MINDSETS IN THE CLASSROOM: Increase Student Achievement

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Why do some children succeed while others fail? Have you experienced burnout with certain students and are not sure where to turn? Let’s turn this around. When students believe that dedication and hard work can change their performance in school, they grow to become resilient, successful students. Mindsets in the Classroom provides educators with ideas and strategies to build and maintain a growth mindset culture. The focus is on how persistence, hard work and grit can change students' school performance. All teachers are looking for tools that will ignite a love of learning while communicating that every student can succeed. Do you want to find out how to capture and identify that mindset?  Are you ready to create successful and resilient learners? Are you interested in learning the new research on IQ and brain plasticity in order to motivate and engage all students? Then join me for this exciting and transformative course. I recommend this course to any teacher, student, administrator, parent or professional developer who is looking to up their game. You do NOT need to have READ Mindset: The New Psychology of Success or taken the Mindset course from this instructor. (The Mindset course is an appropriate introduction to this learning) This course is appropriate for grades K-12, parents, leaders in any business.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of this course, participants will have:

1. Discovered the latest research on neuroplasticity and how we can change IQ.
2. Discovered the growth mindset model to end the pattern of failure.
3. Defined fixed and growth mindsets and understand their role in the classroom.
4. Learned how and why their students may lose their capacity for growth and challenge.
5. Assessed the role of a differentiated responsive classroom as it relates to mindset.
6. Connected the idea that effort, persistence, and grit are as essential to learning as curriculum.
7. Learned how to increase receptiveness to learning and how to mitigate adverse factors/behaviors.
8. Discovered the role of failure in learning and how not to fail.
9. Learned how to create a growth mindset classroom and motivate all learners.
10. Designed activities/strategies to create a shift in mindset in the classroom and help every learner be successful.
11. Designed activities to increase motivation and effort.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Completion of all specified assignments is required for issuance of hours or credit. The Heritage Institute does not award partial credit.

The use of artificial intelligence is not permitted. Assignment responses found to be generated by AI will not be accepted.
 

HOURS EARNED:
Completing the basic assignments (Section A. Information Acquisition) for this course automatically earns participants their choice of CEUs (Continuing Education Units), Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, or Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours. The Heritage Institute offers CEUs and is an approved provider of Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, and Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours.

UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT INFORMATION

REQUIREMENTS FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
Continuing Education Quarter credits are awarded by Antioch University Seattle (AUS). AUS requires 75% or better for credit at the 400 level and 85% or better to issue credit at the 500 level. These criteria refer both to the amount and quality of work submitted.

1. Completion of Information Acquisition assignments 30%
2. Completion of Learning Application assignments 40%
3. Completion of Integration Paper assignment 30%

CREDIT/NO CREDIT (No Letter Grades or Numeric Equivalents on Transcripts)
Antioch University Seattle (AUS) Continuing Education Quarter credit is offered on a Credit/No Credit basis; neither letter grades nor numeric equivalents are on a transcript. 400 level credit is equal to a "C" or better, 500 level credit is equal to a "B" or better. This information is on the back of the transcript.

AUS Continuing Education quarter credits may or may not be accepted into degree programs. Prior to registering, determine with your district personnel, department head, or state education office the acceptability of these credits for your purpose.

ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION

REQUIRED TEXT

The course text is, Mindsets in the Classroom: Building a Culture of Success and Student Achievement in Schools, by Mary Cay Ricci; used from $14 on Amazon. ISBN: 978-1-61821-081-9.

An optional text for 500 level participants is, Teaching that Changes Lives: 12 Mindset Tools for Igniting the Love of Learning, used from $11, on Amazon.  ISBN: 978-1-60994-569-5.

None. All reading is online.

MATERIALS FEE

Course text varies from $11 to 14 depending on the text you choose. Mindsets in the Classroom: Building a Culture of Success and Student Achievement in Schools, is approximately $14 from Amazon. ISBN: 978-1-61821-081-9. An optional text for 500 level participants is, Teaching that Changes Lives: 12 Mindset Tools for Igniting the Love of Learning, used from $11, on Amazon.

ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR HOURS OR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT

A. INFORMATION ACQUISITION

Assignments done in a course forum will show responses from all educators who have or are taking the course independently. Feel free to read and respond to others' comments. 
Group participants can only view and respond to their group members in the Forum. 

Assignment #1: Introduction.

For those participating in Group Collaboration, you must read and follow the instructions outlined in the Group Collaboration Guidelines. Click on the link for Guidelines. https://www.hol.edu/about/group-collaboration

• Assignment #1, each participant must complete this assignment independently.
• There should be a minimum of (4) four group meetings during which the course content is discussed. 
• Teleconferences or live meetings are acceptable. A good videoconference option is Zoom (https://zoom.us/).
• Each participant must attend at least 75% of the group meetings (a minimum of 3 of 4 meetings).

You must complete your introduction before moving on to other assignments.

Introduce yourself in 500+ words with a background profile and introduction.  

• What led you to choose teaching as your profession?
• Describe your current professional situation. 
• What brings you the most joy in your work?  
• What struggles have you experienced in the classroom? 
• Have you had prior experience or training in Mindset strategies and research?  
• How did you choose this class and what outcomes do you hope to achieve?

Assignment #2: Mindsets and How They Affect the Classroom

• View the graphic and explanation of fixed and growth mindset at: http://www.cosa.k12.or.us/sites/default/files/materials/events/3_introduction_to_growth_mindset.pd
• Define the mindsets and explain fixed and growth mindset.
• Can intelligence be changed?
• How does the new research create a shift in perception from what we have been taught?

View the video below about how the brain changes itself, Norman Doidge

Assignment #3: Building a Growth Mindset Culture

• What are the critical elements of using praise and how does this affect your teaching strategies and beliefs? 
• Why is it critical that students understand how the brain learns as it relates to engagement and motivation? 
• Does the new learning about mindset change the way you think about intelligence, grouping, and the way you teach your classes?
• Reflect on your own personal belief system. 

Assignment #4: Differentiated Responsive Classrooms

• What was critical new learning for you in the preview and pre-assessing learning section?
• What critical strategies can you take away from the learning on: 1) curriculum compacting; 2) flexible groups; 3) acceleration and enrichment? How will this change your teaching? What can you use right away?
• Why is formative/summative assessment critical and non-negotiable?  
• What learning on differentiation is totally new learning for you?  Check out the chart on pg. 143-144 to set goals for your classroom.  How many of things are you already doing?  What are you excited to implement? 
• What are the strategies that you will continue to research and implement or research?

Assignment #5: Critical Thinking as a Component of Growth Mindset

• What are the ways that critical thinking/mindset are related and essential for success?  
• What did you learn from analyzing the Critical Thinking Growth Mindset Project?  
• How has this powerful research changed your opinion about both critical thinking and growth mindset as essential elements of your classroom experience? 

Assignment #6: Learning from Mistakes & Failures

• What can you personally change in your classroom to teach the idea of failure but not failing? 
• How is struggle a critical component of the learning process and directly connected to motivation and reward?
• What mindset shift is necessary to help students embrace failure and shift their thinking (this also includes shifting your own mindset?) 

Assignment #7: COURSE FORUM.

Assignment #8: Gifted Programs & Growth Mindset

• How is accessibility to a challenging and enriched curriculum limited within your own district/school/teaching situation?
• What were new understandings about the “gifted label” in this section?  
• What did you learn about early ability grouping?  
• Has your perception about tracking/grouping changed after reading this section and how?
• What was new learning for you?
• What changes could you make in your own personal situation?

Assignment #9: Developing A Growth Mindset

What strategies can you use to help students develop a growth mindset in the classroom?  
Read pgs. 97-122 in your text to help students develop a conceptual understanding of the brain and mindset.  

• What pre-assessments did you find that would be valuable in your teaching situation?
• What ideas do you have for teaching about the brain, neural pathways, and learning?

• What tools will be helpful for introducing mindset terminology and the concept of a growth mindset?  
• Why is optimism critical to having a growth mindset?

Check out the following link. Read the research and view the videos: 
http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/positive-thinking/.

• What was new learning for you? 
• Why is optimism so closely linked with developing the growth mindset? 

For things to change you must change. Visit the following website. Scroll down to view the following slides:

• Beliefs of Growth Mindset Facilitator,
• Growth Mindset Reflection,
• Questions for the Educator,
• Personal Accountability and Reflection,
• Change your Words, Change your Mindset 

https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2014/08/29/the-educator-with-a-growth-mindset-a-staff-workshop/. 
What new ideas will you take from this section in helping develop a growth mindset classroom?

Respond in 500+ words.

ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT

B. LEARNING APPLICATION

In this section, you will apply your learning to your professional situation. This course assumes that most participants are classroom teachers who have access to students. If you do not have a classroom available to you, please contact the instructor for course modifications. Assignments done in a course forum will show responses from all educators who have or are taking the course independently. ​Feel free to read and respond to others' comments. Group participants can only view and respond to their group members in the Forum. 

Assignment #10: Share Your Learning

• Share what you have learned with a colleague/administrator/PLC/team/district leadership.
• Include in the conversation/presentation, research on having a growth mindset that will most impact for your teaching.
• Explain the science of why engaging students and motivation is critical if we expect them to be successful and how this is connected to having a growth mindset.
• Secondary teachers explain why this may be a huge shift in perception of what is expected in the classroom.
• Discuss the long term implications of the science of mindset and how walking the walk is totally different than talking the talk.

Assignment #11: Lesson Development.

Assignment #11:   (Required for 400 and 500 Level)
Assignment #11-A:

• Adapt a lesson reflecting what you’ve learned in this course.
• Implement your lesson with students.
• Write a 250-500 word commentary on what worked well and what could be improved.
• Include any student feedback on your lesson.
• Share what you’ve learned with other teachers taking our courses by adding your Lesson to The Heritage Institute Lesson Library here.
• You may download a copy of THI's lesson plan template here.
• Submit your modified lesson to your instructor via the online response box or file upload.

OR

Assignment #11-B:

• Adapt a lesson reflecting what you’ve learned in this course. (Do not implement it.)
• Share your learning with other teachers by contributing your Lesson to The Heritage Institute Lesson Library here. 
• You may download a copy of THI's lesson plan template here.
• Write a 500+ word article about a noteworthy teaching success you’ve had with one or more students.
• Please refer to the guidelines on our blog What Works: Teaching at its Best prior to writing your article.
• When you submit your article to your instructor, please also email a copy to Renee Leon THI blog curator and media specialist.
• Indicate whether or not you are OK with having your article considered for publishing on our website. 
• Submit your lesson to your instructor via the response box or file upload.

Assignment #12: (500 level only)

• Download the Choice Map to use as a critical element in the mindset philosophy.  https://inquiryinstitute.com/resources/choice-map/
• Pay particular attention to the listener/judger mindset approach and how this deepens your understanding of how our mindsets shift and shift quickly.
• How does the ABCD Choice Process add to your experience in helping you implement the mindset strategies?  

• Clean. Remove anything (headings, images, icons, template content) that does not support the idea you are trying to communicate.
• Image-based. Try to only use pictures. If words are essential to getting your point across, use as few as possible Replace full sentences with short phrases or single words. Note: your slides are not your script.
• Readable. If you're using words, pick large fonts and contrasting colors so all students can read everything easily and quickly.
• Interesting. Stop using bullet points and explore the wonderful world of smart art. Check out free PowerPoint libraries for educators.
• Slides with strong visual content are proven to improve recall. But they will only support the learning process if they are sufficiently decluttered to punch your key idea into your students' brains

C. INTEGRATION PAPER

Assignment #13: (Required for 400 and 500 level)

SELF REFLECTION & INTEGRATION PAPER
(Please do not write this paper until you've completed all of your other assignments)

Write a 400-500 word Integration Paper answering these 5 questions:

1. What did you learn vs. what you expected to learn from this course?
2. What aspects of the course were most helpful and why?
3. What further knowledge and skills in this general area do you feel you need?
4. How, when and where will you use what you have learned?
5. How and with what other school or community members might you share what you learned?

INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS ON YOUR WORK:

Instructors will comment on each assignment. If you do not hear from the instructor within a few days of posting your assignment, please get in touch with them immediately.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHING THIS COURSE:

Brenda McKinney, CEO of Vancouver, WA based BrainVolution, is a developer and dynamic facilitator of workshops that teach practical thinking and learning tools for raising student achievement with the brain in mind. She has trained educators throughout the Pacific Northwest and is a popular presenter because of her ability to motivate, make things fun, and teach practical techniques for the classroom that can be used immediately. Brenda continues to read hundreds of books and articles on the subject of neuroscience and searches for the answer to success for every student. Her work with at-risk students and those with reading problems have made her a popular speaker at the state, regional and national level.

Brenda is able to synthesize the new research and continues to address the role of how to use the latest findings to create high achievement classroom. She brings 30+ years of experience at the elementary, middle school, high school and university level as a mentor teacher, consultant, motivational speaker, university instructor, and reading specialist. Brenda has her Master’s in Education from Washington State University and is nationally certified in Brain Based Learning through the renowned  Jensen Corporation, led by Eric Jensen, a noted international spokesperson for neuroscience and education.

Brenda will inspire and motivate you with her energy, enthusiasm and knowledge. Her wisdom, techniques, and brain based approach to education will inspire you and challenge you to meet the demands of this ever changing world.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

MINDSETS IN THE CLASSROOM: Increase Student Achievement