Effective Mindset in the Classroom

Research has shown that student learning will be stifled if we and/or our students are functioning in the fixed mindset often. We want to be encouraging a growth mindset in our classrooms to get them growing and learning. Here are some resources as you develop this understanding:

How do we know this would really work? Best Research:   Carol Dweck 

•  (YouTube videos of her teaching/research on mindsets: http://youtu.be/kXhbtCcmsyQ) 
•  Article summarizing her research

Steps to Creating a Growth Mindset Classroom:
1.  Assess your (or your students') own perspective. Students can tell if you believe in the growth mindset or not. Find out where you are and then see where you can start to shift your thinking.

• Mindset Pre-Assessment

2.  It is very important to teach your students how the brain works so they will believe that they are capable of learning and growing.

• Training modules:  Mindset Works (Brainology)
• wikipedia:  Neuron  
• Eric Jensen books:  Introduction to Brain-Compatible Learning, Brain-Based Learning, . . .

3.  Change how you talk to students/think about students

• Handy notes about mindsets and comments to say or not say to kids.

Windows 8 and Office 2013 Changes

Windows 8 Changes:
CNet's get started guide

60 Tips and Tricks Article

How to upgrade to Windows 8 for only $39.99 from 7, XP, or Vista

Windows 8 Apps

Office 2013 Changes:

Word

PowerPoint and Lync

Excel

ELA Materials

Materials from fellow trainer, Holly Olszewski, ELA

RAFTS
Formats, Strong Verbs:  http://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/file/view/RAFTS+3.pdf

OPI Appendices:
Appendix A (p. 4--text complexity triangle), (p. 8--old and new Lexile ranges)

Common Core Sites:
Read Tennessee - http://www.readtennessee.org/

Reciprocal Teaching:
Worksheet Guide

Smarter Balanced Rubrics
For Teachers:

• Grades 3-5 Informative/Expository Writing Rubric
• Grades 3-5 Narrative Writing Rubric
• Grades 3-5 Opinion Writing Rubric
• Grades 6-11 Informative/Expository Rubric
• Grades 6-11 Argument Writing Rubric

For Students:

• Grades 3-5 All Writing Types
• Grades 6-8 All Writing Types
• Grades 9-11 All Writing Types

Other Useful Documents:
Mickey Mouse Research Unit
A Guide to Creating Text Dependent Questions
The Research Essentials for Literacy

Robotics

Student Assessment (Pre-Post)

Workshop Powerpoint
Useful Links:
Articles about need for Math/Science/Tech Degrees:
- USA Today Article
- Salaries Comparison
- Forbes top majors
Purchasing supplies:
- Robomatter
- Robotshop
- Lego Kits
Competitions/Challenges:
- First Tech Challenge (Grades 9-12)
- First LEGO League (Grades 4-8)
- RobotC challenges
History:
- Robotic History
Trial version of RobotC for LEGO:
RobotC through Sept 2010

Non-Apple/Android Apps for Education

Criteria for choosing technology tools:
- are you teaching the right content (standards/objectives)?
- does the technology help students learn the content in a way they could not have learned it before?
- does the technology increase the efficiency with which students can learn/work with the content?
- technology should not just present the same content in a different mode--be more selective of technology

Recommendations for app integration:
The device:
- student-owned? after installing app, ask them to put into airplane mode (no calls or internet) if possible
- purchasing? try Amazon.com or TigerDirect.com - SquareTrade Warranty is very easy and provides complete coverage
    - consider cases, keyboards
- OK to mix devices, apple, Kindle, Droid, etc. if not requiring a specific app, but just a particular function

The apps:
- Try "test-driving" at Amazon:  Amazon.com, Apps for Android, Test-drive
   - narrow searches by using checkboxes on left
   - install the AmazonApp Store app on device and you can install directly from your computer as you search and test-drive
- Try the Google store at play.google.com

App search ideas...there are sooooo many apps:
-common core
-content topic (fractions, grammar, addition, calculus, graphing calculator, classify minerals, historical documents, newspaper, etc.)
- search on Google: top education apps once in awhile
- allow apps up to $20--get rid of ads


-syncing and eReader apps...

Geogebra for Geometry and Algebra

Follow these links to get great information about this useful Mathematics tool
- Download Geogebra
- Tutorials:
Geogebra GeoGebra Book with step by step practice
Geogebra Book
Drawing v. Construction
Shorter version of quick examples GeoGebra Quick Start Guide

- Introductory Lessons: Locating the triangle's centroid, constructing a rectangle, Triangles-Incircles-Circumcircles, Triangle side and angle properties, Triangle congruence, and much more.
- Youtube and Teachertube videos--search Theo Jansen kinetic sculptures
- Theo Jensen inspired Geogebra Standbeest

Computer Basics (Mon. June 17, 1-5 PM) MIET

Here is the agenda for today. Please click the link and save file. We will open it in MS Word and take notes on it today.

Agenda