Classroom Culture
Phase 3

"Look-Fors" During Observation
Remember: The most helpful part of the observation is not checking off items, but the conversations and reflections that happen after the visit.  

Beginning/ Developing

• Students are saying “I can’t do this” or “I am not good at this” when given a task that is challenging to them.
• Teacher feedback may focus on results and/or behavior of student.
• Failure is connected to effort and may be seen as negative.
• Grades and assessment scores may be emphasized as what defines success.
• Students are given few opportunities to improve their work.

Practicing/ Achieving

• Students are saying “this will take time and effort” and understand the power of “yet” when given a task that is challenging to them.
• Teacher feedback is based on effort, process, and strategies used by student.
• Failure is celebrated as an opportunity to grow.
• Success is measured through goal setting and reflection of effort.
• Student work shows evidence of continuous improvement.

Questions to Guide Observation 

• Is there evidence of visual reminders of growth mindset, effort, and failing forward?
• How does teacher/students talk about effort, success, and failure?
• Are students reflecting on the process of learning?
• How is failure celebrated?
• How are students celebrated for their effort?
  
• ​What routines, rituals, and/or protocols are used to help students persist, plan for what to do if they fail, access and advocate for support when they need it, and reflect on their work?
  

Resources

• Mindset Assessment Profile Tool:  This quick assessment from Mindset Works will help students understand their own mindset and data could be used for goal setting.
• Character Lab - Growth Mindset:  To help students develop character strengths, Character Lab has created Playbooks, which include videos, lesson plans, and worksheets that help students learn character-building strategies and beliefs.
• The Mindset Kit:  The Mindset Kit was created by The Project for Education Research that Scales (PERTS), a research center in the psychology department at Stanford University.
• Young Adult Novels that Teach Growth Mindset (Article):  A list of novels to use with middle school and high school freshmen when learning about growth mindset, grit,  and failing forward.
• Mindset by Carol Dweck
• Grit by Angela Duckworth
• The Power of Mindset: This video shares how a growth mindset impacts success.
• ​Resources for Teaching Growth Mindset: This webpage from Edutopia shares numerous resources for teachers in understanding and supporting students in developing Growth MIndset.

Growth Mindset, Coaching Tool
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Growth Mindset, Coaching Tool
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