The Power of “Yet”

Do you know about the power of the simple word, yet?  This word is powerful because it is full of potential!  Consider these comments:

       *   “The classroom climate isn’t yet what it needs to be.” 

      *  “Your questioning strategies don’t require enough higher-level thinking yet.” 

When we tack the word yet onto a sentence, we are saying, “I know you can do this!  You will get there soon!”

As coaches, we do a disservice to teachers if we only acknowledge the things they are doing well.  Growing and learning require risk, and as teachers take risks, they will make mistakes and experience occasional failure.  Yet allows for negative feedback while also showing confidence that they will get there! 

Yet helps to create what Carol Dweck has called a growth mindset.*   Those with a growth mindset are willing to work through difficulties because they feel that, with effort, they will achieve success.  Honest feedback, coupled with faith that continued work will make a difference, creates progress and improvement.   With a growth mindset, teachers see success as within their control, recognizing that focused practice will make a difference.  They have attitudes that are more positive and have more confidence in difficult situations.

Teachers can handle – and actually benefit from – feedback that focuses on areas where they need growth.  Adding the word yet softens the critique and opens the door for a recommendation to be well-received.  The cumulative effect of working through difficulties is long-term success.  The power of yet suggests improvement and mastery.  Using this little word can make a big difference in your work with teachers!

* Dweck, C.S. (2006). Mindset. New York: Random House.

This week, you might want to take a look at:

This interview with Charlotte Danielson (author of Framework for Teaching) about teaching with the CCSS:

http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2013/03/13/ccio_danielson_teaching.html

Got a family vacation planned as we wrap up the summer months?  Check out this list of the best audio books for long family car rides (they also make great read-alouds!):

http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/jul/21/best-audio-books-for-the-car-book-doctor?utm_source=20856091&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=High+Road

Still looking for a good teacher book for summer reading?  Check out this list:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/06/17/summer-reading-list-for-and-by-teachers/?utm_source=19619952&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=High+Road

This video about the power of common language (click the second link):

http://www.marzanoevaluation.com/evaluation/free_video_resources/

“App Smashing” ideas to combine the power of multiple apps in lessons:

http://technologytools4teaching.blogspot.com/2013/12/five-ways-to-apps-smash.htm

Combining Shakespeare and Technology?  Watch this YouTube video, “Remixing Shakespeare”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-y2QuAokdo&feature=youtu.be

That’s it for this week!