(1) Celebrating our Students' Good Writing is an article that all teachers should read and put into action as we improve how we incorporate writing in all subject areas.
"Many teachers assign writing, skipping over the needed
practice, and are disappointed when students fail to rise to
expectations."
Instead, the article suggests students will be less reluctant to write when the subjects are familiar. Students perform better when they write about what they know.
(2) In this article titled, Fostering Curiosity, Here, There, and Everywhere,
John Barell tells the
story of nuclear physicist Isidore I. Rabi. Everyday after school, his mother would ask, ‘Did
you ask a good question today?’ This one
question he credits to his love of science.
“Fostering curiosity leads to exploration, engagement, positive
self-assessments, self-determination and belief that goals are attainable.” - John Barell
(3) Creating a Culture of Can is a great piece that provides three
strategies to developing a foundation for a culture of ‘can.’
We've (hopefully) moved
beyond strict "academics" where the teacher dictates the goals,
domain and "end game" terms, and moved to a place that's truly
learner-centered, a place where students won't make superficial decisions that
barely alter the course of learning, but rather establish their own reasons to
learn, their own standards for quality and their own metrics for success. - Terry Heick
