5B Best practices

Risktaking in the Classroom

I have learned that taking risks and overcoming failure is one of those powerful things that we need to instill in ourselves in and in our students. However in saying that, it is also true that this needs to be balanced with providing students a safe place where they can make mistakes and to build trust with each student. 

In order to take risks and overcome failure, students need to trust that they are not going to be mocked or punished for mistakes and failures. When I first started teaching, I found myself wanting to be the teacher who had students who never made mistakes or failed. It took me a while to figure out that their mistakes and failures were directly connected to me as the teacher. No matter how much I wanted them to succeed, if the foundation wasn’t there they were not going to succeed. And because they were terrified of failing, my students would not take risks or say, “I don’t understand this, can you help me?” I learned that this was not beneficial for my students.

So how do you teach students to take risks and overcome failure? The first thing you have to do is provide them with a safe learning environment and show them that they can trust you to make mistakes. At first it is daunting because you are met with huff and puffs and eyerolls as to why they can’t just give you what they have done and be happy with that. But as they are pushed to think, question, use trial and error on their own, they begin to push through the barriers and problem solve on their own. 

As educators, we have to let go of the control which is so difficult. We want to manage our students and our classrooms in a way that makes us feel comfortable and safe as teachers. But we have to show our students that we are willing to take risks and that sometimes, we will be learning alongside them. I truly love when the conversation goes like this:

Student: How does this piece fit in?

Teacher: I’m not sure, I’m trying to figure that out as well.

Student: *snaps together all the pieces and makes it work* Oh I got it!

Teacher: Wait, show me what you did!

Student: *repeats and shows me then goes around and teaches the other groups*

Yes, letting go of control can be daunting and classrooms should not be UNcontrolled. But when it comes to risk taking, teachers have to allow their students some control. The environment we create in our classrooms decides what kinds of learners we will have. Are we creating an environment that allows risk taking and problem solving to take place or are we limiting that potential in our classrooms and ultimately, our students.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/safety_wonder.htm

Growth Mindset

KSA #3:

f) Teachers create and maintain environments that are conducive to student learning. Teachers establish learning environments wherein students feel physically, psychologically, socially and culturally secure...https://education.alberta.ca/media/1626523/english-tqs-card-2013_3.pdf

A personal passion of mine has always been neuroscience and studying how the brain works. When I got into education, I found myself particularly interested in how learning affects the brain. Reading the book Growth Mindset by Carol Dweck bridged both of these interests and spurred me to realize the importance of teaching the basic principles of how the brain works and empowering students with this knowledge. When I got the grade five assignment, I knew that division two kids would be a little more receptive to the science behind it and was excited to dive in.  I looked at the health program of studies and related the mindfulness teaching to the wellness outcome R–5.3 and the lifelong learning outcomes L–5.2 and L–5.4.

We started the year learning about the amygdala in the center of the brain that controls a person's emotions. They learned that "like elastic bands that stretch when you pull them, your brain stretches and grows as you take risks and make mistakes".  We talked about instances in their own lives when they felt frightened about taking a risk and how each time you find the courage to face your fear, your amygdala stretches a little more until it will help you overcome your fear altogether.  We then looked at the rest of the brain and the basic growth mindset principle that learning something new causes the brain to grow more connections among the neurons and with more connections the neurons can send and receive more messages.  In the classroom, we are constantly referring to these concepts and encouraging risk taking and brain growth.  Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak is a great picture book for teaching these concepts.

The other piece in teaching growth mindset that relates to KSA #3 f) and the above health outcomes is the concept of fixed mindset vs. growth mindset (see chart below for a quick overview). We read the novel Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt and observed and analyzed how the main character 'Ally' started with a fixed mindset and changed to a growth mindset.  Students made text connections to themselves and reflected on how they could make mindset changes in their own lives.

In bringing these two concepts together, students in 5A understand that they have a safe learning environment where they are encouraged to take risks and nurture their 'growth mindset' and to NOT indulge their 'fixed mindset'.  Just because they can't do something, just means that they can't do it YET.