Van Andel Institute for Education Growth Mindset Archives

20 May 2022

Celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month Together

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Tagsauthenticity, classroom culture, connection, culture and climate, education, Growth Mindset, relevance, Ryan Duncan, strategies

School can be a busy place. There are lessons to be taught, homework to be graded, tests to take, and a myriad...

13 May 2022

Engaging Students in Scientific Inquiry

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Tagscuriosity, education, Growth Mindset, instruction, relevance, strategies, student choice, student engagement, teaching profession, Terra Tarango

What makes a good scientist? I asked this question of more than 20 biomedical researchers at the Van Andel Institute and you...

11 May 2022

How Nature Inspires a Sense of Wonder

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Tags21st century skills, classroom management, creativity, critical thinking, education, Growth Mindset, Jamie MacPherson, lesson planning, strategies, teaching profession

Yesterday was beautiful. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and I could finally begin to feel the weight of winter...

9 May 2022

The Power of Play

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Tags21st century skills, classroom culture, creativity, education, Growth Mindset, Jamie MacPherson, strategies, student engagement, teaching profession, Terra Tarango

One of the biggest challenges teachers often face is trying to balance age-appropriate academic rigor with the need for kids to just...

6 May 2022

Keep Learning Weird

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Tags21st century skills, Ben Talsma, Blue Apple, classroom culture, creativity, education, Growth Mindset, inspiration, student engagement

The secretary was a little nervous, I could tell. A strange man was hobbling up the stairs. His shirt was torn. He...

4 May 2022

A Lesson from the Flowers

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Tagsclassroom culture, creativity, critical thinking, curiosity, education, Growth Mindset, perseverance, strategies, teaching profession, Terra Tarango

On a drive through central Texas recently, I admired the colorful splashes of wildflowers along the highways. I couldn’t help but think...

27 Apr 2022

The Importance of Brainshapers

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Tags21st century skills, assessment, Ben Talsma, classroom culture, connection, education, Growth Mindset, relevance, science, student engagement

If you remember anything from this blog post, I’ve changed your brain. It’s amazing, really, how an unfathomable organ inside your head...

25 Apr 2022

Strategies for Fostering Student SEL

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Tags21st century skills, critical thinking, culture and climate, Empathy, Growth Mindset, inspiration, Ryan Duncan, student engagement, teaching profession

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about social-emotional learning. Social-Emotional learning, or SEL for short, is the process through which all young...