Stanford Report

For 7/14/11: TLW read a scholarly article using the determining importance comprehension strategy.

Processes I use when reading a scholarly journal:

1.      Read the title

2.      Read the abstract

3.      Look at the headings of the sections

4.      Look at bold or italicized words in the text

5.      Focus on the topic sentence to get a better idea of what is to come in the paragraph

6.      Consider the experiment used; bias or no bias, validity, size of experimental group, use of control group, use of other literature cited

7.      Is the author a good source himself/herself; a professional, experience

I found that in the first go-round I highlighted more info than I needed to.  The second go-round included on that which I really needed to know. 

Engagement level: 8, b/c I found the topic of the paper that I was reading interesting, "New study yields instructive results on how mindset affects learning."  We also had guest speakers that made the topic even more interesting on fixed vs. growth mindsets that was interactive.  Another task that we participation/group discussions.  Focus was on quality teaching and learning: facilitating a growth mindset!

Growth:
right environment, right support, but limited
phenotypic plasticity
desire to pursue
belief that they can
hunger for learning

Fixed:
not listening, not open to change
lack of desire to be challenged
intelligence inborn
value being smart above all else
staying in comfort zone
small zone
constricted-only do what good at
fear of failure

Teacher with fixed mindset tremendously impacts fear, treatment, learning, and growth potential of students.

Note to self:  I am sure that the intention is to teach quality, but the effect is quantity over quality.  Too scattered and too much.  I can multi-task, but this is ridiculous.  And I don’t like leaving something in the middle of it and coming back much later when I have more time.  Priority is key; have to make decisions on what to set aside?  I don’t like the idea of coming back to something much later, to find I have to start over to refresh everything again to know what I have to do.  I will not teach this way.  It is frustrating and overwhelming.

Talked with Coffee and Rierson.  They listened to my frustration and really heard me.  No judgment.  Explained and validated thoughts I was having about why they might be teaching this way.  Priorities and recognize how teachers working too hard all of the time get burnt out.  Tammy needs to learn to take time for herself and for others.  :(