When I am doing things like sightword recognition or addition sentences,
I circle or star the ones they got correct instead of marking the ones they didn’t get or got wrong. I think it helps them focus on what was right. Glass half full type of thinking. #teaxhered #growthmindset

This isn’t a bug problem in kindergarten since we do more benchmark testing than say a unit test. But I like to give them a chance to show what they know and do a lot of visual data tracking (color the gumballs of sight words as they learn them to show the machine filling up) so they can see growth

I fine tune by allowing the kindergartens to “show what they know” that gives them all a base line to grow from. Then they are only competing with themselves and they can see that growth.

She is doing a show at a local theater but I’m not allowed to tell anyone. Even though she has a lead role. She’s thinking about joining drama club next year at school and I’m really encouraging her to do it. Just be yourself!

That’s tough. My high schooler loves music theater. And she’s good at it. She won’t do it in high school through because she is afraid of people making fun of her.

I am lucky to be starting with 5 year olds who don’t normally have a fixed mindset yet. I celebrate a lot. I always tell them they can do it. I point out my own mistakes so they know that sometimes I don’t get it right the first time but I try until I do. I think it helps to see me struggle a bit.

I love the power of yet. I teach kindergarten and they say they can’t do a lot of things. And a lot of times they may be right. But I always tell them yet and a lot of times I’m also right and they do get it! #teachered #growthmondset

Dani Thomas, Kindergarten - General Ed.

#TeacherEd #SpEd For me I find the inconsistency in how behavior plans are carried out across different settings to be a problem and also reported back to me as the teacher. If there is an issue at lunch, I hate finding out about it later from a parent instead of hearing it when it happened.

#TeacherEd #SpEd I have a lot of students that like to speak on behalf of other students. I use this to teach them to advocate for themselves. It’s good to have them watching out for each other, but I want them all to know it is ok to have their own voice and to use it to help themselves.

#TeacherEd #SpEd #kindergarten I celebrate everything I can. I make a big deal out of everything I can. Teaching kindergarten gives me the chance to really help make my new learners love school and learning. Half my job is getting them to buy into this place they will spend the next 13 years.

#TeacherEd #SpEd I have a basket of fidgets my students can choose from. I start with explaining that they are tools and not toys and any misuse will cause the fidget to go back into the basket. The fidgets seem to work pretty well, but as with anything, can sometimes be a distraction.

I teach kindergarten so I feel lucky that my kiddos don’t usually have any preconceived notions of what their peers should be like so they don’t really notice. I have seen that very thing in higher grades though.

#TeacherEd #SpEd I teach kindergarten so I get to start fresh with building an inclusive environment and helping build friendships, acceptance, and tolerance with my typical students and SWD. I love pairing different abilities together to help each student feel successful and included.

Who is “we?!” I am not “we.” I didn’t do this.

Yes.