Book Study: Mindsets in the Classroom - Chapter 6

I'm diving into the second half of the Hello Sunshine Teachers' Mindsets in the Classroom book study and the topic has me feel like I'm drowning. 

This chapter had to with parents and working as a team to emphasis the growth mindset for your students/their children. 

Here are my notes from the chapter.

This past year, I struggled a lot with parents. I didn't have issues with them. They didn't have a problem with me. I was just terrified. Like if I was trying to talk to my own parents.

That. And the fact that I was constantly embarrassing myself in front of them.

Like the one time I mispronounced my last name...I say it in a rather redneck, country way as opposed to the traditional Spanish pronunciation. One particular parent let out a snort when she heard the way I introduced myself. I guess that's to be expected when you are a little country girl with a Spanish last name working in a highly Hispanic community. 

Or the time I ran into one of my student's and her mom at McDonald's and before the mom had ever met me and before I walked up to say hi, she was telling her daughter that I must be someone that looks like her teacher because I was much too young to actually be a teacher.

I'm grateful for living a life full of embarrassing moments because it has conditioned me to laugh off instances just like these.

Despite those types of situations, I know it will take me sometime to sit down and draw out a plan of action to introduce and continue to foster the growth mindset in the minds of the parents, as well. I hoping to see some handouts or discussion starters on the other blogs linking up. These other amazing teachers have really shared so much knowledge to deepen my understanding of this book.

Book Study: Mindsets in the Classroom - Chapter 5

Late to the Hello Sunshine Teachers party again. Because I was too busy actually partying. We celebrated my little prince's SECOND birthday yesterday.

Now that the party is over and my house is back in order, it's time to focus on my book study.

Chapter 5 reflections are below.

I loved this chapter. I love anything that talks about resiliency. It's one of my favorite characteristics to find in a person. 

This chapter felts like a checklist for me...on each page I felt like I could check off something I've done for a student. It was very reassuring. 

I can't begin to count how many times I've had conversations about success and failure and effort with my gifted students this past year.  They were my toughest cookies to get to understand the connection. While I couldn't get them all on board, I know a few of them walked away with a different attitude. And as for my homeroom class, we had fewer conversations about the same topics due to the fact that they got it right away...they just needed a refresher/refocus every once in a while. They understood I was looking for the effort in their work...not just a correct answer. Sometimes I told them I was grading on the effort and didn't even look at their answers. I could see the relief in many HARD WORKING, smiling faces.

I've excited about moving further into the book to amp up my "effort" lessons.

A Teacher's Summer: Week 1

So this is my first "teacher" summer and let me tell you, it is pretty darn cool. That last week of school was sooooo tough with all the anticipation of 2 months out with only my babies. 

Here's a glimpse of how this first week went down.

Hometown graduation // Afternoon standoffs // Little man turning TWO! 

A potential buyer's secret message // Mother's Day Off pick-up surprises  

A princess "necklace"// Little Man's Beauty Salon.

All that...with a side of sleeping in makes this teacher very happy.

I'm sure I'll go into teacher-planning mode soon. But for now, I'm soaking up my own children.

Book Study: Mindsets in the Classroom - Chapter 4

One of my biggest fears is being late. I absolutely HATE being late. 2 minutes or 22 minutes. And I'm late, there's a good chance I won't show up to whatever I'm late to at all. Just because I'm late.

But I had to put that fear aside because I refuse to give up on my Hello Sunshine Teachers book study and post my chapter review a day LATE. 

So here are my take aways. 

I was really in awe of how the students responded to the non-verbal reasoning math games. I would l.o.v.e. to do this in my class to introduce the growth mindset to my students next year. I think it will really cement the idea in a way they can notice the change within them. Sometimes they don't notice academic changes but if it's a fun game and they are learning different strategies to beat their opponent, they are all in. 

Do you some game suggestions for ELAR?