Recently Published Articles & Research

MINDSETS, ESSENTIAL SKILLS, & HABITS (MESH) HIGHLIGHTS

3 Ways I Instill a Growth Mindset in My Students
eSchool News – Ashleigh Ziehmke, July 11, 2018


MESH IN PRACTICE

5 Reasons Why Social-Emotional Learning and Afterschool Are the Perfect Match
Education Week – Bridget Laird, July 16, 2018
 
NAESP 2018 Day 2: Principals’ Workloads Have Greater Emphasis on Students’ Social-Emotional Needs
Education Dive – Linda Jacobson, July 11, 2018
 
To Understand Your Students, Use ‘Compassionate Curiosity”
Education Week – Kyle Redford, July 3, 2018


MESH IN EDUCATION POLICY

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Signs Off: California’s Plan Finally Satisfies Federal Law
EdSource – John Fensterwald, July 12, 2018
 
5 Things to Know about California’s Final ESSA Plan Following a Year of Discussion & Debate Surrounding the Golden State’s Schools
The 74 – Mario Koran, July 11, 2018


MESH IN RESEARCH & MEASUREMENT 
 
How Do Principals Influence Student Achievement?
UChicago Consortium on School Research – Elaine M. Allensworth, Holly Hart & Molly F. Gordon, June 2018
 
Middle School Teachers’ Mindfulness, Occupational Health and Well-Being and the Quality of Teacher-Student Interactions
Mindfulness – Summer S. Braun, Robert W. Roeser, Andrew J. Mashburn, and Ellen Skinner, July 7, 2018
Abstract: Building upon contemporary models of teaching that suggest that teachers’ own well-being is related to their classroom practice and student outcomes, we examined whether middle school teachers’ mindfulness skills were related to their concurrent occupational health and well-being (job stress, occupational burnout, and depressive and anxiety symptoms), and quality of their interactions with students in their “most stressful” class during the school day. Multivariate regression analysis of 58 middle school teachers indicated that teacher mindfulness was significantly associated with lower levels of job stress, occupational burnout, and depressive and anxiety symptoms; and higher levels of observers’ ratings of teachers emotionally supportive interactions with students in their most stressful classroom. Occupational burnout, in contrast, was negatively related to observers’ ratings of emotional support and organization in the classroom. Results suggest individual differences in middle school teachers’ mindfulness may affect their interactions with students in the middle school classroom directly and through reductions in burnout, through longitudinal studies of these relations are needed. Findings are discussed in relation to intervention efforts to improve teacher mindfulness through training in order to support occupational health and well-being, improve the quality of teacher-student interactions in the classroom, and increase student engagement and learning.
 
Achieving Elusive Teacher Change through Challenging Myths about Learning: A Blended Approach
Education Sciences – Robin Keturah Anderson, Jo Boaler, and Jack A. Dieckmann, July 4, 2018
Abstract: The idea that success in mathematics is only available to those born as “mathematics people” has been challenged in recent years by neuroscience, showing that mathematics pathways develop in the brain through learning and practice. This paper reports on a blended professional learning model of online and in-person meetings during which 40 teachers in 8 school districts in the US learned about the new brain science, challenging the “math person” myth, as well as effective mathematics teaching methods. We refer to the combination as a Mathematical Mindset Approach. Using mixed methods, we conducted a one-year study to investigate teacher and student learning in a Mathematical Mindset network. We collected data on teacher and student beliefs, teacher instructional practice, and student learning gains on state achievement tests. The results from our quantitative analyses found statistically significant positive improvements in student beliefs, teacher’s instructional practice, and on students’ math test scores. The mindset approach particularly raised the achievement of girls, English learners, and economically disadvantaged students. Based on our qualitative analysis, we propose that the success of the intervention rests upon two central factors: (1) The different forms of PD served to eradicate the learning myths that had held up teachers and learners; and that (2) Teachers had space for identity work as mathematical learners.