Growth Mindset Carol Dweck has been at the forefront of the Growth Mindset movement in education. In the classroom we hear students saying "I dont know." or "I am not good at this." Statements like these are examples of a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset is one that views intelligence and ability as something a person is born with. If they aren't good at it, they might think they won't ever bee good at it. A student approaching a challenge with a growth minset would recognize that their effort can determine the outcome Dweck, 2006). That child might say "I'm going to try a different strategy." or "I need to ask another question about this." Helping students to recognize that they have the power to put in the work to achieve their goals. This kind of growth mindset empowers students to value the learning process and use their failures as valuable learning moments rather than roadblocks that put a stop to theri learning. One great way to introduce the idea of having a growth mindset is to introduce the word "YET!" (T., 2004) It is a simple word that every child can understand and use to empower them to keep on trying. Whenever a child makes a comment about not being able to solve a problem, the teacher or a friend can say, "YET!" This simple word can help to change a child's attitude regarding their ability to take responsibility for their learning. It is also an easy and powerful way for kids to encourage one another. Another way to incorporate a growth mindset culture in the classroom is to incorporate positive messages into the classroom environment. My students illustrated quotes that encouraged growth mindsets in academics and social relationships. This project was inspired by the owner of THIS teacher's TPT store. I was able to chose quotes that encouraged my students to have growth mindsets in academics and social relationships. These posters are constantly referenced throughout our day! It may seem like "one more thing", but developing a growth mindset culture in the classroom create amazing results for students and teachers. As an added bonus, it only takes a second, the time it takes to say "YET!", to incorporate into your daily routine. Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House. T. (2014). The power of yet | Carol S Dweck | TEDxNorrköping. Retrieved December 04, 2016, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-swZaKN2Ic
Feedback to Students Early educational reformer John Dewey said it best: "Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes" (Lenz, 2015). Yet, why don't schools view failure as a good thing? "Feedback can be a difficult business. When it is used in the right way, it can be the most effective strategies to improve learning" (Busch, 2016). Quieting the voices of our parents, teachers, or our own insecurities requires a changed mindset. Success occurs when learning occurs, and failure occurs when you aren't willing to fail. Students must accept failure in order to handle success. Feedback is so crucial in our learning process. As individuals look at letter grades, are they really getting the overall picture of coursework or learning that is occuring? How do we, as teachers, know that learning is happening? "We often expect students to know exactly what to do when they turn in papers or projects, and we downgrade them if they don’t. When we hand back assignments, even if we offer feedback, the comments are inert because students are unlikely to go back and revise their work—and that is when the real learning happens. When students have a chance to refine their work on the basis of feedback, it creates a deeper experience with the material" (Sobel, 2014). Why do we continue to offer feedback to a student, but then don't permit that student to turn in the assignment after they have made corrections offered? It's the feedback that is offered from teachers, that students seek. However, teachers do not take the time to collect those assignments back to make sure learning has occured. If teachers are focused on the end result, students then become focused on the end result. "When students have access to this information [feedback], they develop an awareness of their learning, and are more easily able to recognize mistakes and eventually develop strategies for tackling weak points themselves" (Stenger, 2014).
Busch, B. (2016, November 10). Seven ways to give better feedback to your students. Retrieved November 30, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/nov/10/seven-ways-to-give-better-feedback-to-your-students
How Failure in the Classroom Is More Instructive Than Success. (2014, May 05). Retrieved November 05, 2016, from http://www.chronicle.com/article/How-Failure-in-the-Classroom/146377/
Lenz, B. (2015, April 08). Failure Is Essential to Learning. Retrieved November 10 , 2016, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/failure-essential-learning-bob-lenz
Stenger, M. (2014, August 06). 5 Research-Based Tips for Providing Students with Meaningful Feedback. Retrieved December 01, 2016, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/tips-providing-students-meaningful-feedback-marianne-stenger