Growth Mindset
Resilience is an important word.
Resilience is just as important a word in every day life as it is in education!
Those who follow me on Twitter (@tips4teachingUK) will know that this year I’m teaching Computing at Primary level for the first time; one morning a week I teach two lessons – one with Yr6, and one with a mixed Yr4/5 class.
I love Primary Computing!
It’s a brilliant way to actually help me hone my practice! I’ve been used to teaching A-level and GCSE for pretty much 10 years of my career. With Primary, I’m spending time examining how to break down concepts, which just a few years ago, GCSE students were struggling with (algorithm, command, loop, sequence), and working out how to explain them to much, much younger learners in a way that means they understand the concept and can apply it!
Resilient learners at William Morris Primary School
Visit the schools website here)
While I’ve been teaching the classes, I’ve been so impressed by the resilience of the students: they’re doing computing for the first time and are just so enthusiastic and resilient!
It’s not easy. We jumped right in with systems, commands, loops and algorithms! I’ve known teachers be put off by those words! But these students are not put off, none of them have thrown a strop, refused to work, or even once said, ‘this is too hard I can’t do this!’
It wasn’t until my second visit to the school that I noticed their growth mindset posters in the corner of the class, and it dawned on me that all their prior work had paid off, and I was reaping the benefit now, teaching computing to these students who will try any challenge I give them! (Growth Mindset research explained here)
With this in mind, I decided to create a series of recognition resources which can be printed onto bright sticky notes and used in lessons to recognise students’ resilience!
A growth mindset is hugely important. It’s not a fad, it’s how you build resilient learners! I’m witnessing the benefit of students having developed a growth mindset, and it’s enabling me to teach much more challenging computing lessons than I had originally thought I would.
I’ve uploaded the resource feel free to download, print and use in your classes too!
Oh, and if anyone tells you growth mindset work is a fad, ignore them, they’re probably the same teacher that moans about students not trying hard enough or giving up in their lessons. Some people are blind to solutions, even when they’re right in front of them.
For advice on printing this resource onto sticky notes (you don’t have to, you could print on card and cut out), check this video out:
Enjoy!
