Watch this video from Common Craft on how to create a secure password for your new Google account.

We talked a bit in class last week about the difference in thinking about yourself as smart vs. hardworking.  More importantly, we've been talking about the ramifications of those two very different mindsets.  

If you want to learn more about mindsets, I highly encourage you to sit down with a really important study done by a researcher named Carol Dweck.  You can read the entire article linked to here (focusing especially at the section toward the bottom of page 3), but the gist of it says the following:

When kids were told, "You must be smart at this," they responded by:
- believing they couldn't grow - their identity is "fixed"
- wanting easy tasks where they could continue to prove they really were smart
- losing confidence and enjoyment when they struggle on problems
- wanting to compare themselves with "lower" students to make themselves feel better
- 40% lied about scores they received to make themselves look better
- performing 20% worse on future assessments
- desiring to appear to perform well

When kids were told, "You must have worked really hard at this," they responded by:
- believing they could grow and improve at tasks
- wanting harder tasks where they could challenge themselves and get even better
- actually enjoying hard problems because they know they will grow from the experience
- wanting to compare themselves with "higher" students so they can see how to improve
- only 10% lied about scores they received
- performing 40% better on future assessments
- desiring to learn

I actually first came across this study in a book called How We Decide, by Jonah Lehrer.  It's a fascinating book on how the emotional and logical parts of our brains battle it out to get their way. 

The alarming statistic behind sexual abuse is that approximately one and six children by the time they are eighteen will have suffered some form of sexual abuse.  Yet, there are ways to help prevent this from occurring.  Last year, all the staff participated in a two hour workshop focusing on prevention and we thought it would be great for parents as well.  

We will host this workshop, “Darkness to Light”, for all parents and guests who are interested.  It is scheduled for September 25, 2012 beginning at 6:30 and ending 8:45.  You must register in advance for this class.  The cost is $10.  Please call the school or e-mail [email protected] to register.   

Good news parents!  The first homework assignment from Mr. Swedberg this year is sure to be completed exactly to your high expectations.  That's because it's YOU who will be doing it.  :)

Your assignment is to write me a letter in one million words or less that describes your child to me.  Over the years, I've found it an invaluable tool to help me to get to know your child right away.

You can type it or write it by hand.  You can email it or send it to school on a sticky note.  Whatever is easiest for you is great for me.  Just give me a glimpse into what makes your child special.  Thank you in advance for your time.  Your homework is due by this next Friday the 14th. 

Seekers, Spirits in the Stars 304 pgs.

 I finished this book, by Erin Hunter, about a month ago. It's about 4 bears who have been on a great journey and must save the wild before every last living animal is dead. One of the bears, Urajk, is very useful because he has a special power that allows him to change from one animal to the next. He has many opportunities  to do this, and has saved his friend's lives many times.                 

I really like this book but at the end it gets really sad cause Urajk dies saving his friends. I like that the author put some emotion in the book but I wish she hadn't had Urajk die. Urajk was like almost the whole reason that they had gone on the journey in the first place. He knew that he was going to die but the others didn't believe him. That part kind of reminds me of Jesus and how he died to save us! He told his disciples that he was going to die but they didn't get it. That's exactly what Urajk did for his friends.                           

I really love this book, but not just this book. This is just the last in a whole series so I would recommend those first! I love the authors way of writing. It's so adventures and funny and sad all in the same time! 

Tell Mr. Swedberg how he can help you succeed by completing this survey.