Fixed Mind Set vs. Growth Mind Set

I have just been looking at this great poster that I downloaded about "Fixed and Growth Mind Sets".  There has been a great deal of research and writing about this concept over the last few years, and here is an interesting article in the NY times magazine about the research of Carol Dweck and her book.

Lately, I have been talking about this with my sons and using the language that  we have a "growth mindset". This poster

is on my fridge.   Yesterday we were talking about challenges, persisting in the face of roadblocks, and using effort as the path towards mastery.  My one son is involved in ski racing, and he is just beginning to learn about being in a competitive sport with lots of talented athletes.  So we used this chart to talk about how to persevere when things may not be going our way.  It was great to have the visuals and the language to discuss how we can think about set backs and challenges in our lives and in our learning.   

I would like to use this as a topic of discussion with students in the challenge centre.  It would be interesting to have students talk about their own mind sets.  If we can empower students to understand how their intelligence can be developed, then we are giving them tools for life.

As well, I have Carol Dweck's book on my reading list!

Fixed Mind Set vs. Growth Mind Set

I have just been looking at this great poster that I downloaded about "Fixed and Growth Mind Sets".  There has been a great deal of research and writing about this concept over the last few years, and here is an interesting article in the NY times magazine about the research of Carol Dweck and her book.

Lately, I have been talking about this with my sons and using the language that  we have a "growth mindset". This poster

is on my fridge.   Yesterday we were talking about challenges, persisting in the face of roadblocks, and using effort as the path towards mastery.  My one son is involved in ski racing, and he is just beginning to learn about being in a competitive sport with lots of talented athletes.  So we used this chart to talk about how to persevere when things may not be going our way.  It was great to have the visuals and the language to discuss how we can think about set backs and challenges in our lives and in our learning.   

I would like to use this as a topic of discussion with students in the challenge centre.  It would be interesting to have students talk about their own mind sets.  If we can empower students to understand how their intelligence can be developed, then we are giving them tools for life.

As well, I have Carol Dweck's book on my reading list!

Happy New Year 2012

I am very excited that a new year is upon us.  It always makes me happy to reflect upon the past year, and move forward with new goals, ideas, and to be inspired by what is ahead.

I have just completed the invitations for "Astronomy Adventures" beginning in Mid January and I am trying to find time in my schedule to accept another 12 students in the program.  I will keep you posted whether or not this is a go ahead.

I have some very specific goals for the challenge centre this year.  I have framed them in terms of questions, so that I can ponder how we can service students in the best way possible.

1.  How can we enable schools to meet the needs of their highly able students?
2. How can I empower teachers to meet the needs of their students in their classrooms?
3. How can we use 21st Learning Framework to guide our practice in gifted education?

The big question for me IS:

How can we empower students and schools even if we can not service them in the Challenge Centre? 

These are questions that I will explore professionally this year, as well as my most important ponder:

Who are the gifted and is our understanding of this construct changing?  


So, I will keep you posted while our team tries to problem solve around these issues and give clarity to our profession, teachers, parents, and students.

Happy New Year 2012

I am very excited that a new year is upon us.  It always makes me happy to reflect upon the past year, and move forward with new goals, ideas, and to be inspired by what is ahead.

I have just completed the invitations for "Astronomy Adventures" beginning in Mid January and I am trying to find time in my schedule to accept another 12 students in the program.  I will keep you posted whether or not this is a go ahead.

I have some very specific goals for the challenge centre this year.  I have framed them in terms of questions, so that I can ponder how we can service students in the best way possible.

1.  How can we enable schools to meet the needs of their highly able students?
2. How can I empower teachers to meet the needs of their students in their classrooms?
3. How can we use 21st Learning Framework to guide our practice in gifted education?

The big question for me IS:

How can we empower students and schools even if we can not service them in the Challenge Centre? 

These are questions that I will explore professionally this year, as well as my most important ponder:

Who are the gifted and is our understanding of this construct changing?  


So, I will keep you posted while our team tries to problem solve around these issues and give clarity to our profession, teachers, parents, and students.

Wishing Everyone A Wonderful Holiday Season

 Hope your holiday is filled with lots of fun and relaxation....I will see you back in January, when I will be working with students in the  "Astronomy Adventures" Challenge Centre.

 Two great Christmas happenings in Vancouver....1.  The Hyatt hosts an annual Christmas Gingerbread design contest.  Many of the regional high schools with culinary programs have teams who create wonderful gingerbread designed villages, homes, and scenes. Not only are the high schools involved, but Culinary Schools and very talented individuals, as well. 

2. The VanDusen Festival of Lights:  every year the garden in the middle of our city is sparkly and bright with thousands and thousands of lights.  It is wonderful to walk around, hear the music, and enjoy the sights.

Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, have a safe and relaxing winter break!

Wishing Everyone A Wonderful Holiday Season

 Hope your holiday is filled with lots of fun and relaxation....I will see you back in January, when I will be working with students in the  "Astronomy Adventures" Challenge Centre.

 Two great Christmas happenings in Vancouver....1.  The Hyatt hosts an annual Christmas Gingerbread design contest.  Many of the regional high schools with culinary programs have teams who create wonderful gingerbread designed villages, homes, and scenes. Not only are the high schools involved, but Culinary Schools and very talented individuals, as well. 

2. The VanDusen Festival of Lights:  every year the garden in the middle of our city is sparkly and bright with thousands and thousands of lights.  It is wonderful to walk around, hear the music, and enjoy the sights.

Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, have a safe and relaxing winter break!

The Built Environment: Frank Lloyd Wright Design Your Dream Home Challenge

 One of the challenges during the Architecture program is to have the students create, in a 3 dimensional manner, their dream home.  In order to do this, we learned a little about Frank Lloyd Wright and the homes he designed, and why his homes are so famous and endure.  As well, we looked at our needs...what do we like to do, and what is important to us.

 We looked at the design process, and planned, drew, and built our homes to scale, using a cardboard figure to represent size

 We created site plans with different angles

 We built our 3 dimensional plan using materials in class:  cardboard, model magic or plasticene,  staws. sticks, tubes, cards, tape, egg cartons, string

 Below, this student used cardboard and a glue gun to create a small scale home

This student, below, created a haunted house

Important elements in our dream homes were flat screen tv's, trampolines, couches, and soccer fields

This student created a hotel:

 

Students began the activity by writing about themselves: who will live in your house?  When?  

Then, they brainstormed a written list of verbs to complete the phrase, "In my house I need places and spaces to...."   (sleep, work cook, store things, grow things, etc)  "So I will design a ......."  (sleeping loft, kitchen closet, greenhouse, painting room, etc.)

My goal is to have the students design and create, and think as they go along, and modify and strategize....during the process, I had many students say:

"How will I get from one floor to the next..."

"How will keep this wall up?"

"Where will I put....?"

"What can I use for windows?" 

"I'm thinking of using..."

The most important thing is that they were strategizing and using their hands to create things...often activities we don't have time for in the regular classroom (imagine doing this with 30 students....I was "exacto knife teacher" running around helping them cut things out as I did not allow them to use this contraption because it is too dangerous at this age!)

Then, we presented our projects to each other....they loved sharing their hard work and each student had their own ideas and different concepts on how to live in their dream home!  

This makes me want to design my own...