My McTeachin' Toolbox

Check out my learning manifesto!  These beliefs are at the core of every teaching decision and action I take.  Feel free to share your own philosophy of teaching in the comments below. “We are guilty of many errors and many faults, But our worst crime is abandoning the children, Neglecting the fountain of life. Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, His blood is being made, And his senses are being developed. To him we cannot answer ‘Tomorrow.’  – “His Name Is Today”. Without Audio: https://prezi.com/view/EujKQcUKKCi3NUYIwsHp/ To the child we cannot answer "Tomorrow".   The child's name is "Today".

But what if we used our brainpower to challenge our minds even further, to have complete control over what happens to us on a daily basis, and to do all this for the betterment of our mind, heart, soul, and body? After a LOT of reading and studying the words of Dr. Carol Dweck on growth mindset, I have come to the conclusion that having a growth mindset within the classroom is essential - not only for the well-being of the students, but for the teacher as well.  Growth mindset is such a powerful tool in controlling personal experiences and challenges.  In the course of a day, so many occurrences take place that are beyond a person's control.  For example, a child throwing a temper tantrum, a staff member calling in sick, a student in a bad mood, a reckless driver running a neighborhood stop sign, and on and on and on.  These are what we refer to as "uncontrollable's" - the happenings in life that you cannot predict, go back in time and change, or have any say over....