Using Frequent and Specific Feedback to help Students Craft Goals that Develop Academic Mindsets

Using Frequent and Specific Feedback to help kids craft goals that develop academic mindsets Crew-Advisor Period Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Helping students develop systems and habits that translate to success • Weekly goal-setting for academic performance. • Frequent and specific teacher feedback on how to write goals that translate into action (learning strategies). Also coaching on academic mindset messaging. • Weekly student-reflection on progress and how/if the specific action tried led to reaching their goal of academic success. • Email format makes it more conversational and conducive to reflection.

Using Goal-Setting in CREW (academic advisement) to develop Learning Strategies Farrington, C. A., Roderick, M., Allensworth, E., Nagaoka, J., Keyes, T. S., Johnson, D. W., & Beechum, N. O. (2012). Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners: The Role of Noncognitive Factors in Shaping School Performance--A Critical Literature Review. Consortium on Chicago School Research. 1313 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

A typical weekly goal-setting email

Learning to write goals - Brooke 9/17/2013 Math: Looks good to. I think the grade is fine but i could start paying more attention anyways 10/3/2013 Math: I missed the revision for a math tests that i didnt do amazing on and i cant bring my grade up right now. I will try to do really good on the test that helps bring up our grade. 11/14/2013 Math: I have a 3.1 and I cant revise anything but tomorrow I will work really hard on my blow up Barbie assignment so I can raise my grade.

12/3/13 Math: 3.0 I am going to take that test on Thursday that will help us revise all the tests we didn't do good on and study for that 10 minutes every night. I’m also starting to work with Ellie is class because she is always focused. 2/18/14 In Geography I have a 2.9. To improve my academic performance in this class I'm going to try to make a quality rhythm about Andrew Jackson on Wednesday. I'll know I have met my goal if I am proud of it. I'll know that I have met my goal by Thursday and I will measure it by how well I think I did on it.

Reflecting on results Michael Kevin, Last week I set goals for three of my classes including bringing more food to stay alert, revising work, and talking with my teacher one-on-one. In Algebra I said I would talk to Lee about how I can change my grade for the better. I did this and my grade now stands higher than it was when I set these goals. In Science I set out to revise the meiosis poster and study each night, which I did. Because I did this my grade came from a C to a B. And in English I found that I would be hungry and distracted because of it, so I set to bring food to eat to gain concentration, and when I did my grade became an A and I could focus better. When I decided I'd do these things I did not think the changes would be so obvious, but they were, and I'm glad for it. Michael

hi Kevin, Providing Frequent and Specific Feedback Ellie science. In science i am doing very well although i have to turn in the cheek cell lab witch i h ave done but has not been graded.I also have to talk to kevi about my science notation practice and have to turn in organelle research which i have done but has not been graded.--Very specific actions here. Awesome! Math. i have a 3.3 in math so i doing well but i did get a three on my snapshot so that made me a 3.3 but i will study my homework after i do next time to make my grade better.--great plan, but I want to encourage you to think about the learning and let the grades follow  For example, a different way to end that sentence might be…"I will study my homework after I do next time to make sure I am hitting the target." geography. i have an a in geography but i am expecting to be challenged by the geography test on Friday so i am good shape there.—I love the growth mindset language here, and that you are excited about challenge. This is a trait that will serve you well Ms. Ellie! English. i have a b in English but i am revising something so that will make that better.—What is it? What does revision look like in that regard? Ellie

From Learning Strategy to Mindset Toby Dear Kevin, Non-academic wise I think I did pretty good last year, but there was some struggle. Outside of school I have been trying to learn Java, but I have been playing a lot of video games that distract me and make me not want to do it. This made it hard and I have not learned much at all. This semester I would like to program at least 15 minutes a day to keep all of the code in my head and not just let it float away. To meet this goal I am going to leave a sticky note on my PC desktop that says "Did you program for those 15 minutes?". This should help me remember to get to it before I go any play games. I think only I can help my self meet this goal because it is my choice to learn Java and no one is forcing it upon me. I am doing it because I like to and I just want to make sure I keep at it.