Growth Mindset - Talk It

This month's character trait of Optimism fits in with our Growth Mindset goal for March.

For our "Talk It" component of Growth Mindset, teachers can create positive, growth mindset-type anchor charts for student self-talk.  The following is a sample chart that you could use for reference when creating one for your own class:

Developed by Fieldcrest Elementary School teachers

Asking the students to think of things that "slow them down" when they're learning is a good way to get the discussion going.  What voices (and possibly, whose voices) say negative things that make them question their abilities?  What could we say to these voices?  How could we look at things a different way?

March's Character Trait - Optimism

The character trait for March is Optimism

Video (Affirmation - Maxwell House)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kKswLd65Ws

www.values.com - inspiring videos - http://www.values.com/inspirational-stories-tv-spots

Thanks to Kelly for the following resources:

Optimism Resources for Teachers:

 

TED Talk

Shawn Achor: The Happy Secret to Better Work

http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work.html

Shawn Achor is the CEO of Good Think Inc., where he researches and teaches about positive psychology. In this TED Talk, he discusses the power of positive thinking in making us more productive and happier. He suggests the following strategies for fostering happiness in daily life:

- Acknowledging "3 Gratitudes" daily

- Writing in a journal

- Exercise

- Meditation

- Random Acts of Kindness

SCDSB Optimism Strategies:

http://hid.scdsb.on.ca/character/PDFs/Optimism.pdf

Parenting Blog:

http://playfightrepeat.com/2011/11/optimism/

This blog post is about teaching kids optimism and has some great points about why it is important to instill a sense of optimism in our youth and how we can help.

Teachers and Optimism:

http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2006/HelpingHands/Teachers.htm

This website offers a lot of background information on optimism, but at the bottom of the page there are three lesson plans that address optimism.

Optimism Resources for Use in the Classroom:

When Pigs Fly on Tumblebooks

http://asp.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/home_tumblebooks.asp​ 

Me to We Website

http://www.metowe.com/speakers-bureau/

This section of the Me to We website outlines their speakers, many of which demonstrate optimism. There are biographies and videos about each speaker.