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Preparing Your Child for Success!
A large part of the Birchwood School of Hawken philosophy and program involves teaching children personal responsibility. In the early years, it is critical that we work together with parents in forming habits that nurture success. Children who come prepared for class are prepared to succeed. Being unprepared not only wastes valuable class time but tends to affect a student’s overall performance. Working together, we can ensure that your child gets the most out of each class and is not hampered by a lack of preparation. Please see the link below (Student Responsibilities PDF) for how to help your child be prepared for class each day.
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Not Good at Math? Read On...
Matt Waite is a journalist who believed, like many young people and adults, that he was just not "good at math." In college he chose a profession that allowed him to avoid all but the most basic math classes. However, much later in life, he purposely chose to pursue an MBA--and face his deep-seated fears.
The article below was linked because it can be informative and interesting (perhaps even inspiring!) to students and parents alike. Matt doesn't pull any punches when he concludes, "The difference between being good at math and bad at math is hard work. It's trying. It's trying hard. It's trying harder than you've ever tried before."
Children who struggle with math don't like to be told that success requires hard work. It may require them to work harder than their peers--extra time, extra practice, maybe even tutoring. If your child struggles with math, please take a moment to share Matt's story with them. It just might make a difference.
How I Faced My Fears and Learned to be Good at Math by Matt Waite
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If you're looking for a great read, check out the book, Mindset, by Carol Dweck, PhD. She is a professor at Stanford University and has done extensive research on intelligence and learning. In Mindset, Dr. Dweck contrasts two opposing attitudes that individuals have about the nature of achievement . The first, which she refers to as the "fixed" mindset, believes that intelligence is determined from birth and that achievement is a natural result of that innate ability. Failure, to the fixed mindset, is proof that one is just not "good at" whatever task is at hand. The second view, which she calls the "growth" mindset, sees success as a result effort and continual learning, despite how much innate ability one actually possesses. A person with a growth mindset is not afraid of failure. Rather, it is seen as evidence that more learning in needed. Individuals with a "growth" mindset see the value of effort and learning and attribute success to these virtues, rather than merely to innate ability.
Here is a short video in which Dr. Dweck explains these mindsets in her own words.
And here is Dr. Dweck with a typical response from someone with a "growth mindset." Gotta love it!
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Another well-known educator, Mr. Salman Khan, creator of Khan Academy, posted an article entitled, "The Learning Myth: Why I'll Never Tell My Son He's Smart." The article reaffirms the necessity of a "growth mindset" in learning. The article can be found here.
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How to Build a Better Brain
Advances in technology have allowed brain researchers to discover things new things about how our brain works as well as helping to debunk some of the assumptions that were once taken for granted. In the following Ted Talk, Dr. Lara Boyd describes how neuroplasticity gives you the power to shape the brain you want. She also sheds light on the importance of practice, persistence, and patience while going through the learning process. Click the link below to watch.
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