I actually missed the session - having reminded myself many times during the day! Thankfully they have a Transcript so I can catch up!
Question 1: What does it mean to have a growth mindset?
I emphasis a knowing.. a belief that challenges are fun and that you can improve your own outcomes with practise and effort. Failures are part of the process of learning. Effort is positive. Finding a way to get it done.
That learning itself is a dynamic entity and not a destination.
Q2: Why is it important to have a growth mindset?
I would have to say so you can have an empowered, happy, sustainable, positive life. You have peace of mind knowing you can move through any challenges you are presented with - because change is inevitable (and change is a challenge!).
Sustainable because your efforts feed your confidence for future efforts.
Q3: Watch video first.
What does this video tell you about learned helplessness?
That people get stuck in tradition/routine and can be sheeple* - especially when under pressure or "busy". People forget their power and wait for someone else to "fix it" for them. Can present as entitlement.
Q4. So - how do we begin to develop those growth mindsets in our students (and ourselves)?
What I know so far is you have to be careful with lavish praise. Praise needs to be on process and effort ("You must have worked hard!") rather than blanket smartness/intelligence ("You're a genius!").
Have discussions about "Who had a fabulous struggle today?" Emphasis on the things they (and you) put effort into and work hard on - the challenges you meet as the thing you can be proud of - rather than praising for something they did quickly with little effort (because who will bother to put effort into something when you got awesome praise for something you didn't even try for).
Encourage opportunities to fail, embrace them as learning opportunities for reflection (reflect on the journey rather than focus on the destination).
As their teacher let them see you fail and react in a growth mindset fashion (model learning - teach how to think not what to think). Show them you problem solved your way through your challenge and the world goes on.
Teach how to support failure - with reflection rather than ridicule.
Remember to model also with examples and student voice (photos of students on wall with speech bubbles of their proud struggles).
Change FM to GM example What my students found out (Kerri Thompson)
Steve Mouldey Growth Mindset Activities for Students
Q5. Describe a particular time when you saw a student change their mindset.
"I don't know what to do. He took my flax. I can't make a raft, I have never made a raft, this sucks, I suck." Then he turned around to expertly help another student WHO WAS HAVING A PROBLEM MAKING THEIR RAFT!
What needs to happen after this kind of situation is a reflection/debrief clarifying what just happened with some process praise and curating to encourage acknowledgement.
(I seem to be identifying more things for Q4 above now!) - for those students who are so deeply into their fixedness perhaps the class can come up with strategies for a wall display to both recognise when you are slipping into fixed mindset and steps to proceed. "Unpack" just what it is those growth mindset people seem to do when faced with a challenge - a Y chart (what things do they say, do, feel?)
Q6. How does setting goals help to develop a #growthmindset?
For those students who are doggedly fixed mindset, curated goal setting helps you clarify what you want and provides something to work backwards from to work out what you can do to get there (steps that are not so daunting and conceivably achievable). It is something you put effort into to move forwards/towards.
It is empowering (ownership) and intrinsically motivating.
Q7. Describe a time you overcame your fixed mindset about a particular obstacle and how it relates to ss perspectives
I have to point out that I know as a teen I was VERY fixed mindset. I did not meet learning (or anything really) with any sort of esteem/hope in high school.
When I first encountered Dweck's work during in-house PD in 2013 I was very clear that people can move from fixed mindset to growth mindset because I clearly remember doing that in my 20s.
I still battle/struggle with the concept of "wanting to be a better teacher" not meaning that I am "not a good teacher" right now. Let's not get sidetracked into that discussion in this post though!
Resilience - is this the key to opening a growth mindset lifestyle to a fixed mindset person? I will think about this more because in hindsight I was very resilient and that is what a growth mindset person is...
I am making a connection here that Growth Mindset stuff should be incorporated in the "How We Learn" unit I like to start a new class with... for me teaching is not just about Knowing Your Learner but also encouraging your leaner to Know and Accept themselves.
Q8. What is the next thing that you are working on to build your growth mindset? Next goal?
Apart from the struggle I mentioned in Q7 above (!)... Solid concrete methods for growing a Growth Mindset and incorporating them into my pedagogy.
Media tools for developing growth mindsets
And just a tad more Dweck :)
*Sheeple - people that act like sheep. They just blindly follow what everyone else is doing and panic when they look up and everyone is gone.
Previous blog post on Growth vs Fixed Mindsets...
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