Thought of the Day: Friday, November 14th, 2014

Choosing our words carefully

As we end the school week, my thought of the day is devoted to thinking about the language that we use with our students. The messages that we send our students about learning are critical. Carol Dweck, a prominent professor of psychology from Stanford University, sums it up nicely in this quote below:

Every word and action can send a message. It tells children or students how to think about themselves. It can be a fixed-mindset message that says: You have permanent traits and I am judging them. Or it can be a growth-mindset message that says: You are a developing person and I am interested in your development. It is remarkable how sensitive children are to these messages. 

When I read this quote this morning, I immediately reflected on how I speak with my students. Although I know I do a relatively good job and instilling a growth-mindset type environment in my classes, there is definite room for improvement in the way I send important messages about learning to my students. Today I will devote myself to being very aware of my teacher talk and the interactions that I have with my learners. What are your thoughts related to this topic?