MindShift at KQED

Guiding Students to Overcome Learned Helplessness New teachers can create an environment where students feel supported and understand that mistakes are part of the learning process.

Learned helplessness happens when students begin to believe that effort doesn’t matter—that no matter how hard they try, success won’t follow. @edutopia.org

www.edutopia.org/article/guid...

7 Pieces of Advice for New Teachers Focus on relationships with students and colleagues to make a good start to the year—and remember to ask for what you need.

"Focus on relationships with students and colleagues to make a good start to the year—and remember to ask for what you need." @edutopia.org

www.edutopia.org/article/advi...

Even Young Children Prefer People Who Act With Humility A new study suggests that children as young as five favor adults who express doubt when unsure rather than those who are overly confident.

A new study suggests that children as young as five favor adults who express doubt when unsure rather than those who are overly confident. @greatergoodedu.bsky.social

greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

Using Songs to Boost Literacy in Kindergarten Research-based strategies for supporting the development of reading and speaking skills, no instruments required.

By fostering the competencies required for literacy through musical activities, it is possible to equip young children with the foundational skills that will set them up for success in elementary school. @edutopia.org

www.edutopia.org/article/usin...

MindShift Podcast Podcast · KQED · It’s easy to see a child’s education as a path determined by grades, test scores and extra curricular activities. But genuine learning is about so much more than the points schools ta...

Speech and debate teach students to think critically, craft persuasive arguments and evaluate sources.

In S10 Ep2 of @MindShiftKQED, @NimahGobir steps into the world of speech and debate tournaments 👇
link.chtbl.com/bW4ctyia

Six Ways to Respond to Your Child’s Tantrum What’s really going on when your child throws a temper tantrum—and how should you respond?

Children co-regulate with their caregivers, meaning they borrow our calm when they can’t find their own. @greatergoodedu.bsky.social

greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

Finding Your Voice Isn't Just For Students. It's For Teachers, Too | KQED The Moth podcast resonated with teacher Jessica Lifshitz as a teaching tool because speaking in front of audience can be the pathway to finding community.

I am incredibly grateful to the folks at @kqednews.kqed.org and @mindshift-kqed.bsky.social for giving me a chance to share some of the work and writing that we did with our fifth graders this year.

www.kqed.org/mindshift/65...

MindShift Podcast It’s easy to see a child’s education as a path determined by grades, test scores and extra curricular activities. But genuine learning is about so much more than the points schools tally. MindShift ex...

Traditional writing prompts weren’t cutting it for 5th-grade teacher Jessica Lifshitz. Inspired by The Moth Radio Hour, she had students tell their stories instead.

In S10, Ep1 of @MindShiftKQED, hear how this transformed her classroom 🎙👇
link.chtbl.com/ch_fuSys

Can We Have Better Classroom Conversations in Challenging Times? Societal polarization has reached the classroom. But teaching students to share and listen to different perspectives is a critical skill for democracy.

One key skill for bridging in the classroom is the ability to not only consider but to understand another person’s point of view, also called perspective taking. @greatergoodedu.bsky.social

greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

Another Education Department Delay: Release of NAEP Science Scores | KQED But the administration relents on yanking data from researchers.

The repercussions from the decimation of staff at the Education Department keep coming. Last week, the fallout led to a delay in releasing results from a national science test.

www.kqed.org/mindshift/65...

5 Picture Books That Encourage Creativity in Kindergarten Paired with fun activities, these picture books help build skills like fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality.

"Paired with fun activities, these picture books help build skills like fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality." @edutopia.org

www.edutopia.org/article/enco...

How Can Subtle Language Shifts Unlock Student Potential? | KQED Subtle language shifts — like framing students as teachers, scientists, or writers — can boost confidence, encourage independence, and foster a growth mindset.

"Our job is to help children of whatever gender, race, and identity to construct productive and equitable narratives about the possibilities and implications of their choices."

www.kqed.org/mindshift/65...

How to Raise Kids in an Anxious, Chaotic World A new book explores strategies for child-rearing amid global violence, a warming world, social media overload, and other modern perils.

"A new book explores strategies for child-rearing amid global violence, a warming world, social media overload, and other modern perils." @greatergoodedu.bsky.social

greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

Reducing Math Negativity Teachers can facilitate positive learning experiences to help students develop favorable perceptions about their math skills.

With help in building positive emotional connections to math, your students will go from captives of math negativity to captains of their math minds. @edutopia.org

www.edutopia.org/article/redu...

What Middle Schoolers Can Teach Us About Empathy Empathy is a complex skill to learn and put into practice. We talked with middle schoolers about what it means to them.

With the right strategies and a supportive environment, schools can help empathy take root in ways that last. @greatergoodedu.bsky.social

What Middle Schoolers Can Teach Us About Empathy
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Dusting Off an Old Practice to Make Reading Fun Again | Cult of Pedagogy What's old is new again: This simple, effective strategy improves reading skills, increases reading stamina, and fosters a love of reading.

Over time, independent silent reading helps build fluency, expands vocabulary, and fosters a love of reading. @cultofpedagogy.bsky.social

www.cultofpedagogy.com/silent-readi...

Why Parental Stress Isn’t Just About the Parent Taking care of yourself as a parent isn't an indulgence; it has a substantial effect on the well-being of your children.

"In helping caretakers manage parenting stress, we can also enhance their children’s well-being, the adult they become, and the society that they ultimately help shape." @greatergoodedu.bsky.social

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Celebrating the Creative Process, Not Just the Final Product, With Journey Boards Teachers can help students build confidence in their work and community with their peers through journey boards.

Journey boards are living, ever-evolving spaces in the classroom where students document their artistic process. @edutopia.org

www.edutopia.org/article/cele...

Education Department Reinstates Some Research and Data Activities | KQED Trump administration lawyers admit some DOGE cuts violated congressional statutes

Even as Education Secretary Linda McMahon promises to dismantle her department, she is also bringing back some people and restarting some activities.

www.kqed.org/mindshift/65...

3 Strategies for Encouraging Dads’ Involvement in Schools | KQED Boosting dads' engagement in schools can improve student outcomes. A parenting coach shares strategies to involve fathers.

"We need dads to make a difference not just in school, but in our societies." - parenting coach Dion Chavis

www.kqed.org/mindshift/63...

Social Media, Earlier Puberty: How Parents Can Keep Up with Changing Environments | KQED Puberty can be an isolating experience. Knowing that everyone experiences puberty differently can help tweens feel supported during this confusing time.

The top four stressors that girls reported experiencing were school, grades, friendships and family issues.

www.kqed.org/mindshift/65...

Disability-sustaining pedagogy is an approach that goes beyond access to help students with disabilities take pride in who they are.

www.cultofpedagogy.com/disability-s...

How Are the Kids Recovering From the Pandemic? Three new books examine where U.S. COVID policy went wrong and how it has shaped children's lives and development.

For the youngest children, a raft of studies suggest lingering deficits in communication scores and other developmental delays, especially for high-risk groups. @greatergoodedu.bsky.social

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A Simple Way to Get Elementary Students Writing Every Day With this easy-to-adapt quick-write strategy, students steadily build their writing skills, a little at a time.

Using Stop-and-Jots, students can write for two to three minutes daily—and across all subjects—to gradually build their stamina and capacity for on-demand writing in response to open-ended prompts. @edutopia.org

www.edutopia.org/article/writ...

How Classroom Rituals Help Create Community Small practices, repeated regularly and with intentionality, can help students feel a sense of belonging at school.

By encouraging connectedness and valuable friendships in schools, educators can help improve children’s sense of self-worth. @greatergoodedu.bsky.social

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23 Ways to Quiet a Chaotic Middle School Class Teacher-tested attention-getting routines to help you quickly restore calm and focus to noisy middle school classrooms.

These verbal strategies, delivered with confidence and respect, work to quickly calm a rowdy classroom. @edutopia.org

www.edutopia.org/article/23-w...

Launching a PBL Unit With Preschool Students Take advantage of young students’ natural curiosity through project-based learning that invites them to generate questions they care about.

To kick off a project-based learning unit for pre-schoolers, teachers need a "driving question" and meaningful launch that invites children into the inquiry. @edutopia.org

www.edutopia.org/article/laun...

Teachers Are the Champions of Depth in a Culture of Distractions In classrooms across the country, something subtle but powerful is taking shape. Amidst the distractions, the surface-level shortcuts, and the pressure to speed everything up, I’ve seen students quiet...

Deeper focus, engagement, resilience, and mastery—learning that sticks and helps develop mindsets and skills to thrive in an unpredictable world.

spencereducation.com/teachers-are...

How Experiencing Wonder Helps Kids Learn | KQED Being in awe of something can prime kids for learning new things.

Gratitude to @mindshift-kqed.bsky.social for running an excerpt of my new book "Raising Awe-Seekers: How the Science of Wonder Helps Our Kids Thrive." #booksky

www.kqed.org/mindshift/65...

'Metacognitive Laziness': How AI Helps Students Offload Critical Thinking, Other Hard Work | KQED Two studies indicate students are using chatbots in a way that undermines what they learn.

The hope is that AI can improve learning through immediate feedback and personalized instruction. But studies show AI makes it easier for students not to learn.

www.kqed.org/mindshift/65...