible to all (teachers included), we as teachers can all not only have a better understanding of "what is going on" in other classes, but can have a real joint ownership in the success and achievement of all children across the school.
It is slightly amusing to look back to only a few years ago, when the thought of sharing planning with students or parents would never have even entered my mind.
Today we had some visitors from another school (teachers), and they were asking the students about how and why this visible learning worked for them- how does having access to the planning, timetable etc. online help you with your learning? I was pleased with what I heard in response; one student who I have previously taught and who can become easily disengaged with his learning, said that he really enjoyed the freedom this "new way" gives him. He said he doesn't enjoy being bossed around (and added in "no offense"- cute!) and that having access to week goals and knowing what he can/should do and when, makes him feel 'free'. I suppose this is his way of saying he enjoys the ownership or agency that the visible learning allows him to have.
Another student, also easily disengaged by learning in the past, told the visiting teachers how knowing what is happening and when, and what will be learnt AHEAD of time made him feel like he knows what he's doing, and he feels more ready for his learning then. This is also the student who prints off his weekly goals and timetable each Sunday night with Mum or Dad. GOLD! And he really is much more engaged with his learning and working for success. And this, after all, is the sole purpose of making learning visible, and giving learners' agency- so they will be engaged and achieve success.

MY STUDENTS' TAKE ON GROWTH MINDSET!

I HAVE BEEN TEACHING MY STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT A GROWTH MINDSET IS, HOW IT MIGHT HELP US AS LEARNERS, AND HOW WE MIGHT DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET AND PUT AN END TO FIXED MINDSETS! THEY CAME UP WITH SOME FANTASTIC IDEAS- HOW TO DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET AT ST JOSEPH'S SCHOOL, EFFECTIVE PRAISE FOR GROWTH MINDSET (BECAUSE WHEN A TEACHER SAYS "GOOD JOB" WHAT DO YOU LEARN FROM THAT??!!) AND HOW TO DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET IN MATHS- SINCE THAT IS A LEARNING AREA WHERE YOU SO OFTEN HEAR: "I CAN'T..." I'M SO PROUD OF MY RECEPTIVE AND DEEP THINKING LEARNERS!

 

DEVELOPING A GROWTH MINDSET

AT ST JOSEPH’S SCHOOL

INSTEAD OF THINKING… (FIXED MINDSET)	WE CAN THINK… (GROWTH MINDSET)
I can’t do this	I can achieve success
This is too hard	I’m going to give this my all
I hate maths	I’m going to train my brain to learning in maths
I’m so good at this	I’m going to challenge myself to extend my learning
I’m finished my work	How can I progress even further?
I don’t want to do this	This is difficult, but I can learn and I can succeed
They are so much better/ smarter than me	What can I learn from them to achieve success?

 

 

 

 

EFFECTIVE PRAISE FOR DEVELOPING

 GROWTH MINDSET

YOU HAVE WORKED VERY HARD ON THAT

I CAN SEE YOU HAVE USED DIFFERENT STRATEGIES TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM

YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK

YOU HAVE BEEN PRACTICING

YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOUR HARD WORK

YOU ARE WORKING HARD TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS

YOU ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE PROGRESS/ IMPROVEMENTS

THAT LOOKS INTERESTING, TELL ME ABOUT THAT

I LIKE THE WAY YOU HAVE…

 

DEVELOPING A GROWTH MINDSET IN MATHS

INSTEAD OF… (FIXED MINDSET)	TRY THINKING… (GROWTH MINDSET)
I can’t do division	I know I can train my brain to learn division
I don’t like fractions	I find fractions challenging but I know I can achieve success
This problem is too hard	This is going to take some time and effort
I don’t get it	I will try a different strategy
I’ll never learn all my times tables	Learning my times tables is challenging but achievable
I’m not good at maths	I learn from my mistakes and look for ways to improve

Here are some of their statements about having a growth mindset;

The blossom tree sparks imagination. To have a growth mindset means to have strong courage in yourself, no matter what, your mind is like a tree- always growing, sprouting, and a new leaf is a new idea sprouting out of your mind.

Brick walls symbolise a fixed mindset, and when you have a fixed mind there are no never-ending ideas, and no courage to get what you need done.   

Harriet, Year 7

 

A growth mindset is like a blossoming tree inside your brain that grows and blossoms, learning more every day.

A fixed mindset is like a brick wall that never changes, grows or blossoms.

Having a growth mindset helps me with my learning, because with a growth mindset, I can learn and become more intelligent, but with a fixed mindset, you stay the same.

Whatever you tell your brain, it thinks it's true, so if you tell your brain, "I can't do it," or, "I don't like it," you have a fixed mindset and you will not get better. But, if you tell your brain, "I'm on the right track," or, "What more can I challenge myself with?", you have a growth mindset and will learn and improve.  

Ellie, Year 6

 

A growth mindset is like a field of wild grass, growing continually, untameable, except through disbelief.

A fixed mindset is like grass trying to grow on a slab of stone- it can't until cracks show and the soils of learning push up through the cracks and the seeds grow and help us learn.  

Joseph, Year 7

A growth mindset helps people to achieve anything they believe they can do. With a fixed mindset, people will achieve extremely little. They stay the same person with the same habits, attitude and personality. If I have a growth mindset, I will be able to set goals which I will achieve.   
Maria, Year 8

A growth mindset helps me achieve success in school work by helping me think about the positives not the negatives, and believe more in myself. It also inspires me to try harder and know there's always a solution to problems.
A growth mindset is also like a car; a car needs petrol to run, and it's like how we need to believe in ourselves more to achieve success in life. It helps us to be proud of what we have achieved, and what we need to work on.
Siva, Year 8