I have found, especially in third grade, that this has been a great discussion point throughout the whole year and has shifted the conversations in our classroom to be more about improvement instead of achievement.
I am so excited to be sharing some amazing book titles that can help you continue these discussions all year long with your class. Several great titles I previously included in my Back to School Read Alouds HERE, so be sure to check those out if you haven't.
Continuing in this list are two books by Peter Reynolds, The Dot and Going Places. I just can't get enough of his books, his illustrations, and his powerful, yet kid-friendly messages.
I'm including two books that are incredible biographies about people who showed a Growth Mindset in their own lives: Drum Dream Girl and Emmanuel's Dream.
And Rosie Revere, while not a biography, is still an engaging tale about never giving up.
If you haven't read it before, be sure to read A Perfectly Messed Up Story-- it's a humorous look at "messing up" that I'm sure most of your kids can relate to... I definitely can myself!
To read more about these books, simply click on any of the covers below. Each will link you directly to its page on Amazon where you can preview the inside, read the reviews, and find similar titles.
Click away here:
I hope this list gives you lots of ideas for read alouds for any time of year.
Be sure to let me know of any additional titles in the comments below. I would love to add to this collection!
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My class (and I) loved "The Most Magnificent Thing"
ReplyDeleteI always share "The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes". A good read for little perfectionists.
ReplyDeleteStephanie,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed looking through this selection of books and your previous posts about growth mindset. Reading some of these books would be a terrific way to start the year and I intend on purchasing some of them for my classroom library. I am particularly intrigued by What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada and A Perfectly Messed Up Story by Patrick McDonnell. While all of the stories you listed have great messages, I think these two would resonate with my students the most. I am also a third grade teacher and I find that my students are competitive with each other, in the classroom as well as outside of the classroom. Naturally, they tend to argue when playing games like soccer or kickball at recess. Conflicts that arise when playing are typically easier for me to talk with my students about because we always go back to what it means to be a good sport, regardless of whether you are winning or losing. When my students compare themselves to each other in the classroom, however, based on their knowledge and skill level, I often struggle with the best way to respond. While comparing oneself to a peer is natural, I would never want my student’s confidence to lower because of how he or she compares him or herself to his or her fellow classmates. I love the idea of using a bulletin board (posted in November 2015) titled “What I used to say” and “What I say now” as a way of exposing students to the language of growth mindset. I think this activity would be beneficial for a wide range of students, not just third graders, because it allows them to take responsibility for their success. I am always asking my students if they are producing their best work, but it would be so neat if my students were able to ask themselves that question without any teacher prompts. Thanks for sharing your ideas and I look forward to following your blog!
-Molly
Love your blog! Have a question...did you use an app to make the collage of books for your Read Alouds posts?
ReplyDeleteWe are doing Growth Mindset in our school!! I will definitely use some of these books to help explain to the kids about Growth Mindset!! Thanks!!
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