Best Practices at Tier 1 [Secondary] - Gayle Gregory

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a supportive and nourishing classroom environment by:

      image Promoting motivation and attention

      image Fostering peer communication

      image Reducing behavior issues

      image Building teacher-student and student-student relationships

      image Developing student responsibility for learning

      image Improving thinking and problem-solving skills

      If students can see themselves in the curriculum, recognize its relevance to their lives, and feel like they have some input into what and how they will learn, they generally feel less stressed and more committed, thus freeing the brain to be alert and engaged. In chapter 4 (page 79), we’ll discuss supporting student-centered learning in a powerful core curriculum.

       Promoting a Growth Mindset

      In her popular book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck (2006) shares her theory of mindset. People have one of two mental predispositions toward intelligence: either a fixed or a growth mindset. Those with a fixed mindset believe that they are either intelligent or not, and this condition predicts potential. Those with a growth mindset believe that intelligence can increase over time as the brain changes and grows (through the process of neuroplasticity). This brain plasticity, and its role in the continued growth of the brain’s dendrites and neural connections, is responsible for learning even into old age. A growth mindset—among both teachers and students—plays a pivotal role in promoting student success, as it helps educators build an intellectually and emotionally nourishing classroom environment (Dweck, 2006).

      Mindsets can influence how teachers and students approach school and learning. A shared belief among students and teachers in students’ ability to succeed makes a significant difference in student achievement. That’s why educators need to share information with students of all ages about the ability of the brain to change and grow over time with new experiences and practice. Students feel encouraged when educators stress that, although they may not grasp a new concept or skill immediately, they can rehearse that idea or skill over time until they achieve or perfect it. That mastery offers multiple rewards. Through perseverance and determination, the brain produces its own incentive with a dopamine release as students get closer to their goal and anticipate achievement.

      Dweck (2006) describes a New York experiment where teachers told one group of students that they were smart; rather than bestowing this label on another group of students, educators instead complimented those students on their effort during a task. When given future opportunities, the first group of students didn’t engage in challenging tasks, as they didn’t want to risk their smart status. They often gave up easily, reasoning that if you have to work too hard, you aren’t clever. They were often defensive, blamed others, and cheated to do well. In contrast, the group of students who teachers praised for their efforts enjoyed challenge and continued to choose challenging tasks in the future. They appeared to be more resilient and were possibility thinkers who demonstrated perseverance and grit.

      As these studies show, students benefit when educators promote a growth mindset. By encouraging students to believe that they can learn and master new learning, skills, and challenges, teachers prepare them for the task of succeeding in an ever-changing world. Emily Diehl (Mindset Works, 2002), a Mindset Works trainer, suggests these great feedback prompts to promote a growth mindset. (Visit Mindset Works, www.mindsetworks.com/free-resources, for more resources. Visit go.solution-tree.com/RTIatWork to access materials related to this book.)

      When a student is struggling despite a strong effort:

      image “If this was easy then you wouldn’t be learning anything new!”

      image “You can do this! Let’s break this down into smaller chunks.”

      image “Look how much progress you have made!”

      When a student is struggling and needs help:

      image “What parts of this were hard for you? Show or tell me …”

      image “Let’s do one together. Describe your process out loud so I know you’re thinking.”

      image “Let me show you another way to try. Maybe this will help you solve it.”

      When a student is making progress:

      image “You are using the strategies we discussed. Keep it up!”

      image “You have really stuck with this and persevered!”

      image “Your hard work is really evident!”

      When a student succeeds with strong effort:

      image “All that hard work and effort paid off!”

      image “What strategies did you use that contributed to your success?”

      image “Congratulations! I am very proud of you for not giving up!”

      When a student succeeds easily without effort:

      image “You’re ready for something more challenging!”

      image “You really have that down. Let’s find something that will challenge you a bit more.”

      image “What skill would you like to work on next?”

      Infusing the educational process with this kind of positive energy enables students to embrace the idea that they don’t have to know everything, they simply must be willing—even eager—to learn. That’s why the growth mindset plays such a central role in creating a learning environment that stimulates and engages learners, rather than overwhelms them.

      Jaak Panksepp (1998)—psychologist, psychobiologist, neuroscientist, and the Baily Endowed Chair of Animal Well-Being Science at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine—reminds us that humans need to connect, cooperate, and collaborate. Humans have a contact urge (Gopnik, Meltzoff,

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