Interesting Summer Reading-Listening for 2024

Often during the school year it is hard to find the time and quiet to do professional close-reading, especially when you need to focus and concentrate. I would offer these recent articles and podcasts are deep but rich. Set aside time to dig in and enjoy:

Articles:

How mastery-based learning helps every student succeed
https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/how-mastery-based-learning-helps-every-student-succeed/
A great summary of the goals of personalized/customized/mastery learning, including what it looks like in the classroom.

Metacognition in the Classroom: What it Looks Like and How to Foster It
https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2024/5/23-1
Learning Scientists always provide solid material, and this guest post on their blog about metacognition provides practical tips for implementation within the classroom. There is a reference to spaced practice, so if you are unfamiliar with the concept, take a look at these resources: Blog | Materials | Podcast on Spaced Practice | Podcast on Research of Spaced Practice.

Podcasts:

Interview: Growth Mindset with Mary Murphy
https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/innovation-2-0-multiplying-the-growth-mindset/

Carol Dweck’s book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success a decade ago was a milestone for many educators. This interview with Mary C Murphy provides a richer depth of current thinking on growth mindset. I particularly enjoyed the shift of emphasis from individual thinking to the culture surrounding the individual. Here are some highlights:

• 18:30+ Explanation of differences of fixed vs growth mindset.
• Pay particular attention to 33:00+. This researcher rethinks mindset from an individual issue to a culture issue surrounding the individual, particularly the “culture of genius” predominant in American society.
• Pay attention to 42:40+ students report on messages from teachers that enhanced their growth mindset.

If you are new to growth mindset, you may want to read Carol Dweck’s article that is a great introduction to understanding growth vs fixed mindset.

Interview: Observations and Advice on Children and Teens from Leading Researcher Ellen Galinsky
https://www.greymatter.show/episodes/s1e83-observations-and-advice-on-children-and-teens-from-leading-researcher-ellen-galinsky
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnAgbrjRRzs&t=2s
This is an excellent interview where she talks about misconceptions we have about developing brains and ties to Self Determination Theory on motivation. Here are some highlights:

• Pay attention 4:30+ she talks about “learning to be brave” and about teaching them decision-making with autonomy support.
• Pay attention to 22:20+ (and 49:05+) on importance of promoting executive function skills with learners thriving.
• 29:25 autonomy, competence, relatedness helps learners
• 41:30 how teenagers are affected by community

Interview: Thinking Maps for Project-Based Learning: Visual Tools for Deeper Learning
https://wegrowteachers.com/thinking-maps-project-based-learning/
Here is interesting conversation about the ways in which thinking maps can be used in project-based learning, including some of the instructional moves that one might make to leverage the thinking maps. They emphasized empathy and perspective taking and the ways in which thinking maps can foster that and social-emotional learning, as well as the ways in which teachers can foster autonomy in choosing which maps. I’m still absorbing this one…

Resources

Dweck, C. (2018, March 2). Mindsets and equitable education – Carol Dweck. https://www.inflexion.org/mind-sets-and-equitable-education/

Innovation 2.0: Multiplying the growth mindset. Hidden Brain Media. (2024, May 14). https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/innovation-2-0-multiplying-the-growth-mindset/

Observations and Advice on Children and Teens from Leading Researcher Ellen Galinsky. Grey Matter with Michael Krasny. (2024, June 4). https://www.greymatter.show/episodes/s1e83-observations-and-advice-on-children-and-teens-from-leading-researcher-ellen-galinsky

Thinking maps for project-based learning: Visual tools for deeper learning. ThoughtStretchers Education. (2024, May 15). https://wegrowteachers.com/thinking-maps-project-based-learning/

Tierney, L. (2024, May 24). Metacognition in the classroom: What it looks like and how to foster it. The Learning Scientists. https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2024/5/23-1

Toner , M. (2024, May 5). How mastery-based learning helps every student succeed. Parenting. https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/how-mastery-based-learning-helps-every-student-succeed/