I have seen a lot of discussion lately about schools in New Zealand introducing elements of Mindfulness into their school culture and the wildly varying reactions to this. From the parents that think it's great, to those that don't mind to those that think it's taking away from the important stuff (I assume they mean reading, writing and maths...) to those that think it is airy fairy nonsense and those that oppose it on religious grounds.
"Some members of his congregation felt mindfulness was inappropriate for children, he said."stuff.co.nz
I found this notion dumbfounding and did some digging to discover that this comes from Christianity (in NZ). Mindfulness (and hence the resulting self-empowerment) is linked to meditation which is linked to religion (as it is a foundation practise of Buddism, for instance). Christianity relies on people getting their strength externally through Christ and they see mindfulness as a threat to that (I could spend a whole blog post delving into the validity of this kind of linking but that is not a great use of MY attention right now...).
Richard Burnett is the creator of a Mindfulness in Schools programme to provide a fundamental skill that benefits all people. Training the muscle of our attention - the foundation of mindfulness.
In the TEDX talk below he talks about where we put our attention and how important this is. He mentions his experience and also current research by others showing our mental health and happiness are profoundly shaped by what we do with our attention.
I have to say that I believe, based on my personal and professional experience, that Mindfulness is a crucial skill. This has been a fundamental part of my pedagogy for a long time now. Through my experience with connecting and re-connecting (especially those) 'at-risk' students with a love of learning (or in the very least a respect and appreciation for it!) and the curriculum.
In the very least it provides the mind the down time it needs to do what it does - sift through a vast amount of information and make connections to come up with unique solutions to our problems and create pathways forward in our life journeys.
I have linked to some more mindfulness resources below (some I have not viewed in depth yet).
If you are feeling annoyed, frustrated and overwhelmed with all the things you have to do in your days, you need some mindfulness in your life. It may seem counterintuitive to put aside time to just 'do nothing' - but that time will support your brain to more effectively deal with all the stuff you are throwing at it. Try it yourself, you will be surprised! In the very least experiment with it on your class and watch their learning outcomes and social interactions improve!
Mindfulness is VITAL to enhance personal happiness and success in whatever we are doing to sustain ourselves in this life.
While this is a US perspective (<--- That's the link btw) it's still well worth the read for the outline of the factors that this, obviously disheartened (see quote below), US teacher identified.
The teachers and students that I observed were happy. Students seemed to actually be enjoying their learning experiences, and teachers appeared satisfied and valued.
The observation of someone who must spend the majority of her time unsatisfied, amongst a group of unsatisfied teachers and students.
It seems like more and more I am hearing about the consuming amount of time that testing is taking up in US schools (and increasing number of 'opt-outs' students refusing to take the tests). They seem to more and more be the source of all the negative things I hear about schooling (because, certainly in my experience, NZ classrooms are not a dull life sapping hell hole!).
Recently John Oliver (who consistently takes his 'comedy' medium to deliver wonderfulness to the world) did a piece on standardised testing in the US that left me wondering just what IS it that our National Party here in NZ finds remotely merit-able about THAT?!
So - quick version of the list (the author of the article expands a little, giving insight into her experience in US schools btw...) - my comments on each point in italics
1. Heavy emphasis on play - play encourages creative problem solving, de-stressing, communication...
2. No high-stakes standardised testing - memory & knowledge stealing time from developing creativity
3. Trust - teachers know what they doing and have space to come up with more great ideas
4. Schools don't compete with one another - because all schools expected to be good!
5. Out-of-this-world teacher prep programmes - teaching is valued and selection for teaching recruits is vigourous.
6. Personal time is highly valued - I love this! Setting children up to realise it is important to have your own time so you can re-energise and focus. What a great life skill!
7. Less is more - Start school at 7 years old. School days shorter. High school hours more flexible.
8. Emphasis on Quality of life - Hallelujah! Happiness of teachers valued.
9. Semi-tracked learning - two different pathways to chose from and both highly valued
10. National Standards are valued - teachers have choice on how to implement these
11. Grades not given until 4th grade - early education has lots of blue thinker's hat and learning how to learn - and I assume developing that love for learning and a growth mindset - YAH!
12. Ethics taught in the primary grades
13. Collaboration and collaborative environments strongly encouraged
I am sure I have another Finnish Education reading somewhere - I need to look for that!
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).
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.
