Dear Families,
We are so pleased that your child is a
part of our classroom community for the 2016-2017 school year. As we learn and play together we will also be
building critical skills for a lifetime of curiosity and growth. We will be
teaching some important ways of thinking about ourselves and the world this
year that has grown out of the incredible work of Carol Dweck.
Carol Dweck is a researcher, currently
at Stanford University, who has pioneered a great deal of work around the idea
of growth mindset. A growth mindset
is the belief that we can learn anything with support, hard work, and
thoughtful strategic instruction. Children with a growth mindset outperform
children who do not think of themselves and their learning this way.
The way we support this work in our
classroom is by intentionally teaching ways of thinking about ourselves and our
learning. This year, we will be teaching your children the concepts of:
OPTIMISM:
The
belief that no matter the obstacle, we have the power and possibility to
overcome it.
RESILIENCE:
The
ability to bounce back from setbacks and frustrations and learn from them when
they happen.
PERSISTENCE:
The
habit of trying something more than once, or sticking with something through
the hard parts.
FLEXIBILITY:
The
knowledge that there are multiple ways to solve any problem, and the skills to
strategically solve it.
EMPATHY:
The
ability to understand feelings and other people’s points of view. A fundamental
aspect of a healthy child and a healthy community.
As we learn more about these big ideas,
we will think about ways to use self-talk, self stories, goal setting, and
reflection to reinforce and support these positive habits of mind.
As in all things, you are our greatest
partners, and so we invite you on this journey with us! We’ve introduced these
concepts slowly over the first 5 weeks of school. Here are some ways you can
support and connect with your child over these big ideas:
●
Share
your own stories. Talk with your child about times you
showed empathy or were flexible.
●
Listen
in on your own self talk and refine it. Be mindful of saying
things like “I can’t” as in “I can’t put together this IKEA furniture!” instead
try, “This feels hard, but I am going to take a break and try it a different
way to see if that helps!”
●
Read
with your child and talk about the ways characters are
acting in regards to these habits of mind.
We look forward to talking with you more
as the year unfolds. As always, feel free to contact us with questions,
comments, and concerns. It is with great pleasure that we have begun this
journey together.
Warmly,
Kelly & Jennifer
For More Information:
https://www.yahoo.com/beauty/reading-harry-potter-books-can-make-kids-more-tolerant-93438785457.html
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