This past week during our Positive Education Focus with the children, we read the book “It Looks like Spilt Milk” by Charles G. Shaw. The story is about how sometimes clouds look like squirrels, an ice cream cone, an angel, a tree, and so on. We then had the children create their own “cloud” by using blue construction paper and white paint. Then with assistance from a teacher, they folded the construction paper in half. The child informed the teacher of what their “cloud” looked like.
The older children watched a video that explained constellations in the sky (https://youtu.be/1sZ15SUeS9w) and they then used a GoZen worksheet to connect the dots and create their own constellation!
The meaning of these activities is to teach children that people perceive things differently. One might see a cloud as a shark while another person sees the cloud as a rabbit. Same goes for the constellation Art work. These activities helps children understand that while one person sees something differently, that’s ok and does not mean they are wrong. It just means we see things differently/have a different perspective.
Perspective goes hand in hand with a growth mindset as we are focusing on Growth Mindset versus Fixed Mindset this month. The definition of a Growth Mindset believes in the power of your brain! We know our intellect and abilities develop when we try difficult things, use the right strategies, and don’t give up! A Growth Mindset is when we know, with practice, we will get better at something. Growth mindset people are open-minded people.
We encourage you and your family to read the Cloud story as well as clicking on the YouTube link above. After the stories, you and your family can go outside, look at the clouds during the day and stars at night then ask each other what they see.
Change your words = Change your Mindset!
Instead of saying (Fixed Mindset): = Try Saying (Growth Mindset):
I give up. = I’ll use a different strategy!
This is too hard. = I can do hard things!
I quit. I’m done. = I won’t give up!
What a horrible mistake. = Mistakes help me grow!
This is good enough. = I want to do my best work!
I can’t make this any better. = There’s always room for improvement!
Plan A didn’t work. = No worries, there are 25 other letters!
Be sure to come back next week as we discuss more Growth Mindset versus Fixed Mindset, Stress, and Worry!
