EDUC 4P17 Blogs: September 2015

Michael Jordan quote [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/253257179017778195/

Mindsets guide the interpretation process that constantly takes place in people’s heads (Dweck, 2006). A growth mindset is the belief that failure is temporary and that abilities and talents can improve with effort and persistence, while a fixed mindset is the belief that success is the result of innate intelligence and talent (Drake, Reid, & Kolohon, 2014). Students with a fixed mindset are discouraged and are unsure as to how to proceed when faced with difficulties, whereas students with a growth mindset welcome challenges and are consistently looking for opportunities to learn (Drake et al., 2014). Carol Dweck, a psychologist and the growth mindset “guru” emphasizes the need to educate children on the growth mindset. The following Ted Talk entitled The Power of Believing You Can Improve, will provide an overview of the growth mindset and our ability as educators to change students’ mindsets.

Carol Dweck: The Power of Believing That You Can Improve

The power of believing that you can improve [Video]. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve?language=en

Teaching about mindset is especially important as scientific evidence demonstrates that an emphasis on intellect or talent leaves students fearful of challenges and making mistakes (Dweck, 2007). Children who were praised for their intelligence solved significantly fewer problems after a failure than those children who were praised for their efforts, as demonstrated in this image (Dweck, 2007).

Mindset 2012 NIU advising summit [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/StevenEstes/mindset-2012-niu-advising-summit

When it comes to assessment, it is important that teachers discuss within their feedback both the students’ competencies and their areas for improvement (Drake et al., 2014). I know that in my experience as a student, I always liked getting feedback that told me what I did well and what I needed to do to improve so that I had something to strive for on my next assessment. This table shows what teachers can do and how they can assess students so they facilitate the development of a growth mindset.

McMillan, Helsten, & Klinger [Image]. (2010). Retrieved from Drake, Reid, & Kolohon (2014).

Additionally, students perform better in school when they and their teachers believe that intelligence is not fixed, but can be developed (Dweck, 2010). In a study of 100 students in New York transitioning into grade 7, students’ mindsets were measured at the beginning of the school year. It was found that students with a growth mindset outperformed their peers who had fixed mindsets (Dweck, 2010). As a teacher candidate, I recognize the importance of teaching students about a growth mindset as “it relates to the presence of failure and perseverance” (Dweck, 2006) within the classroom. I have been lucky to have the opportunity to observe some of the practical ways that educators incorporate teaching about mindset into their programs. My mom, who is a primary teacher, began introducing the topic of growth mindset by having her students build a house of cards.

Growth mindset [Photograph]. (2015). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/CNFKenollie/status/595252773236699136

This activity started a conversation about perseverance and grit. By challenging the students with a difficult task, they had to problem solve and think about different strategies to use so that they could be successful.

Another way to teach about mindset and differentiate between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset is to create a list of statements and questions that reflect what each mindset would sound like in a classroom setting (Dweck, 2006).

Sorting mindset statements [Photograph]. (2014). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/CNFKenollie/status/537709823203475458

Finally, teaching students about “The Power of Yet” is an amazing way to get them to develop a growth mindset so that they believe that their lives are filled with endless possibilities.

Sesame Street: Janelle Monae - Power of Yet

Sesame street: Janelle Monae - Power of yet [Video]. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLeUvZvuvAs

I particularly like this video as it teaches students through song and makes the topic relevant to their lives so that they can better understand the word “yet”.

The power of yet [Photograph]. (2015). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/CNFKenollie/status/644586155611176960

Recently, my mom created this board with her grade one students about things that they can do and things that they “can’t do…yet” to teach them about the power of “yet” by using examples from their lives.

Additionally, the math game “Brain Points,” developed by Carol Dweck and her colleagues, rewards “yet” by giving rewards for effort, strategy, and progress rather than when students get the right answer (Dweck, 2014). This game is a brilliant way for students to use perseverance and problem solving strategies within the classroom.

I will conclude this blog on teaching students in a primary classroom about growth mindset by stating that, as educators, we need to teach children to understand the power of “yet” and know how to dream big dreams. We must create a time where children live in a world FILLED with “YET”.

The power of yet [Image]. (2014). Retrieved from http://webenglish.se/power-yet/

References

Drake, S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving Curriculum and Classroom Assessment: Engaging the 21^st Century Learner. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.

Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.

Dweck, C. S. (2007). The secret to raising smart kids. Scientific American Mind, 18(6), 36-43.

Dweck, C. S. (2010). Mind-sets. Principal Leadership, 10(5), 26-29.

Dweck, C. S. (2014, November). Carol Dweck: The power of believing you can improve [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve?language=en