Taking a Life-Skills Approach to Teaching and Learning

Family Development Program A Center for Excellence in Early Learning Taking a Life-Skills Approach to Teaching and Learning Mind in the Making and the Common Core State Standards Linda M. Paul, Ed.D., Executive Director, New Mexico School Leadership Institute Lois Vermilya, Director, Family Development Program: A Center for Excellence in Early Learning As states and districts across the country implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), there are important implications for the early childhood community, especially because the rigor embedded in the CCSS differs significantly from many current state standards. The Seven Essential Life Skills identified in Mind in the Making (MITM) are a developmentally appropriate approach to early childhood education that will help all children become successful in the CCSS. As we look to increase the depth of knowledge we expect of our children throughout school, states must focus on children before they enter school and must continue to promote these skills in children as they grow. The Seven Essential Skills identified in Mind in the Making can be the cornerstone of applying the CCSS to teaching and learning. Mind in the Making Seven Essential Life Skills

COMMON CORE: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS MAJOR SHIFTS IN PRACTICE Read as Much Nonfiction as Fiction Learn About the World by Reading Read More Complex Material Carefully Discuss Reading Using Evidence Write from Sources Use Academic Vocabulary COMMON CORE: MATH MAJOR SHIFTS IN PRACTICE Focus Standards Learn More About Less Skills Across Grades Adding-Subtracting Fluency Acquire Speed and Accuracy Deep Understanding Know It Do It Application Apply to Real World Think Fast Solve Problems Adapted from EngageNY.org MIND IN THE MAKING SEVEN ESSENTIAL LIFE SKILLS SKILL 1: Focus and Self Control SKILL 2: Perspective Taking SKILL 3: Communicating SKILL 4: Making Connections SKILL 5: Critical Thinking SKILL 6: Taking On Challenges SKILL 7: Self Directed and Engaged Learning Taken from Ellen Galinsky, Mind in the Making: The Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, Harperstudio: 2010

MIND IN THE MAKING Supports Implementation of COMMON CORE Mind in the Making Common Core Essential Life Skills Provide a Foundation for Children s Learning Critical Teaching + Learning Strategies of Common Core that the Essential Skills Support SKILL 1: FOCUS AND SELF CONTROL Goal-oriented Self regulation Persistence staying on task Holding more than one idea in mind SKILL 2: PERSPECTIVE TAKING Look for more information Problem-solving techniques Inquiry into others thoughts and feelings Positive adjustment to new situations Resiliency and social/emotional well-being SKILL 3: COMMUNICATING Answer predictive or reflective questions Connect visual with verbal information Frequent opportunities to read and write Examine communication for effectiveness Have rich and meaningful conversations SKILL 4: MAKING CONNECTIONS Categorize Make meaning Make unusual connections Foster creativity SKILL 5: CRITICAL THINKING Determine valid/reliable information Create and test theories Examine cause and effect Solve dilemmas and conundrums Use scientific thinking Apply inquiry process to new data sets SKILL 6: TAKING ON CHALLENGES Stretch and scaffold learning Examine alternatives Develop growth mindset Disciplined practice and stamina SKILL 7 SELF DIRECTED, ENGAGED LEARNING Observational learning Effort not intelligence Social-emotional-intellectual intertwined Extend thinking Practice, synthesize and generalize Explain what learning How can we use the seven essential skills to support shifts in practice for children s success with the Common Core?

ELA COMMON CORE supported by MITM ESSENTIAL LIFE SKILLS: PreK K COMMON CORE SHIFTS IN PRACTICE SHIFT 1 Read As Much Nonfiction As Fiction SHIFT 2 Learn About The World By Reading MIND IN THE MAKING SEVEN ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOCUS AND SELF CONTROL: Create time to fully explore and stay with children s interests CRITICAL THINKING: Investigate children s ideas and interests with evidence SELF-DIRECTED, ENGAGED LEARNING: Support children s inquiry with both non-fiction and fiction books COMMUNICATING: Have meaningful discussions about ideas and how things work PERSPECTIVE TAKING: Explore differing viewpoints and evidence CRITICAL THINKING: Investigate multiple resources to determine what and how information is valid and reliable MAKING CONNECTIONS: Connect evidence and ideas to learning about the world SHIFT 3 Read More Complex Material Carefully TAKING ON CHALLENGES: Promote a growth mindset, praising effort not intelligence, while building discipline and stamina CRITICAL THINKING: Explore children s questions and theories SELF DIRECTED, ENGAGED LEARNING: Make time for extended inquiry and investigation SHIFT 4 Discuss Reading Using Evidence PERSPECTIVE TAKING: Explore different points of view and how the same evidence can support different perspectives MAKING CONNECTIONS: Make time for extended investigations where hands-on research can discover unusual connections and be tied to informational texts CRITICAL THINKING: Support children to develop their own questions with greater complexity SHIFT 5 Write from Sources FOCUS AND SELF CONTROL: Document children s ideas and theories through multiple modes of communication that require persistence and staying on task COMMUNICATING: Help children determine what needs to be communicated and how to communicate it MAKING CONNECTIONS: Connect children s ideas expressed through art, dramatic play and other media to the written word SHIFT 6 Use Academic Vocabulary COMMUNICATING: Stretch children s interests with big words and challenging concepts MAKING CONNECTIONS: Explore new words, ideas and concepts to make unusual connections with pictures, project investigations and hands-on experiences SELF DIRECTED AND ENGAGED LEARNING: Make language and the power of words a fun world that can be investigated and uncovered

MATH COMMON CORE supported by MITM ESSENTIAL LIFE SKILLS: PreK-K COMMON CORE SHIFTS IN PRACTICE SHIFT 1 Focus Standards Learn More About Less SHIFT 2 Skills Across Grade Adding Subtracting SHIFT 3 Fluency Acquire Speed and Accuracy SHIFT 4 Deep Understanding Know It Do It MIND IN THE MAKING SEVEN ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOCUS AND SELF CONTROL: Practice math skills through variety of methods that include games, manipulatives and other hands-on learning that can reinforce skills MAKING CONNECTIONS: Have children categorize things to practice adding and subtracting TAKING ON CHALLENGES: Praise children s persistence and effort to acquire math skills that build on prior knowledge and work SELF DIRECTED, ENGAGED LEARNING: Help children set and measure their math goals FOCUS AND SELF CONTROL: Reinforce learning strategies where students are persistent and fully engaged TAKING ON CHALLENGES: Praise children for their efforts to take on new math challenges MAKING CONNECTIONS: Offer opportunities for children to creatively explore mathematical thinking in problems they are wanting to solve COMMUNICATING: Have rich conversations with children about their mathematical thinking CRITICAL THINKING: Encourage real life problem-solving using math skills that are connected to children s questions and research SHIFT 5 Application Apply To Real World ALL SEVEN SKILLS SELF DIRECTED AND ENGAGED LEARNING: Follow children s lead to tie Math and English Language Arts to their interests Encourage children to dig deeper into what really interests them, giving them time to explore their questions and results Have rich and meaningful conversations with children about what they have learned so that they can explain their discoveries to you SHIFT 6 Think Fast Solve Problems FOCUS AND SELF CONTROL: Support children s abilities to pay attention, think flexibly and remember the rules COMMUNICATING: Discuss with children how practicing their math skills can become faster by making speed and problem solving fun MAKING CONNECTIONS: Observe unusual connections children make to solve problems worth solving CRITICAL THINKING: Encourage children to find valid and reliable ways to apply math to the real world TAKING ON CHALLENGES: Promote a growth mind set in children to tackle speed and math problems SELF DIRECTED AND ENGAGED LEARNING: Find ways to engage children socially, emotionally and intellectually with real-life math

The PROMISE and OPPORTUNITY As districts implement the Common Core, there are great implications for building a strong early childhood foundation to ensure success. The rigor embedded in the CCSS differs significantly from current state standards. Therefore all children will need rich social, emotional and cognitive development to be successful with the CCSS. As we look to increase the depth of knowledge we expect of our high school graduates, we must consider a birth through graduation approach to developing the minds and capacity of all our students. The Common Core supported by Mind in the Making life skills challenges us to Integrate CONTENT + SKILLS to develop self directed, engaged learners Engage children in SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL and INTELLECTUAL LEARNING Promote a GROWTH MINDSET that encourages children s effort to take on challenges, and see mistakes as opportunities to learn Provide time for EXTENDED PROJECTS and CHILD-LED INQUIRY where real life problems are investigated, documented and discussed Have RICH CONVERSATIONS WITH CHILDREN that explore their questions, theories, evidence and perspectives Both the Common Core and Mind in the Making see children as strong, capable, and engaged learners. The power of the Common Core State Standards is the opportunity for all adults to learn with and from each other, since the work ahead is new to us all. Principals, teachers and parents, along with educators in early learning, need to look for opportunities and resources to meet, share ideas and explore ways to assure social, emotional and intellectual learning for all young children.

IT WILL TAKE ALL OF US Sample Co-Learning Matrix Developed for Principals Teachers Parents