Carol Dweck was in England this week, delivering presentations on how fixed mindsets limit our abilities to learn. Naturally, she also talked about how growth mindsets enable people to "...believe qualities can be developed through dedication and effort. They are more likely to see setbacks as an opportunity and relish taking on difficult situations." http://tinyurl.com/pwojdol
Dweck's main concern is that many teachers believe growth mindsets can just be explained to children and that they will instantly develop them. This brings me to thinking about the polite female coach, on my Map My Ride app, who lets me know that I'm not cycling at a fast enough pace. She then encourages me to perform better with the words, "You are behind your target! Speed up!" Not exactly a fully developed learning curve, is it?
Developing an understanding and cultivation of growth mindsets in our students, is much more than just an explanation of the details and features. It requires the building of trusting relationships between teachers and students, and between students and students. Kids have to feel the failure and appreciate the teacher's response of providing hope, optimism, and belief that is just a step towards success. Let them fall, and help them up again. Let's not dress them in bubble wrap, in a hope that they never experience defeat or pain. But let's also not drop them from a dizzy height, without the foreshadowed explanation that any outcome is a good outcome. Learning is about processes and outcomes. Some outcomes are fine and dandy; some lead to further processes. We never stop learning.
The development of a growth mindset also involves the development of optimism, enthusiasm, bravery, perspective, open mindedness, perseverance and grit. Once these strengths are identified and nurtured, we can then move towards an intrinsic motivation that creates a love of learning and a natural curiosity and desire for exploration and adventure in the classroom. When kids show a fearless approach to learning and come into the classroom with a win-win attitude, then the switch may have finally been flicked.
Dweck's main concern is that many teachers believe growth mindsets can just be explained to children and that they will instantly develop them. This brings me to thinking about the polite female coach, on my Map My Ride app, who lets me know that I'm not cycling at a fast enough pace. She then encourages me to perform better with the words, "You are behind your target! Speed up!" Not exactly a fully developed learning curve, is it?
Developing an understanding and cultivation of growth mindsets in our students, is much more than just an explanation of the details and features. It requires the building of trusting relationships between teachers and students, and between students and students. Kids have to feel the failure and appreciate the teacher's response of providing hope, optimism, and belief that is just a step towards success. Let them fall, and help them up again. Let's not dress them in bubble wrap, in a hope that they never experience defeat or pain. But let's also not drop them from a dizzy height, without the foreshadowed explanation that any outcome is a good outcome. Learning is about processes and outcomes. Some outcomes are fine and dandy; some lead to further processes. We never stop learning.
The development of a growth mindset also involves the development of optimism, enthusiasm, bravery, perspective, open mindedness, perseverance and grit. Once these strengths are identified and nurtured, we can then move towards an intrinsic motivation that creates a love of learning and a natural curiosity and desire for exploration and adventure in the classroom. When kids show a fearless approach to learning and come into the classroom with a win-win attitude, then the switch may have finally been flicked.