PASSIONATE TEACHERS

PASSIONATE LEARNERS

PASSIONATE SCHOOLS

WHY NOT?

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Friday, June 08, 2007

Summer Reading List 2007


While Charlie Sleeps' Kick Ass Summer Reading List

The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem
Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon
The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
Operation Wandering Soul by Richard Powers
Veronica by Mary Gaitskill
What is the What by Dave Eggers
Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
Mating by Norman Rush
Billy by Albert French
Interpreter of Maladies by Jumpa Lahiri
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safour Foer
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

While Charlie Sleeps' Summer Reading Assignment

Post summaries, quotes, and questions using
twitter for every ten pages read. Be sure to leave your rss feed in the comments section so that progress can be monitored.

Monday, June 04, 2007

The Importance of Praise




Educators know that general praise sucks the growth out of children. Repeatedly telling children the are wonderful kills their development. Keep praise specific, and always praise action and effort. In fact, praising the action makes criticism and growth a possibility(Cimpian, 2007).

Review

Not "You are a great writer," but, "You wrote a very powerful essay."

Not, "You are a good hitter," but, "You did a great job keeping your head down and following through when you hit the ball."

How to Praise

Keep it simple, praise effort. If your kid is successful, point out the effort behind the task and reward it accordingly. Coaches do this all the time when they start the kid who worked the hardest in practice. Teachers should do it too because students don’t get anywhere with genius alone. Since work ethic and character are critical to success, it makes sense to grade on both quality and effort. That’s right reward the kid who busts his ass.


Related:
Got Grit?

What Teachers Make

Taylor Mali gets it right. Anyone who has ever taught will get it too.