Mindframes for Visible Learning

According to recent educational research, one of the most important influences of student achievement is how teachers think about learning and what role they play in learning. In a previous article Assistant Superintendent Colin Campbell discussed Professor John Hattie’s book, Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement (2009).

This article continues that train of thought and introduces the book 10 Mindframes for Visible Learning: Teaching for Success by John Hattie and Klaus Zierer (2018).  Through continued research, Professor Hattie has identified ten mindframes that should predicate decisions and activities in schools in order to maximize student success. “How we think about the impact of what we do is more important than what we do” (Hattie & Zierer, 2018, p.ix).

These powerful mindframes are founded on the principle that teachers are evaluators, change agents, learning experts, and seekers of feedback who are constantly engaged with dialogue and challenge.

• I’m an evaluator of my impact on student learning.
• I see assessment as informing my impact and next steps.
• I collaborate with all about my conceptions of progress and my impact.
• I am a change agent and believe all students can improve.
• I strive for challenge and not merely “doing your best”.
• I give feedback and act on the feedback given to me.
• I engage as much in dialogue as monologue.
• I inform students what successful impact looks like.
• I build relationships and trust.
• I focus on learning and the language of learning.

Hanover School Division will now begin to infuse these 10 Mindframes into our work in schools. Through the continued collaborative work, our hope is that these mindframes will provide a common language and context for meaningful teaching and learning in our school division.

I encourage you to take a closer look at the book, 10 Mindframes for Visible Learning: Teaching for Success (2018). This book is a valuable resource for helping teachers to think about learning and their own role. As our school division continues the journey of reflection and evaluation of our practices we will continue to embark on learning from Professor Hattie’s work. We look forward to hearing your feedback along the journey.

I want to express my appreciation and say thank you to all our teaching staff in the Hanover School Division for your continued hard work in teaching, learning and dedication to our students.  You are valued!