Developing a Growth Mindset

My growth mindset plan has been updated and now includes the modeling the "yet".

Factors to Consider

There are a few other factors to consider if I want to impact the Growth Mindset of my students. The most imporant thing to consider is to provide an environment where students can thrive with a growth mindset. According to Kohn (2015), "it's a willingness to go beyond individual attitudes, to realize that no mindset is a magic elixir that can dissolve the toxicity of structural arrangements.(Kohn, 2015)" One is that it is important to emphasize effort and strategies, not just outcomes.This helps students understand that they can control their own learning and progress. According to Dweck (2016), "This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts, your strategies, and help from others" (p.17). Another factor is how to praise students; offering specific feedback about what learners do well communicates that intelligence can be developed, which encourages a growth mindset. Finally, it's also beneficial to create opportunities for students to learn from mistakes – this allows them to see setbacks as part of the learning process instead of something signifying personal failure.

Modeling the Message of "Yet"

When teaching kindergarteners, there are always opportunities to model the power of yet. Kinder students struggle to accomplish many things at the beginning of the school year. Many students have yet to learn to write their names, tie their shoes, or even open milk cartons.
One way I model the growth mindset and the message of "Yet" is to point out when I see a student continue to work hard despite facing difficulty.
By normalizing struggle and emphasizing that everyone experiences setbacks at some point, they will be more likely to embrace challenges and view them as growth opportunities rather than roadblocks. Another way I model the message of "yet" is to point out when a student or I have accomplished a difficult task.

The most important way to model 'Yet' is for me to show that I have a growth mindset in all actions because most children model the behavior they observe from adults.

Acceptance of Feedback and Student's Attitude Toward Cheating

A student with a growth mindset will be open to feedback because they understand it is necessary for improvement. They will also be less likely to cheat because they believe effort and hard work are the keys to success. Furthermore, students who have adopted a growth mindset are typically more intrinsically motivated than those with fixed mindsets, meaning they are less likely to get discouraged by obstacles and setbacks and subsequently less inclined to resort to cheating to achieve easy success.

Prevent the Growth Mindset Fad

There are a few ways to prevent the growth mindset from becoming a fad or being improperly implemented. Firstly, we need to ensure that when introducing the concept of a growth mindset to students, we do so in a manner that is easy to understand. Secondly, it is important to provide concrete examples of how adopting a growth mindset can improve student success. Provide visuals such as the Growth Mindset: Personal Accountability and Reflection graphic for students to reference (Gerstein, 2015). Another way is for teachers to reflect their journey in developing a growth mindset. According to Gerstein (2015), "It is a deeply reflective process requiring that this process occur often and over time." (Gerstein, 2015). Finally, we must be careful not to situate the adoption of a Growth Mindset as superior to other approaches - instead stressing that it is simply one tool amongst many for achieving success.

Development Mindset

Developing a growth mindset is certainly a good start for students, but it is not necessarily enough. A growth mindset is just one piece of the puzzle regarding student success. Other important factors include motivation, self-regulation, and a positive outlook. Students need to know what they are working towards and why it matters. While a growth mindset is a necessary foundation, it is not the only ingredient in the recipe for success.

Reigniting or Adopting a Learner's Mindset

There are a few things that we can do in order to help our learners adopt or reignite a Learner's Mindset. One thing that we can do is to create a significant learning environment where students feel comfortable making mistakes and see them as opportunities for growth and learning. (Harapnuik, 2021) We can also model a learner's mindset, demonstrating how beneficial it is to approach tasks and challenges with openness, curiosity, and flexibility. Finally, we can provide specific feedback that helps learners understand their thinking processes. In doing so, students are encouraged to reflect on their learning experiences and adjust accordingly.

References

Dweck, C.S. (2016). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York:Penguin Random

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Gerstein, J. (2015, September 4). Is "have a growth mindset" the new "Just say no". User Generated Education. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2015/09/04/is-have-a-growth-mindset-the-new-just-say-no/

Harapnuik, D. (2021, July 31). Reigniting the learner's mindset. prezi.com. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://prezi.com/view/WNrNvvkVm9HnRi9jnsAj/

Kohn, A. (2015, August 16). The "mindset" mindset. Alfie Kohn. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from http://www.alfiekohn.org/article/mindset