We've reached the halfway point of our "First 10 Days" journey! In this episode, we explore how to make the invisible process of learning beautifully visible by launching your classroom's Growth Chain—a powerful tool for metacognition and shared growth.

Key Takeaways:

• For Making Learning Visible:

  • Understand the "Growth Chain" as a tangible, visual representation of individual and collective learning journeys.

  • Learn why giving students a visible way to track their growth boosts engagement and self-awareness.

  • Discover how to explain and model the creation of a concise, personal reflection link for the chain.

• For Fostering a Growth Mindset (Connection to John Hattie):

  • Explore how the Growth Chain directly taps into John Hattie's Visible Learning research, specifically:

    • Metacognitive Strategies: Students actively think about their own thinking and learning.

    • Formative Evaluation/Assessment: Each link serves as an ongoing self-assessment of progress.

    • Self-Reported Grades / Student Expectations: Seeing tangible growth significantly boosts self-efficacy.

    • Feedback: The chain provides continuous self-feedback and collective feedback.

  • Understand how this activity reinforces that "Growth is not an automatic process. It's a choice." (John C. Maxwell).

• For Building Community & Affirmation:

  • Learn tips for flexible expression (writing, drawing, symbols) to accommodate diverse learners.

  • Discover how adding links to the growing chain creates a powerful, visible symbol of shared progress and collective development.

In this episode, I mention:

• The "First 10 Days: Building a Welcoming and Respectful Classroom of Belonging" Resource Bundle: Your comprehensive guide with 10 days of intentional lesson plans and activities.

• FREE Day 1 Lesson Plan & Materials: Get a taste of the full bundle! Includes the "I Am..." template, "Norms of Engagement" chart, and the "Self, Peers, World" exit ticket.

• Growth Chain Paper Strips: Pre-cut strips for student reflections.

• Growth Chain Prompt Cards: 12 different ideas to inspire student reflections.

• John C. Maxwell and John Hattie's Visible Learning research.

• Download your FREE Day 1 Lesson Plan here: customteachingsolutions.com/btsfree

• Explore the full "First 10 Days" Resource Bundle here: customteachingsolutions.com/btsbundle

  Teacher Reflection Questions:

• How can I consistently integrate opportunities for students to reflect on their own growth?

• What specific prompts will best encourage metacognition in my students?

• How can I use the visible Growth Chain to celebrate individual and collective progress in my classroom?

• How might seeing their own growth impact my students' self-efficacy and motivation throughout the year?

  STAY CONNECTED:

• Email: [email protected]

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cts-custom-teaching-solutions/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iteachcustom/

• Website: https://customteachingsolutions.com

Don't miss out on making this school year your most belonging-centered one yet!