Grit Defined: (by Angela Duckworth, the lead researcher whose work has advanced the public's awareness these last few years)
Perseverance and passion for long-term goals
Our work at BCMS these last 5 years has focused on character strengths and within these are the following:
- Perseverance
- Love of Learning
- Persistence
- Self-Regulation
The work we have done these last five years has focused on building the foundation of and for Grit. In short our work has developed students to have a healthier self-concept that is defined by Carol Dweck.
Throughout the last two years our staff has studied the work of Dweck and we've been reading and discussing the importance of having a GROWTH MINDSET rather than a fixed mindset. (See Dweck's book Mindset; the new psychology of success)
Dweck defines each of these:
In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.
In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success (without effort).
Where this contrast becomes starkly apparent is not in success but rather in failure. People either shrink from failure or learn from it and Dweck's research (and our intuitive and observational evidence) suggests that rising from failure requires a GROWTH MINDSET. Individuals with a fixed mindset avoid taking risks because failure is a judgment rather than a learning opportunity. When a fixed mindset individual fails it simply confirms what they already believe, that they do not have the skill to be successful at a task and never will. When a growth mindset individual fails at a task it simply confirms that they either didn't work hard enough or didn't prepare adequately. These individuals use failure as a blueprint toward later success and they make their failure a learning experience rather than a judgment.
Throughout the month of February, as we begin the 2nd semester of the year, we will be reinforcing for students when they exhibit a Fixed Mindset and helping them realize that any fixed mindset can be adjusted to a growth mindset.
We have a very special student assembly in the planning and we will announce details about this shortly ... and parents will be invited! Much more to come.
Thank you and have a great (3 DAY) weekend!
End of Week Notes
A big week for 8th Graders!
This week and last kicked the beginning of our 8th graders transition to high school. 'Why so early?' one might ask and the answer is simply to provide families time to process course selections as they make this transition. We are genuinely proud of this group. They represent themselves impressively in all they do and they continue to be great models!
Building Safety
NY schools are required to have a safety structure at both the district and building level. Our bldg team met earlier this week and we routinely debrief after all of our drills. We conducted one drill (a lockdown) earlier this week, and as per usual, our students and staff were responsive and universally supportive of our need for general preparedness.
Martin Luther King Jr, Annual Recognition
- Mr. Warford went on our morning announcements this morning with a poignant message about how we try to keep visible at ALL times the lessons learned from the Civil Rights Movement... lessons that our country still works to improve upon to this day. Tolerance, acceptance, equity and equality all are underscored in our character program and we are grateful to our students for their resonance in trying to model these.
- We also want to recognize 9 students who are winners of the 20th Annual Black History Month Creative Expressions Contest. These students will have additional opportunity to create PSA announcements that will air on local radio stations and we are enormously proud of their achievement!
8th Grade Snowflake Dance
Tonight (Friday Night) the snowflake dance, initiated last year by students request, is back! We hope your 8th grader can make it. Students can pay at the door.
Reminder - BCMS Musical "High School Musical Junior" is less than 1 week away!
- For those unaware, the "Junior" in the title indicates that the play is condensed to be appropriate both in time and content to a middle level audience. Our Middle School musicals have enormous production polish and sophistication while remaining a fun event for family members of ALL ages. We hope you can join us.
The Week Ahead...
Monday, January 18
- No School - MLK day observance
Tuesday, January 19
- Late buses
- Chicken Parm Pick Up
Wednesday, January 20
- Late Buses
- Grade 8 Special Education Parent Transition Night (6:30 PM)
- BOE 7:00 PM
Thursday, January 21
- Late Buses
- MS Musical Opening Night
Friday, January 22
- Friday After School Support
- MS Musical continues
Saturday, January 23
- MS Musical Continues
- Ski club to Bromley
