2018 Education

2018 EDUCATION MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS MARCH 1, 2018 Page 9 EMPOWERING Photos by Ashley Aper students using a “growth mindset” Irwin said, “The opposite of a growth mindset is a fixed mindset. People with a fixed mindset are afraid to try new things, take risks, or make mistakes. At CEL, we are creating an environment where we believe in our students and allow mistakes. We received a grant from the Regional Office of Education, provided training, and are doing activities with our students to reinforce the growth mindset.”Ashley Aper, a special education administrator for the district, said Diane Wolf of the Regional Office of Education has “growth mindset” as a goal and provided training for the teachers. Aper saw the program implemented at Leroy last year. Irwin and Aper are both passionate about building relationships. Irwin said, “Kids are willing to learn from people that they have relationships with. We encourage teachers to build relationships with every student that they have and by the end of the first month of school to know something personal that acts as a connection with their student.” The connection can be something the teacher has in common with the student or something unique about them, but each helps build relationships. Aper said students need to believe in the potential for growth and teachers need to have the growth CONTINUED → C hester-East Lincoln Administrator Laura Irwin says, “Our focus this year has been on the growth mindset. With the growth mindset, we believe that through dedication and hard work all students are capable of achieving. This mindset creates a love for learning and the willingness to make mistakes. It’s believing in all of your students, but most important, getting them to believe it too.”