Fall Down 7 Times, Get up 8: Week 11

After reading Chapter 10, FAQs About Teaching Students to Be Successful, choose two of the five questions below - and provide us with examples that are applicable to your environment.

1) Explain how differentiated instruction supports the concepts of self-efficacy and self-determination.

2) America has taken pride in telling its citizens, "People can be anything they want to be through hard work and determination." After reading this book, would you modify that statement? Justify your response.

3) What do you do if your philosophy about using rewards is in conflict with the way your school or system mandates?

4) Has anything in this book changed your mind or affirmed your beliefs about dealing with reluctant learners? Describe an aha moment you had during any of your readings or group discussions.

5) Do you think that the idea of positive thinking is disrespectful to the countless students whose circumstances are abominable and beyond their control? Do you agree that an emphasis on self-efficacy is just another way to blame disadvantaged people for their circumstances? Explain why you feel the way you do.

Thank you so very much for participating in our spring book study, I have really enjoyed all the discussion - and reading through your thoughts on building student resiliency!!!

I will do my best to have PGP certificates emailed to you by next Friday, April 7, 2017.

***Have a great week :)

Fall Down 7 Times, Get up 8: Week 10

After reading Chapter 9, Inspiring Young Children, choose one of the three questions below - and provide us with examples that are applicable to your environment.

1) How can teachers/admin/support personnel foster a sense of competence (being effective in one's environment) in student (elementary, middle school, or high school).  Name some specific strategies.

2) Discuss an instance in which you helped a student  overcome an obstacle. How did you decide when to push and when to pull back as you tried to get the student to try something new? Are there key things to look for when encouraging a child to take a risk? What are they?

3) Name some ways that adults sometimes inadvertently contribute to learned helplessness in students. What is the difference between being supportive of a student and enabling a student to be helpless? Give examples.

***Next week we will read and discuss Chapter 10, FAQ's About Teaching Students to Be Successful. 

***Have a great week :)

Fall Down 7 Times, Get up 8: Week 9

After reading Chapter 8, Helping Students Stay Motivated as They Get Older,  choose one of the three questions below - and provide us with examples that are applicable to your environment.

1) There are current education experts who believe that late student work should be accepted without a penalty. Does this practice enable students to procrastinate? Should there be a consequence for assignments that are not turned in on time? Discuss and defend your answer.

2) Talk about various ways to help  older students learn to fail better. Should adults actually be teaching kids about failure when our ultimate goals is to teach time to succeed? Explain why or why not?

3) Do you think it is harder for students to maintain their sense of motivation as they grow older? Discuss your opinion and give examples to support your beliefs.

Additional Resources: 
Procrastination  
12 Reasons Why Students Procrastinate  
Procrastination - Proofing Students  
Procrastination in Students  
Procrastinating in the Classroom 

***Next week we will read and discuss Chapter 9, Inspiring Young Children. 

***Have a great week :)

Fall Down 7 Times, Get up 8: Week 8

After reading Chapter 7, Autonomy,Time, and Flow, choose one of the three questions below - and provide us with examples that are applicable to your classroom/school.

1) List specific ways you encourage student autonomy in your classroom. Which ones work the best for your students? What are some additional strategies you might try?

2) If a student is struggling with a response to a question, what are some appropriate ways a teacher can help him/her try to uncover the answer? Why is it important to stay with the student and not just move on quickly to the next class member?

3) If you could design the most advantageous schedule for student learning at your school, what would a typical day be like in your classroom?

Additional Resources: 
Student Autonomy

Achieving a State of Flow 

Can Schools Help Students Find Flow?

8 Tips for Fostering Flow in the Classroom

Help Your Students Get Into the Learning Flow

***Next week we will read and discuss Chapter 8, Helping Students Stay Motivated as They Get Older.

***Have a great week :)