States of Mind

How Do I Feel?

How Are You Feeling?

1) Show a slide that says something like this:
Your state of mind is connected to your readiness to learn.
Becoming aware of your state of mind can help your brain become ready for
learning.
2) Tell students that you will be showing a series of four pictures and they will decide
which picture that best represents how they are feeling.
3) Share a series of four pictures of animals, babies, etc. with different expressions. By
each picture, have the words How are you feeling?
Example:

1. How are you feeling?

3. How are you feeling?

2. How are you feeling?

4. How are you feeling?

4) Invite students to share with a partner and/or share with the class (stand up if picture
one represents you, lean sideways if picture two, etc) or however you wish to process
this.
Here is a link to a ready-made How Are You Feeling? slide show with a variety of state of
mind images.

Learning about
Your Students
How Do I Feel?
(building positive
relationships)

Getting to Know You BINGO

Many of you are familiar with a Getting to Know You BINGO game. Have you ever tried
collecting the completed boards and using the information for grouping students,
creating a list of class "experts" or playing Secret Student?

Blobs and Lines

Students are prompted to either line up in some particular order or gather in blobs
Is This Important? based on something they have in common. Whats great about this game is that it helps
(comparisons to
students quickly discover things they have in common. Its also easy: students dont
student interests)
have to come up with anything clever and they can respond to every question without
thinking too hard about it. Students need to talk to each other to determine where to
stand, so this game can get a bit noisy. Setting clear expectations for noise level and a
time limit to form groups/lines might be helpful. This game keeps students moving and
talking and it builds a sense of belonging and community in your classroom.
Here are some sample prompts you can use for this game:

Line up in alphabetical order by your first name.

Line up in alphabetical order by your last name.
Gather with people who have the same number of pets as you.
Gather with people who would like to be invisible or be able to fly.
Line up in order of your birthdays, from January 1 through
December 31.

Line up in order of how many languages you speak.

Gather into 3 blobs: Those who have LOTS of chores at home,

those who have A FEW chores at home, and those who have NO chores at
home.

Gather with people who have the same favorite (season, color, ice
cream flavor) as you.
Me, Too!
One student says something that is true about him/herself, for example I love to play
basketball! or I have two brothers. People for whom this is also true stand up and say,
Me, too! The game continues around the circle until each person has said something
about her/himself. Alternatively, you can create a list of prompts in order to target
information youd like to learn about students. For example:
I like to read books about animals.
I know my multiplication facts.
I can tie my shoes.
I know the causes of the American Revolution.
You can click here for a longer list of activities.
Morning Meeting
How Do I Feel?
(building positive
relationships,
physical movement)

Morning meeting is often comprised of the following:

Greeting: Students and teachers greet each other by name, practice looking at the
person they are talking to and using an appropriate speaking voice.
Morning Meeting Greetings
Sharing: Students share information about important events in their lives. Listeners offer

empathetic comments or ask clarifying questions.

Group Activity: Everyone participates in a brief, lively activity that fosters group
cohesion and helps students practice social and academic skills (for example, reciting a
poem, dancing, singing, or playing a game that reinforces social or academic skills)
Morning Meeting Activities
Morning Message: Students read and interact with a short message written by their
teacher. The message is crafted to help students focus on the work they'll do in school
that day. Content is easily incorporated throughout Morning Message. For example,
student can find words that have a specific pattern or correct grammatical mistakes. The
message ends with an interactive check-in.
Morning Message Interactive Ideas
For more detailed information about Morning Meeting click here or to see a Morning
Meeting in action click here.
Hope and
Optimism
How Do I Feel?
Can I Do This?
(teaching selfefficacy, examples of
self-efficacy,
effective verbal
feedback)

Growth Mindset
How Do I Feel?
Can I Do This?
(teaching selfefficacy, examples of

To teach hope and optimism:

On a daily basis:
give affirmation
ask for kids dreams
reinforce their dreams
tell them why they can succeed
share positive stories
offer to provide any help needed
share stories and quotes from people who overcame obstacles through effort and
strategy not through genetics or family connections
Bessie Coleman (first licensed female aviator of color)
Malala Yousafzai (defied the Taliban to stand for girls education)
Mary McCloud Bethune (educator and civil rights activist)
Susan LaFlesche Picotte (first Native American physician)
Cesar Milan (dog whisperer and Mexican immigrant)
Mae Jemison (first female astronaut of color)
Keith Ellison (first Muslim elected to US Congress)
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why I dream of things
that never were and ask why not? - Robert Kennedy
I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo
Picasso
share your personal stories of working towards a goal
access positive memories with the class often
Do you remember the last time we worked on partial-products? People made mistakes
but, at the end, everyone was able to solve the problem.
Yesterday, you worked on increasing your reading stamina and we all read
independently for 15 minutes. I bet today we can make it to 17 minutes!
To encourage a growth mindset:
teach children that learning from mistakes is critical
Oh, you got it right the first time? Bummer! I need to make this harder for you!
Thats too bad! We didnt match up the work with your level. Maybe next time we can
get a better match so you can learn new things by making mistakes.
You worked hard and gave those problems a try. Now that we know what we dont
know, we can figure out what we need to learn!

self-efficacy,
effective verbal
feedback)

What did you learn from correcting your mistakes?

acknowledge students effort, strategy or attitude rather than labeling kids as smart
When you didnt get the answer right the first time, you thought about what you did and
tried a different strategy.
Even though reading that passage was difficult, you didnt give up and you read it
through to the end.
When your group had a problem, you told them you could work together and figure it
out. Thats an example of optimism!
To begin your day, ask your student to answer the following questions
What are you grateful for? (hope)
What is newly learned from yesterday? (growth mindset)
What are you looking forward to? (optimism)

Positive States of
Mind
How Do I Feel?
(building positive
relationships)

Here are some things you can do to cultivate positive states of mind:
get buy-in from students
pique curiosity and interest with phrases such as:
This might not work, but are you willing to try?
Do you think youre up for this challenge?
Can I share a secret with you?
lower the stakes to avoid students fear of failure/embarrassment
turn homework into an in small group activity
turn mistakes into learning opportunities
have students share their wrong answers and how theyll do it differently next time
be aware of lesson pacing
too slow: students energy drops and attention wanes
too fast: students become confused or frustrated
5-8 minutes of teacher talking followed by an opportunity for students to process
(discussion, writing, movement, etc.)
use fewer words
use clear and concise language; pause frequently
use analogies and metaphors
give simple directions one at a time
give students more control
decision making
creating quiz questions
selecting a energizer/movement activity
resolving an issue
everyone has a class job every week

Working Memory
How Do I Feel?
Can I Do This?

Opportunities to improve their working memory!

Student can practice following 2-3 step directions as an energizer throughout the day.
Not only will this give them a brain break, it will also develop their working memory. You
dont even have to come up with a list of directions because there is one right here!
These can easily be used in a game like Simon says.
Students repeat a clapping/patting/tapping pattern. You can add complexity as you go by
including pauses or rhythms. To really up the ante, while students are repeating the
pattern, youre giving the new pattern.
Having students play I Spy type games such as Find the Hidden Pictures or Spot the

Differences is another quick and fun way to strengthen working memory.

To develop working memory and review content, try word or number chains. Students
work in small groups. The teacher provides the topic word. The first student says a word
that relates to the topic. The second student repeats that word and adds their own. For
example, if the topic is states, the first student might say California, second student
California, Wyoming, third student California, Wyoming, Rhode Island, etc. For a number
chain, the prompt might be factors of 36 or odd numbers. Encourage students to make
3-4 word chains at the beginning, expanding on this as they improve.
Lesson Openers
Am I Interested?
(unusual
information)

Providing unusual or interesting information is one way to create an engaged state

of mind and prompt students thinking about a topic.

Students can use their math skills to determine if these statements are true.
The number 142857 is rather special. When you multiply it by a number 1 through 6, the
Is This Important?
digits found in the answer stay the same, just in a different order.
(students interests,
Among all shapes with the same perimeter, a circle has the largest area.
choice)
Among all shapes with the same area, a circle has the shortest perimeter.
Number patterns:
111,111,111 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
It also works for smaller numbers: 111 111 = 12321
Four is the only number in the English language that is spelled with the same number of
letters as the number itself.
Forty is the only number in the English language that is spelled in alphabetical order,
one is the only number spelled in reverse alphabetical order.
An introduction to The Very Hungry Caterpillar:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar was almost called A Week With Willi Worm.
After enjoying the story, students can vote on which title they think is the best fit or
brainstorm other titles for the book.
For a lesson on authors purpose:
Roald Dahls book The Twits was triggered by his desire to do something against
beards he had an acute dislike of them.
For a lesson on perseverance or to begin an author study:
When Dr. Seuss suffered from writers block, he would go to a secret closet filled with
hats and wear them till the words came.He owned hundreds of hats and would
encourage his guests at dinner parties to wear one. His second book, The 500 Hats of
Bartholomew Cubbins, appears to have been autobiographical.
Dr Seuss first book was rejected by over 20 publishers.
Dr Seuss is one of the most mispronounced of all writers names. It actually rhymes
with voice, so Zoyce rather than Zeus.
Here are some online resources for interesting/unusual facts:
Language Arts
Math
Science
Social Studies

Math Facts, Quotes, Riddles

Listverse
National Geographic Fun Facts for Kids
Random Assortment of Facts
Snapple Facts
Lesson Reflection
Is this important?

Reflection will
help you (the students) become more aware of how you learn - what
works and what doesnt
help you take more responsibility for your learning
help you see where youre making progress in your learning and how to
talk about it
Questions to promote reflection:
What am I most proud of and why?
What would I change to make my work better?
What strategies did I use?
What mistakes did I make and what did I learn from them?
Where else can I use what I learned?
What was easier for me this time compared to last time?
If I had more time, what would I add?
Students might also benefit from support with how to talk about their work. Here are
some sentence frames to talk about writing that could easily be modified for other
subject areas:
Sentence frames:
I selected this piece of writing because
What really surprised me about this piece of writing was
When I look at my other pieces of writing, this piece is different because
What makes this piece of writing strong is my use of
Here is one example from my writing to show you what I mean.
What I want to really work on to make my writing better for a reader is
These quotes and ideas come from Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind Chapter
12: Learning Through Reflection. The full chapter is available on the ASCD website and
its a wonderful read.

Get Students
Moving (Jensen)
How do I feel?

Effective energizers incorporating movement are:

purposeful
short
used to start a class, just after lunch, as a transition, or a brain break
explicitly taught, including behavior expectations
Walk the Line:
Create a long, curvy line using existing lines on the floor or rug or by using masking tape
or painters tape. Have students walk the line while soft music plays. To add challenge
create obstacles to jump over or step around.

Extension: Leave the classroom and find other lines in the school building such as lines
of the sidewalk, tiles on the floor or circles in the gym.
Freeze:
Play music while students walk around the classroom. When you stop the music,
students stop walking and move to a designated zone, an area marked by tape, a carpet
square, a specific desk or table, etc. Make the activity more challenging by removing
half of the safe zones and encourage students to work together to find a spot.
Extension: Assign a color, number, vocabulary word, image for each zone, and when the
music stops, give the students a clue and have them go to the matching zone. For
example, go to 3+5 or go to the word that means rocks formed by the cooling of magma.
Follow the Leader:
Divide students into groups of 3-5 and select a leader for each group. Each group follow
the leaders on a journey that includes walking around the room, jumping, clapping or
other appropriate movements. Once students master the basics, the leader becomes
the tour guide, narrating a given scenario.
Examples: Consider making connections to science and social studies by having
students walk through snow, move through space, hike through landforms, or explore
with the Voyageurs.
Go on a Scavenger Hunt:
Have students stand up, locate and touch five objects in the classroom before returning
to a designated spot.
Examples: Incorporate content into the activity. For math, students touch 8-3 or 2x1
objects, something with a right angle in its shape, things that are a certain shape. For
language arts, students touch five things that are proper/common nouns, find
punctuation marks or objects that go with a chosen adjective.
Additional Resources:
A list of physical movement activities including descriptions
Video of a movement and focus brain break
Information for this ES of the W was provided by Eric Jensens Engaging Students with
Poverty in Mind.
Energize students
in (or close to) their
seats (Jensen)
How do I feel?

Air swimming:
Have students turn their chairs to face you and take them air swimming. They can start
with a freestyle stroke; adding challenges with other strokes. To increase challenge
further, invite students to do the butterfly with one arm and the backstroke with the other.
(If youre not familiar with swimming strokes, theres a guide attached.) Other sports can
be practiced while seated: pedaling a bike, kicking a soccer ball or throwing a baseball.
Combine math with movement:
Pair students up and have them sit in chairs facing their partner. If students are skip
counting, they must touch the floor with their right hand and say, Two!, then touch the
floor with their left hand and say Four! and keep alternating up to the number you want
them to reach. Students could do a cross lateral shoulder touch, name a number, then
do a cross lateral knee touch and multiply the first number by a new number. Students
can also form angles with their arms.

Write with the body:

Choose several vocabulary or word study words from a lesson and have students write
the words in the air with their fingers. You can ask students to print, then use cursive.
Students can form pairs while one person writes, while the other tries to guess the word.
A student can also write the word, but verbally give the definition to help the guesser.
The Wave:
Divide the room into sections or by table, and give each one a label, such a color or a
number. When the leader calls out a color, the students in that section must stand up
and wave their arms from side to side. When you call another color, students in the first
section sit down to let the next group get up and wave their arms.
How do I feel?
Lower energy to
increase focus!

Pause and Collect:

This strategy works well with transitions from one activity to the next. When one activity
ends, invite students to raise their arms slowly as they take in slow, deep breaths. When
arms are extended, ask students to hold their breath for 2-5 seconds before slowly
exhaling through the mouth and lowering their hands to their sides. To further selfreflection, students pair up with a neighbor and take turns sharing brief responses to a
reflective question such as How am I feeling? What am I interested in the lesson? Why
is this important to me? What are we doing next? What is my goal, and how can I reach
it?
Mobile Mirror:
Students begin by facing a partner for 20 seconds and take turns mirroring movements
in slow motion. At your cue, students find a new partner.
Balance and Point:
Students stand and balance on one leg. While they balance, give them a task, such as
pointing to various places in the room or recalling what they learned in a previous
lesson. Then, have them switch legs. You can eventually have students balance with
one eye closed, then with both eyes closed.
Write to Focus:
Before an assessment, give students a few minutes to stretch their bodies, engage in
cross-lateral movements, do some slow breathing, and write about how they feel about
the upcoming test. Consider using prompts such as How do I feel about the test? What
can I do to do well on the upcoming test? For pre-writers, students can use facial
expressions to show their feelings or share verbally.

How do I feel?
Use Music!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

When using music in the classroom, consider the following questions:

What is the task or activity?
What is the optimal state of mind for the activity? Energized? Focused? Calm?
Will the students need to talk during the task? (If so, choose an instrumental selection)
What do your students listen to?
Which music selection will likely support accomplishing the task?
Musical Themes:
For seatwork or team discussion try: Bach, Vivaldi, smooth jazz such as Kenny G.,
New Age or environmental sounds (ex. waterfall or ocean sounds)
For high energy tasks try: classic rhythm and blues, upbeat pop vocals, fast
instrumental music, upbeat Latin music, classic rock, oldies or hip hop
For slow focusing activities such as stretching: instrumental music

For emphasizing a specific theme, topic, situation, or emotion: country, folk,

reggae, hip-hop, contemporary rhythm and blues
For group or team presentations or whole class fun and bonding: sing along songs
from TV show themes and musical theater
Music Resources:
Hennepin County Library Systems Freegal
Watch the screencast to see how you can download 5 free songs a week for FREE
from the library system: Freegal Screencast
Free online music streaming at sites such as jango and Pandora
Search for a Pinterest board titled Sing to Learn, created by Helen Wells (Strive SPED
teacher at Westwood Elementary). Link: Helen Wells Sing to Learn Board She has put
together a large collection of songs that she uses with her students. I am now a follower!
GoNoodle: Check out Go Noodle favorites and Minnesota natives Koo Koo Kangaroo
Effective Verbal
Feedback
How Do I Feel?
(building positive
relationships)
Can I Do This?
(effective verbal
feedback)

Self-efficacy is quite possibly the most important factor affecting engagement. Effective
verbal feedback helps students develop self-efficacy by supporting the mindset that ... if
students try hard and prepare well, they can accomplish great things.
Marzano and Pickering The Highly Engaged Classroom
Feedback is not advice, praise or evaluation. Feedback is information about how we are
doing in our efforts to reach a goal. Grant Wiggins
Effective feedback supports a growth mindset by helping students answer the
following questions:
1) What is my goal?
2) What progress am I making?
3) What is my next step?
In this way, effective verbal feedback addresses the engagement question Can I Do
This? Students know where they are, where they need to be and how to get there.
effective

less effective

concentrates on
growth, effort,
preparation: You
got three wrong
and you went back
and corrected
them. Correcting
your mistakes will
help you learn
what to watch for
next time.

fixed
characteristics
(positive or
negative): You got
them all right! You
are so smart!

specific: You used

expression when
you read which

generic: Good job

reading!

helps your
listeners know how
the character feels.
compared to self:
You got started
right away and you
got more of your
work completed.

comparing to
another student:
Look at Juan. He
got started right
away.

student centered:
You used
descriptive words
in your writing
which makes it
more interesting to
read.

teacher-centered:
I like the
descriptive words
you used in your
writing.

from Marzano and Pickering The Highly Engaged Classroom

Heres a link to some videos that show positive teacher language in action
Source
Source
Source
Games and
Inconsequential
Competition
Is this
interesting?

Which One Doesnt Belong?

Which dog doesnt belong?

Why?
Which set of coins doesnt belong?

Which letter doesnt belong?

Why?
Which number doesnt belong?

Why?

Why?

Games can be a great way to grab students attention and engage them in learning.
Why? Because games are fun and interesting!
A few things to keep in mind when using games for learning are :
games should have academic focus (although that can be added after students
understand how to play the game)
regroup students frequently so that all students experience winning and losing
points can be tallied but arent used to increase or decrease scores or grades
from Marzano and Pickering The Highly Engaged Classroom
One of the best things about a Which One Doesnt Belong game is listening to students
explain why they selected the one they did. Since this is open-ended, there can be
more than one right answer. For example, in the first picture, students might say the
brown dog because the rest are white. Another answer could be the top left dog
because it's the only one facing to the left
If you like the Which One Doesnt Belong game, you can find many more images here.
Some of them are challenging!
Here is a template for you to make a copy of so you can create your own. I put a few
examples in there, as well.

Games and

Other ideas for Which One Doesnt Belong:

language arts
parts of speech
synonyms/antonym
antagonists/protagonist
social studies
effects of the industrial revolution
goods and services
math
math problems
geometry (shapes, angles)
science
habitats
vocabulary

1. Im going to give you clues.

Inconsequential
Competition
Is this
interesting?

2. Youre going to guess the word.

3. Once youve guessed all the words, youre going to guess the category.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Clues:
gives you information about the section youre about to read
a visual way to show data
words by a picture that provide information about the image
at the back of the text; tells what page to go to for what you want to find
provides definitions for important words from the text
tells you the chapter contents and the chapter page numbers
What do you think the category is?!?!?!
To play this with your class, one student is faces the screen and gives the clues. The
other student faces away from the clues and guesses the answer. Since pairs will likely
finish at different times, having a follow-up activity planned that connects to the content
of the game will extend the learning.

What do you think the benefits of a game like this might be for the person giving clues?
How about for the person guessing?
Here is a link to a whole bunch of word lists and categories.
Heres a quote from Marzano and Pickerings The Highly Engaged Classroom that
speaks to the attention-getting power of games.
Most academic games provide students with clues or hints to questions without
providing them with the exact answers. Such situations typically activate the natural
human tendency to fill in missing information or to establish closure around something
that is incomplete. When a competition is added to academic games, mild pressure
provides another stimulus for attention. It is important, however, that competition is just
for funit is inconsequential. Winning or losing a game should have no effect on
students grades or test scores. Games should be used as a lighthearted way to review
and analyze information.
Games and
Inconsequential
Competition
Is this
interesting?

To engage all students when playing a Jeopardy-type game, have them write their
questions on a whiteboard. When you give the signal, students show their whiteboards
then you give the answer. Since points dont matter, students can take the responsibility
of keeping track of their own scores.
You can create your Jeopardy board using one of these online tools
Jeopardy Rocks
Instant Jeopardy Review
Flip Quiz
You can make a copy of a Google slides Jeopardy board set-up to use.
Kahoot is a free online teacher-created multiple choice gaming experience. You create
the questions and receive a game PIN. Students go to the Kahoot website on their
Chromebooks, enter the PIN and have access to the game. According to the website:
Kahoots are best played in a group setting, like a classroom. Players answer on their
own devices, while games are displayed on a shared screen to unite the lesson

creating a campfire moment encouraging players to look up.

If online isnt how you want to go, you can make and print all sorts of puzzles at
Puzzlemaker. You can create crosswords, word searches, math squares and more.
Imagine the following scenario:
You spent hours over the weekend planning a fun lesson for the day before spring
break. You have all the materials ready and are excited about your plan. You give the
lesson your all and ask what questions the students have. A hand goes up and the
student asks, "What am I supposed to do?"
Has this ever happened to you? It has definitely happened to me! While we may not be
able to have students' attention 100% of the time, here are some things we can do to
communicate more effectively with our students:
Face the students, make eye contact and limit movement both by you and by the
students when giving instructions or explaining content
Establish an auditory and visual signal and provide wait time for students' attention
Wait to pass out papers, have students get out materials, erase white board, turn off
LCD, etc. until you are done talking and students have asked any clarifying questions
Always repeat directions like it's the first time the student is hearing it - give just
one direction at a time - post the directions, sequence or schedule
Revisit the objectives at the end of the lesson with class to do a check-in on progress connect to exit slip
Have students restate objective or directions in their own words and understand why
its important
In addition to explaining the learning objectives at the start of a lesson, also explain the
success criteria in student-friendly language
Encourage a positive state of mind in students to get them ready for learning by being
intentional with:
_ _ _sical mo_ _ ment
int_ _si_ _ and en_ _usia_ _
h_m_r
b_ _ ld_ _ _ rel_ _ _ on _ _ _ _
Were you able to fill-in-the-blanks? I bet you were because you are a hard worker who
tries multiple strategies and knows when to ask for help.
happier teacher = happier students
Would you like to be a happier teacher?
Would you like to have happier students?
Are you willing to try things like:
Pull a student aside to tell them how much they have improved or how proud you are of
them.
Dont do ANY work during lunch and dont feel guilty about it.
Use the last few minutes of class to take a photo of your students as a group. Print the
picture and post it in your classroom.
How do I feel?

Nows the time of year where students really get to show what they know! Heres a fun
strategy to incorporate movement into test review. At the end of this email is a link to

some energizers to get your students up and moving. These might be fun to try on test
days!
Walking Quiz
Preparation:
Prepare question cards that emphasize current content. On one side, write the number
of the question.On the other side, write the question. Tape the question cards throughout
the room with the number side up.
Management tip: Use thick paper, like cardstock, and write the number of the question
on one side. Then flip the paper over from the top edge (the edge youll tape to the wall,
the desk or wherever) and write the question on that side. The question will be upside
down relative to the numberwhich will make it right side up when students flip the
paper up to read the question. (You might want to try it first on a sticky note.)
Procedure:
Have students number their answer sheet for however many questions youve taped
throughout the room.
Each student walks throughout the room looking for question cards.
When students arrive at a question card, they flip it up, read the question on the back,
and figure out the answer.
Students then record the answer on their answer sheet.
Students continue this process until theyve answered all questions.
Decide before beginning if you want students to have a chance to answer all the
questions or if you need to have something prepared for fast finishers.
Management tips:
Do what you know will work best for your group of students.
Would it be better for them to discuss the answers with one another?
Students do not have to answer the questions in order. Encourage them to do the quiz
by moving to question cards that are not crowded with other students.
Since they may be answering the questions out of order, remind students to carefully
record their answers next to the correct number on their answer sheet.
Variation:
Make sure you have as many question cards as you have students in your class. At the
conclusion of the Walking Quiz, each student retrieves a card from the wall and takes it
back to their seat. When reviewing the answers as a class, students take turns reading
their question and calling on a classmate to provide the answer.
Source
The idea of a Walking Quiz can also be used to preview content or pre-assess a skill.
What might be some of your ideas for how to use a Walking Quiz?
As promised, here is the link to some energizers you might use to get students blood
flowing and improve their moods on those long days of testing.

Can I do This?

Have you ever heard your students starts sentences with Ill never I cant Im
not. Frequent use of phrases such as these are indicators of a fixed mindset. A
students mindset becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. In the words of the late, great
Henry Ford
Whether you think you can, or you think you cant, youre right.
Helping students develop a growth mindset is one of the most effective ways to foster
self-efficacy so students can affirmatively answer the engagement question Can I do
this?
Here are some characteristics of fixed and growth mindsets.
Fixed Mindset

Growth Mindset

Intelligence is a
fixed,
unchangeable
quality

Intelligence can be
developed as the
brain changes and
grows

Looking smart is
most important

Learning is most
important

Things should
come easily

Hard work and

effort are necessary
parts of learning

Give up
Im not going to do
that again!

Persevere
If I keep trying, Ill
get it.

How to change your mindset

Learn to hear your fixed mindset voice
Recognize that you have a choice
Talk back with a growth mindset voice
Take the growth mindset action

Want to find out if your students have a fixed or growth mindset? Email me and Ill send
you a link to a google form you can administer to your students to help you
determine their mindsets.
Do you think you have a growth mindset? So did the teacher in this short article until a
student challenged him to learn to dance.
Source
Can I do this?
Effective Verbal
Feedback
Growth Mindset

You might be wondering what else you can to do foster a growth mindset in your
students. Your feedback to students is essential in developing their self-efficacy.
Self-efficacy is quite possibly the most important factor affecting engagement.
Marzano and Pickering The Highly Engaged Classroom p. 125

more effective

less effective

focuses on
growth, effort,
preparation

focuses on fixed
characteristics
(positive and
negative)

specific

generic

compares student
to self

compares student
to others

student-centered

teacher-centered

Time for a quiz!

1. Which of these statements is more effective according the the criteria in the table?
a. I like how you fixed your mistake.
b. You realized you made a mistake while you were reading because the word you read
didnt make sense. You reread and used context clues to help you figure out the correct
word.
2. What makes this statement an example of effective feedback? You persevered and
tried a different way to solve that problem.
3. Is this an example of more or less effective feedback? Why? Look how well you did!
Youre so smart!
4. How could you turn this into more effective feedback? If you worked as hard as Luis,
you would have finished your assignment.

Answers:

Free Resources

Providing real-world, relevant connections to content can support students in

understanding why what they are learning is important.
Finding resources to support those connections can be time consuming! Im a huge
fan of our Hennepin County public library system and have found lots of free resources
that can be used by you and your students. Many of them provide real-life information
about topics we teach which can help add relevancy to lessons. All you need to access
them is a library card. If you dont have one, you can get one for free and find out for
yourself all the Hennepin County libraries have to offer!
To access resources from hclib.org:
Go to hclib.org

Click on Browse and select Online Resources

Scroll down the list to find what youre interested in or use command F and a search box
will appear at the top right of the browser window

Youll need to have your library card and PIN number handy in order to log in.
Here are some descriptions of what you can find:
NoveList K-8 Plus

Resources for finding fiction and nonfiction titles for children and teens by topic, genre,
grade level, and Lexile score. Includes read-alikes, discussion guides, reviews and
articles.
ScienceFlix
Resources for science exploration and student research support. Includes nonfiction
articles with read aloud option, videos, current events, career information, and
experiments.
Searchasaurus
Full-text articles about people, places, animals, history, and more. Includes images and
a dictionary.
Something About the Author
Articles and images detailing the lives and works of children's and teens' authors and
illustrators.
TrueFlix
Scholastic True Books on nonfiction topics. Projects, lessons, and activities help build
knowledge on people, places, history, science, and nature.
Junior Reference Collection
Full-text articles about people, places, history, science, and more. Includes audio files,
video, images, and maps.
Kids InfoBits
Full-text articles from magazines, newspapers, and reference books about current
events, people, places, animals, history and more.
Kids Search
Full-text articles from magazines, newspapers, and reference books about current
events, people, places, animals, history and more. Includes primary sources, images
and maps.
HelpNow
Free one-to-one live homework help online from qualified tutors for grades 3-12. Live
assistance available every day from 1-11 p.m.; experts also review and respond to
submitted questions and papers.
BookFlix
Video storybooks and online nonfiction books for young readers. Includes streaming
video, games and educator resources.
FreedomFlix
United States history and current events from the colonial era through today. Includes

online nonfiction books, articles, videos, and project ideas.

Amazing Animals of the World
Encyclopedia with information and images on animals from aardvarks to zebras.
America the Beautiful
State history and current events. Includes images, maps, an almanac, timelines, quizzes
and games, and biographies.
TumbleBook library
Animated story books and chapter books with highlighted text. Also includes graphic
novels, nonfiction books and videos, puzzles, and games. Some titles in Spanish and
French.
World Book Kids
Full-text articles on people, places, science, animals, history, and more. Includes videos,
images, audio files, science projects, maps, and games.
My Favorite
Mistake

In place of a homework assignment, the teacher asked students to complete an exit

ticket problem at the end of class. This teacher sorted the exit tickets and used the
student work to guide the direction of her instruction the next day. After seeing the
common mistakes presented, she selected the exit ticket that was her "Favorite
Mistake."
As students transitioned into math time the next day, the teacher projected one of the
student's exit tickets for review (of course, the name was taken off). The class began by
students highlighting successes of this exit ticket. After highlighting successes, the
class identified and corrected the mistakes. This teacher empowered students to
take on the role of the teacher as they worked through the problem. In addition to
solidifying the concepts, the students developed critical thinking skills through
analyzing another student's work.
If you are the visual learner, you might be interested in taking a look at this video from
the Teaching Channel entitled "My Favorite No".

Closing the year

Reflection can be an important part of the last few weeks of school. Reflection activities
can help students make sense of what theyve learned, both about the content and
about themselves. In addition, students can celebrate the success theyve experienced
and highlight the community youve created together!
Reflect on the Years Learning
(these can be done as a whole group, with a partner or individually)
List 10 things you most remember learning this year and tell why they were important to
you.
Illustrate a favorite work time in the classroom.
List your favorite read-aloud this year and describe something the book made you think
more about.
Describe a problem you solved this year.
Describe a new friendship for you this year.
Describe something you were proud of accomplishing and tell why it was important.
Describe an area of math that was easy and one that was hard.
What do you think might be strength and a challenge for you next year?

Source
Welcome the Next Class
Sharing information with the incoming class lets students help others while also
prompting reflection on their year together.
Invite students to write to next years class (Dear New Fourth Graders) about the

learning they can look forward to in various subjects. They can write individual or smallgroup letters or one whole-class letter.
Create a class information book, PowerPoint, or video for the newcomers (Tips for First
Grade, Whats Great About Third Grade, or Things Youll Learn in Fifth Grade). Each
student can create a page or slide with two or three tips for you to assemble into a single
book or presentation. Or students can each make their own small booklet or brief
presentation.
Invite incoming students for a visit so they can get to know the space and ask questions
of this years experts.
Look Ahead to Next Year
Moving up to a higher grade often engenders mixed feelings. Thinking in a positive way
about the next school year can ease anxieties while building students sense of
excitement about whats ahead.
Hold brief meetings at which students can share questions and concerns about next

year. Students could also write down their questions; answer two or three at each
meeting.
Describe the major topics taught in the next grade. Let students discuss what they
already know about those topics and what theyd like to learn.
Invite students to write letters introducing themselves to their next years teacher. They
may mention some worries you can address before the year ends. Here is a link to a
template you might use.
Source

Teaching Self-Efficacy
Jensen Connection
Factor #4: Mind-Set
Research suggests that lower socioeconomic status often correlates with a
negative view of the future and a sense of helplessness (Engaging Students with
Poverty in Mind, p. 13).
Marzano Connection
Can I do this?
Teaching self-efficacy through a growth mindset
Providing examples of self-efficacy, according to Marzano & Pickering, allows
students to discuss and study firsthand through correlating their effort and
preparation with achievement; however, everyone needs a reminder of just how
powerful a strong sense of self-efficacy can be in shaping one's future. Consider
using inspiring stories and quotations as ways of providing students with examples
of the power of self-efficacy (The Highly Engaged Classroom, p. 127). You can read

articles, read books, watch videos and/or watch movies to highlight positive
example of self-efficacy.
Table 5.6: Efficacy Trait Matrix (p. 129)
Person With
Strong Sense
of Efficacy

Trait 1

Trait 2

Trait 3

Trait 4

Person 1
Person 2
Person 3
Person 4
Organize students into small groups to fill out an efficacy trait matrix, then discuss
each group's efficacy trait matrix to create a class efficacy trait matrix. Children
will begin to understand what traits/characteristics that might help them to
persevere and achieve in the present and in the future.
Also, the language we use with children every day can begin to plant the seed of
self-efficacy and a growth mindset. Fostering hope, optimism and self-efficacy
involves developing the thinking patterns associated with a growth mindset. When
students ask themselves Can I do this? we want them to say "yes" or "not yet".
Recognizing the growth and affirming effort of your students will help with their
confidence.

Here are some examples of language we can use to encourage a growth mindset.
Learning to be challenged and learning from mistakes:
You got it right the first time? Congrats, I need to make this harder for you!
Thats too bad! We didnt match up the work with your level. Maybe next time we
can get a better match so you can learn new things by making mistakes.
You worked hard and gave those problems a try. Now that we know what we dont
know, we can figure out what we need to learn!
What did you learn from correcting your mistakes?
Acknowledge student effort, strategy or attitude:
When you didnt get the answer right the first time, you thought about what you
did and tried a different strategy.
Even though reading that passage was difficult, you didnt give up and you read it
through to the end.
When your group had a problem, you told them you could work together to figure
it out. Thats an example of optimism!
Have your students answer the following questions:
What are you grateful for? (hope)

 What is newly learned from yesterday? (growth mindset)

What are you looking forward to? (optimism)
Tracking Effort & Preparation
Jensen Connection (Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind)
Factor #3: Effort & Energy
People living in poverty typically value education as much as middle-income
people do Students living in poverty are practical about what motivates them
they want learning to connect to their world and teachers to connect to them
personally culturally giving them a reason to play [to put forth effort & energy]
the academic game... effort matters a great deal in learning engaging teachers
have the power to make a difference (p. 12).
Marzano & Pickering Connection (The Highly Engaged Classroom)
Can I do this?
Tracking & studying effort & preparation over time
As mentioned in engagement email three, providing examples of self-efficacy,
according to Marzano & Pickering, allows students to discuss and study firsthand
through correlating it with their effort and preparation [and, eventually, with
achievement]. Scale 5.4 might be used on a daily/weekly basis, for example, while
learning about geometry, number sense, literary elements, math facts, vocabulary,
rollerblading, habitats, self-portraits, recorders, etc.
Table 5.4: Scale for Effort and Preparation (Marzano & Pickering, p. 121)
Score 4.0

Im trying harder & preparing more than I think is necessary.

Score 3.0

Im trying hard enough & preparing well.

Score 2.0

Im trying hard but not preparing as well as I could.

Score 1.0

Im not trying very hard or preparing very well.

Score 0.0

Im not really trying or preparing at all.

Figure 5.4: Tracking Effort and Preparation (Marzano & Pickering, p. 122)

The purpose of having students track effort and preparation along with their
academic performance, as stated by Marzano & Pickering, is to heighten their
awareness about the connection between the two, enhancing their own sense of
self-efficacy (p. 122).
Your effective feedback can highlight, encourage and nurture a growth mindset.
Below are a few examples:
Your final project reflects the effort and preparation.
Based on your score, its clear that you prepared well for this test.
Your reading fluency is improving so quickly, you must be concentrating on the
decoding skills you learned last week.

Setting Goals
Jensen Connection (Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind)
Factor #5: Cognitive Capacity
Cognitive capacity is highly complex measured in many different ways
affected by socioeconomic status (SES)... studies show that low-SES children
perform below higher-SES children [on average] on tests of intelligence and

academic achievement and are more likely to fail courses, be placed in special
education, or drop out of high school The good news is that a brain that is
susceptible to adverse environmental effects is equally susceptible to
positive, enriching effects. IQ is not fixed we can influence academic
success [cognitive capacity] (p. 14-15).
Note: I took the liberty to add words in brackets which were not in the text as
written by Jensen.
Marzano & Pickering Connection (The Highly Engaged Classroom)
Can I do this?
Set Personal Academic Goals [One can also set social, emotional, and/or physical
goals as well]
Note: Again, I took the liberty to add words in brackets which were not in the text
as written by Marzano & Pickering.
According to Marzano & Pickering, setting personal academic [social, emotional,
and/or physical] goals for their individual progress and strategize how they would
accomplish their goals (p. 119). Please refer to Figure 5.3: Student goal-setting
form below.
Depending on the length of time needed for desired goals, you will want to follow
through on a consistent basis with How well Am I doing? Why? Maybe its daily,
every other day or weekly because it allows time for students to reflect and find
trends that might be supporting, or getting in the way of, their success.
Figure 5.3: Student goal-setting form
Name: _______________________________________________________
My goal: _____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
What will I do to accomplish my goal? ______________________________
____________________________________________________________
How well Am I doing? Why? _______________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Putting It All Together

Putting all the necessary resources together to make it less time intensive for you
to implement Can I do this? Use the link below to: 1) Make a copy of the google
document to make it your own; and/or, 2) Print the resources to make copies for
your students.
Jensen Connection (Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind)
Factor #4: Mind-Set
When it comes to success in school, mind-set is a crucial internal attitude for both
students and teachers. A students attitude about learning is a moderately robust
predictive factor of academic achievement Together, a student growth mind-set
and a positive attitude about their own learning capacity and a teachers support
focuses on growth and change student engagement and learning increases (p.
13).
Marzano & Pickering Connection (The Highly Engaged Classroom)
Can I do this?
How students answer the emblematic question Can I do this? very much defines
their sense of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is quite possibly the most important factor
affecting engagement If the students answer is no, most, if not all, engagement
is lost (p. 117)

You will find on:

Page 1 - Efficacy Trait Matrix
Page 2 - Scale for Effort and Preparation
Page 3 - Tracking Effort & Preparation Graph
Page 4 - Student Goal-Setting Form
Use this link to access Can I do this? Putting It All Together resource pages.
Thinking Map - Cause & Effect

The Thinking Map: Cause & Effect sums up Can I do this? well. Incorporating the map will give
students the opportunity to reflect on successes, strengths, setbacks and areas for growth
academically, socially, emotionally, behaviorally, and/or physically. With diligence and time,
the power of reflection will enable students to visually and cognitively begin to understand the
correlation between effort and preparation to the growth and effects of their actions and
performance. It might be beneficial to pre-assess and/or use baseline data to place emphasis
on growth rather than the result.
Jensen Connection (Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind)
Factor #4: Mind-Set (continued)
Gradually, with teacher support, students will begin to believe in themselves and in their
capacity to reach their goals and thus increase their own learning successes (p. 14).
Marzano & Pickering Connection (The Highly Engaged Classroom)
Can I do this?
If students are to meet any challenge, large or small, they must feel they have the ability to
succeed (p. 139).

Social Emotional Learning Standards

Here is an example of an SEL Standard that relates to previous student
engagement emails, and please notice the Early Childhood descriptor is about
building self-efficacy and promoting a growth mindset.
2D Students Demonstrate Ability to Set & Achieve Goals
I Can Set & Achieve Goals That Will Help Me to be Successful ...
2D Resources/Lessons
K-12 Essential Standards Checklist

Early
Childhood

Confidence - Development of knowing I am capable, I can experiment, I can make

mistakes, & I can move on

Early
Elementary

Identify a goal (wish, or dream)

Identify the steps needed to perform a routine task or accomplish a goal
Describe something they have accomplished

Late
Elementary

Describe why participating in their education is important in helping them achieve

personal goals
Describe the steps in setting & working toward goal achievement
Evaluate what they might have done differently to achieve greater success on a
recent goal
Distinguish between long term & short term goals

Middle School

Apply goal-setting skills to promote academic success

Set a positive social interaction goal
Demonstrate goal-setting skills relating to potential career paths

Early High
School

Monitor progress toward achieving a goal, & make adjustments in their plan as
needed
Identify outside resources that can help in achieving a goal
Set a positive academic goal

Late High
School

Set a post-secondary goal with action steps, timeframes, & criteria for evaluating
achievement
Demonstrate an understanding that goal setting promotes lifelong success

Questions to ponder:
How might I use the SEL Standards to support students?
Is it possible to include SEL Standards in future PLC Action Plans to support student
achievement and our goal?
Diverse Book Collection
Students are more engaged in books that they can relate to and see themselves.
This week's engagement strategy highlights Marzanos How Do I Feel? question by
providing a resource shared by the Marshall Memo for educators to find books that
feature diverse topics, content, and characters that reflect the diversity of the
students and the schools in which we work. Check out the website:
www.weneeddiversebooks.org/where-to-find-diverse-books
Where to Find Diverse Books in Educational Leadership, February 2016 (Vol. 73,
#5, p. 8)