As one of the world’s leading author and researcher on Black males and educational outcomes, Theodore S. Ransaw has a proven track record helping hundreds of educators build stronger relationships with their students.
In Dr. Ransaw’s latest book, Mindful Teaching Practices for Black Male Student Achievement, he outlines his unique approach to fostering student teacher connections. He states his goal behind writing Mindful Teaching Practices “was to support student achievement by providing teachers with strategies that have more impact in the classroom.”
Dr. Ransaw believes the key to school improvement is Mindful Teaching Practices. It’s based on cognitive behavioral strategies which are borrowed from cognitive psychology. Cognitive behavioral approaches are goal oriented. Cognitive psychology tries to help people become better problem solvers. Teachers are highly trained to be reflective – meaning we are taught how to create, teach, and then modify lesson plans after they’ve been delivered, assessing the outcomes and making changes through reflection.
Mindful Teaching Practices utilizes a cognitive psychology approach called prolepsis. Prolepsis is literally the opposite of reflection and encourages a teacher to think about what a successful future would look like as if it were today.
Envisioning future success in the present moment automatically provides two positive outcomes. The first benefit, prolepsis, requires goal planning. Personal goal-setting increases motivation and improves academic achievement because the planner articulates their own goals based on their own experiences and plans for the future. Self-articulated goals are the most effective since they are by definition self-directed. The second benefit, a proleptic approach eliminates deficit thinking and promotes a growth mindset. Growth mindsets positively increase brain activity and resilience.
Ransaw states: I’ve authored many academic journals, written and edited many books. I’m a certified educational coach; I’ve been a director of four mentorship programs at three at-risk schools and I was the former achievement gap specialist for males of color for the state of Michigan. Guided prolepsis approaches are by far the most effective.”
Although not easy, Mindful Teaching Practices is an impactful, practical and structured approach that helps teachers self-author themselves and their students into a bright future.
Media Contact
Company Name: Mindful Teaching Practices
Contact Person: Theodore Ransaw
Email: Send Email
City: Lansing
State: MI
Country: United States
Website: https://www.amazon.com/Mindful-Teaching-Practices-Black-Achievement/dp/1475867344/
