Kindergarten Resources
You can check out this space for articles, websites and other resources related to kindergarten, teaching, and learning. Hopefully this will also give you a little insight into my philosophy and view on teaching and education. I should admit that I love TED talks.
One of my main goals as an educator is to create life long learners and students who will be successful as adults. The following TED talk focuses on GRIT. Students need stamina, passion, patience and the ability to persevere in order to be successful in life.
http://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_the_key_to_success_grit
The previous TED talk also mentions the growth mindset. This is the believe that intelligence can grow and change. Failure is not permanent. Here is more information on the growth mindset.
http://mindsetonline.com/whatisit/about/
Here is another article on the growth mindset: https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/95208400815/the-learning-myth-why-ill-never-tell-my-son-hes
Tony Wagner, a former teacher, has focused on what makes schools and students successful. In the following TED talk he identifies these 7 characteristics necessary for success.
1. critical thinking and problem solving
2. collaboration across networks
3. agility and adaptability
4. initiative and entrepreneurship
5. clear oral and written communication
6. ability to access and analyze information
7. curiosity and imagination
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvDjh4l-VHo
In this link focuses on how to create kind and caring students.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2014/07/18/are-you-raising-nice-kids-a-harvard-psychologist-gives-5-ways-to-raise-them-to-be-kind/
Making Caring Common http://sites.gse.harvard.edu/making-caring-common
Recently found this great article about asking your child about school!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/liz-evans/25-ways-to-ask-your-kids-so-how-was-school-today-without-asking-them-so-how-was-school-today_b_5738338.html
Here are some wonderful TED Talks about vulnerability and shame:
You might be wondering what these have to do with kindergarten... well... research shows that in order for our children to be able to deal with these emotions, we as adults have to be able to do it! Kinders might not struggle with shame or vulnerability yet, but it is something that we tend to avoid discussing as adults and is necessary aspect of living a wholehearted life.
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame?language=en
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability
Here is Brene Brown's Parenting Manifesto
http://brenebrown.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DaringGreatly-ParentingManifesto-dark-8x10.pdf