Julia's Blog

     The tenth chapter of The Growth Mindset Playbook by Annie Brock and Heather Hundley reviews the moonshot mindset in classrooms. The chapter starts by explaining the origin of moonshot thinking. It began when Google focused on making 10x improvements. This was used in the Space Race of the 1960s; the United States intended on being the first to put a man on the moon in just ten years. With determination and imagination, this became a reality, and as a result, this began moonshot thinking. This can be used in a classroom to inspire students that anything is possible. Limiting students by telling them they are not good enough or their aspirations cannot happen because it seems impossible displays a fixed mindset. The authors make the following statement, “You’ve staked your life’s work on helping students succeed, so saddling them - or yourself - with limits to their potential for achievement is counterintuitive to the wager you made the moment you took your first teac...

          Technological advancement in classrooms is the usage of QR codes. The video, The Magic of QR Codes in the Classroom by Karen Mensing discusses the effectiveness of QR codes in teaching and learning. She starts the video by saying, “QR code stands for quick response code, and it’s a two-dimensional bar code that holds a good deal more information than a traditional bar code” (Mensing). This displays what a QR code is and how it differs from a traditional one. The speaker mentions that it takes you to tech-based experiences such as websites, videos, etc. QR codes make lessons more engaging and interactive; the students become enthusiastic about learning. This tool is also helpful for positive reinforcement. Mensing gives an example that can be used in the classroom, posting a list of QR codes in the room. When student needs feedback, the teacher can tell them to scan a specific QR code (labeled with a number), and each one could have a positive mess...

     The ninth chapter of The Growth Mindset Playbook by Annie Brock and Heather Hundley discusses how to increase engagement in the classroom with evidence-based strategies. This chapter uses Jal Mehta and Sarah Fine’s research to explain the lack of engagement in core classes compared to elective classes. Core classes consist of the teacher being in charge of the classroom, instructing the class, and assigning work. Whereas in elective classes, students had the opportunity to choose what class they wanted to be in, it allowed students to take leadership roles and emphasized teamwork. The researchers discussed core classes that were engaging with the following statement, “The most powerful core classes were those in which the teacher organized the learning around the production of an authentic experience… helped students acquire the mindset of someone in the discipline” (Brock and Hundley 125). This displays that even if teachers are teaching the most content does not m...

     As technology continues to grow, educators are looking for ways to integrate it into their lesson plans. Augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) enable students to learn more collaboratively and creatively. The source,  The Promise of Immersive Learning: Augmented and Virtual Reality’s Potential in Education  by Ellysse Dick, discusses how AR/VR can enhance classroom experiences. Teachers can use this technology for virtual field trips, experiments, and simulations. The authors expand on this by saying, “Although research into the value and efficacy of AR/VR in education is ongoing, several studies indicate that AR/VR tools can enhance learning outcomes in both K-12 and higher education settings” (Dick). This displays that AR/VR can be a valuable tool for any grade, improving overall learning outcomes. COVID-19 resulted in many teachers struggling with online learning. Now that classrooms are beginning to return to normal, AR/VR allows teachers to del...

       The eighth chapter of The Growth Mindset Playbook by Annie Brock and Heather Hundley reviews how to foster a happy and collaborative classroom. The main message is to structure the school environment so students can learn about themselves and their peers. The authors discuss that teachers give their attention to students who appear to be more intelligent than others in some cases. This creates a hostile environment because it encourages students to compete against one another in an unhealthy way. It could cause a fixed mindset for students since they become highly focused on their grades instead of learning the material. A factor that the authors mention that is key to fostering a growth mindset is building a sense of community in the classroom. They list some of the following strategies that teachers can use: similarities and differences, on the bus off the bus, personal inventory or daily/weekly journaling, connecting with students, team approach, and being...

        Many schools these days allow students the option of digital learning, which is essential because learning should be differentiated. The website, Makerspace for Education is an excellent tool for educators. It includes the following: teacher resources, teacher teaching resources, free teacher worksheets, teaching resources, and educational software. Under the teacher resources tab, there is a link to a source, EVERFI, which offers digital lessons. They say schools use EVERFI because it provides “Engaging digital lessons for financial education, social-emotional learning, student wellness, career readiness, and early learning” (Makerspace for Education). This serves as an effective alternative to traditional learning in the classroom. This platform consists of over a hundred game-based lessons that engage students regardless of their grade level.        The educational software tab includes a link for the source, Administrator’s P...