3 Classroom Buzzwords for 2016
Buzzwords in education
Why would you need to waste your time with 100 buzzwords in education when all you need are 3? Anybody who needs to update themselves with the latest developments in educational buzzwords for 2016 needs to get a good clear understanding of these terms:
- Mastery
- Growth-mindset
- Fixed-mindset
Mastery
This is when students/children learn a specific skill to a very high degree of proficiency. I recently had a lesson observation in which I made the children convert data from a Venn diagram into a Carroll diagram. In order to successfully do this children would have to have a profound understanding of Venn/Carroll diagrams in order to complete this task. Moreover, they would have to have a solid understanding of all the criteria and its associated implications. The department for education now wants children to deepen their understanding and engage more in critical thinking; which I personally feel is much better than, ‘Jack of all trades, master of none.’
Refer to blooms taxonomy to help you plan lessons which will push children towards mastery.
This diagram helps to clarify the concept of mastery in the national curriculum:
Growth vs Fixed Mindset
Dweck’s definition of fixed and growth mindsets from a 2012 interview:
“In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that’s that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.”
100 Buzzwords in education
Don’t waste your time on 100 buzzwords in education; learn these 3 really well. Spend just 10 minutes and watch this fantastic video by Carol Dweck, we are moving towards a star trek future where children will be completing calculus before leaving primary school.