Growth Mindset and Setting Goals

I've had the privilege of attending several conferences over the years.  One of the most memorable sessions I've attended was at the GAGC (Georgia Association of Gifted Children) Conference a few years back.  The topic was about nurturing the growth mindset in our students.  I think in some ways I knew about this, but having it presented to me in the way that is was really opened my eyes to how much what I say to my students really affects them and their growth.  I immediately brought back what I learned to my students and noticed a significant difference in how they began to tackle challenges.  In my gifted classroom, my students  heard me say so many times that they were not to use the word can't unless follow by the word yet, that they began saying it to each other when the word "can't" was uttered by another. I feel that nurturing the growth mindset of my students (and my own personal children) is the most important thing I do as a teacher (and a mother).

In week one I set the following goals:

• It is always my goal to stay current with new technologies and resources that are available to educators.  I'm hoping that through this course I will be introduced to specific tools that I can take back to use with my students and other teachers I work with. 

• It is also my goal to extend my professional network and keep it fresh.  I feel that it is very important to connect with others in the same field for the purpose of gaining new ideas and inspiration.

These goals that I have set for this course are on-going and will continue long after this course is through.  In the short-term, I wanted to learn about specific tools I can take back and use immediately.  I have already been introduced to many new tools and resources that I am now using that I did not know about or knew very little about before this course.  I also wanted to extend my PLN, which I have and will continue to do.  

One thing that I have always held true is that the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know!
 
I plan to use my PLN to help me and my students in becoming  critical consumers of online resources.  Through my PLN, I can stay connected with others who are facing the same challenges and have found ways to help students with information fluency skills as well as grow my own skills.  If I want my students to be life-long learners, then I must be the same.  Forever learning and growing!