The Growth Mindset – Not Just a Kid Thing
The research by Carol Dweck has been so affirming for me as
an educator. As a teacher, I always loved the most challenging students in my
class because they caused me to grow and become a better teacher EVERY day. I
was frequently setting goals and trying to grow and improve, and I also believed those same “hard to
teach” students could grow at any second, minute, or hour of the day. I made it my personal challenge to meet them where they were and to unlock the key to their
learning. Many times these were the students who were despised by other
teachers. I even became the classroom where students who were kicked out of
other classes ended up--yep, a new schedule was written with Rine as the new teacher! LOL. With my teaching eyes, I would size up every
single student and ask myself the question, “How can I help you learn?” Many
times, the obstacle was helping the student understand that they COULD achieve.
Conquering a fixed mindset in a student can be a challenge.
With that sort of growth mindset in my teaching past, I have
been so invigorated by Dweck’s research which is extremely popular right now.
The growth mindset ensures that the opportunities for learning are present for
the students. I am devastated, DEVASTATED, when I hear educator conversations
that include statements like: “Oh, that teacher has (Insert name here) in his/her
class. They can’t do anything with THAT child.”
Our mindset
has power. We can have a FIXED mindset where we let failure define who we are
or a GROWTH mindset where we see setbacks as opportunities to grow and improve
ourselves. I think of my short bout with cancer. I could be mad about the fact
that I had to live through a season with cancer, and my life will never be the
same because of it OR I can reflect on that difficult time and look for ways it
has made me a stronger person. Probably the one way I see that experience as
valuable has been the conversations and advice I have been able to give those
who walk the "cancer walk" for the first time. I can share my experiences and
help them know that it is not always fatal even though it will be traumatic. As
teachers and educators, we encounter some very damaged children--maybe it is not cancer damage but we see physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment, and worse. I mourn that
so many of them have seen so much evil in their short lives. But, I never count
any of them out of the game. No matter how mischievous, lying or conniving a
child might be, I show them the pathway to truth and life and especially the
roads where education can lead them. I believe they can all grow. This mindset can also translate to our impact on
students. Do we view our students with a growth mindset and believe that they
have the power to change their circumstances? Or do we view them with a fixed
mindset that they cannot rise above their circumstances? To be a CHAMPION for a child, you must view
them with a growth mindset.
Here are
some resources from Project Happiness that compare and contrast the fixed vs.
growth mindset. We are focusing on the growth mindset as part of our #SpeakLife
theme this year at our school.
It Is up to you!
|
FIXED MINDSET
Belief
that intelligence, personality and character are carved in stone; potential
is determined at birth.
|
GROWTH MINDSET
Belief
that intelligence, personality, and character can be developed! A person’s
true potential is unknown and unknowable.
|
Desire
|
Look smart in every situation and
prove myself over and over again. Never fail!
|
Stretch myself, take risks and learn.
Bring on the challenges!
|
Evaluation of Situations
|
Will I succeed or fail? Will I look
smart of dumb?
|
Will this allow me to grow?
Will this help me overcome some of my
challenges?
|
Dealing with Setbacks
|
“I’m a failure.” OR “I’m an idiot.”
|
“I failed.” BUT “I will try harder
next time.”
|
Challenges
|
Avoid challenges, get defensive or
give up easily.
|
Embrace challenges, persist in the
face of setbacks.
|
Effort
|
Why bother? It’s not going to change
anything.
|
Growth and learning require effort.
|
Criticism
|
Ignore constructive criticism.
|
Learn from criticism. How can I
improve?
|
Success of Others
|
Feel threatened by the success of
others. If you succeed, then I fail.
|
Find lessons & inspiration in
other people’s success.
|
Result
|
Plateau early, achieve less than my
potential.
|
Reach ever-higher levels of
achievement.
|
Here is a video from Dweck that we watched during our pre-service training days. I encourage you to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. #YouCanLearnAnything
Follow this link if this video display below for you! #YouCanLearnAnything
