Chapter 2: Inside the Mindsets
- What makes you feel smart?
- What can we do as educators to help students feel smart and love to learn?
Also, think of some problems you may face as an educator, discuss how you could use a growth mindset to take responsibility and start to correct the problems you face.
Offer suggestions to others' comments on how to switch "problems" in education by having a growth mindset.
When I realize I know something I didn’t think I did, when I have an A-ha moment, or when I can teach it to others – that is when I feel smart.
ReplyDeleteI think as educators we create those moments for students to feel smart, for them to experience the feeling and focus on it. Have them tap into their prior knowledge and guide them to make connections to their own life. There’s nothing better than when a student has their own a-ha moment! Teaching students with many disabilities its often difficult to get them to truly see that knowledge is power, but when they do….:) I try to build them up, to see their growth and encourage them to build up their classmates as well. This will hopefully, at the very least, teach them to appreciate the learning process, and lead them to “love to learn”.
As a special education teacher teaching students with behavioral and learning disabilities, it is a challenge every day. I teach with a growth mindset, trying to get my students to see that mistakes teach us and help us to become better learners, that it's not the end of the world. For many years I have had a poster in my classroom that states: “This is a mistake making classroom!” I have lived by this and have had many successes with my students due to this philosophy. I never knew it was called the growth mindset.
I liked what you said about students building up their classmates. This is so true. Like you I didn't think of this as a "growth mindset" before reading this book, but I have witnessed class leaders bringing others along with them. Sometimes if you can crack the toughest nut, others follow that lead. Hopefully what that means is that a growth mindset can be contagious.
DeleteI agree! Sometimes the greatest glories in life come out of "mistakes". Trina DiVincenzo
DeleteWhat makes me feel smart is overcoming obstacles to complete a “big project.” That might mean planning a successful trip, winning over a difficult student or parent, completing a repair that I thought might be beyond my ability, assuming a role that isn’t normally mine… More often than not, it isn’t something that I accomplish quickly. It is usually something that requires patience, persistence, frustration, research, trial and error, and ultimately success.
ReplyDeleteAs an educator, the most frustrating types of students that I ever encounter are those with the ability who fritter it away. I lose patience with them. I will bend over backwards to help students who might not necessarily possess the intellect, but who bust their tails trying.
This book is helping me to realize that the mindset of students has a great deal of impact on their achievement in school. Students with a fixed mindset have more trouble with the challenges of school. Adolescence is a time when kids worry about where they “fit in.” The fixed mindset can make this the MAIN focus. Learning takes a back seat to appearances. Students with a growth mindset are more likely to welcome all challenges - social and academic. It does not become a matter of either or.
As a Middle School teacher, I feel the best way to teach a growth mindset is through a well functioning advisory program. An advisor working with a small group of students can help steer them through the perils of adolescence, and help them to see obstacles as challenges.
“Failure is so important. We speak about success all the time. It is the ability to resist failure or use failure that often leads to greater success. I’ve met people who don’t want to try for fear of failing.” - J.K. Rowling
I agree Michael with your statement that learning takes a backseat to learning when they are so focused on "fitting in". After reading about the two mindsets I can vision how an adolescent with a "fixed" mindset may put the bare minimum effort in to their studies whereas a student with a "growth" mindset will view learning as a way of finding out what interests them, and embrace new learning oppurtunities that are presented to them.
DeleteI agree that a strong Advisory program is key to helping kids achieve a growth mindset. It's nice to have a forum to build students self-esteem without having to attach a grade to it! My students chose to write a "Respect" rap for our word of the month and were doubting their abilities at first. I encouraged them that if they worked in pairs and put their heads together to create just a couple of lines, our class could put a rap together in no time. It came out great because they had faith in their abilities!
DeleteIt's hard for me to pinpoint a specific time I felt "smart" per say. I have always felt a sense of accomplishment as a school year wraps up. It's not because my students had growth mindsets because they didn't, but as they grew I grew as a professional. I learned from each of them and I always made it a point to address each of my students at the end of each year in how they impacted
ReplyDeleteMe as a person. I feel as educators sometimes we take on the mindset that we are there to teach and nothing more. If our students fail, then we have failed. There is no time for mistakes, with state assessments, and job critiques on the line we almost become robotic. I believe if we could take a moment and think outside the box and welcome our students into a part of ourselves that we share with very few we are welcoming change. Being a special-education teacher I saw firsthand and how many of my students wanted to throw in the towel because they didn't think they were capable of getting good grades are making their benchmark goals. They viewed themselves as different and outcasts. Many of my students are never up for challenges because they had a fixed mindset that the traits and genes that they were born with they could never do anything to change. We always hear about praising our students, I do believe praise can be good and help students feel smarter and eager to learn however praise that can judge one's intelligence and rather appreciate their effort that they put in to their work .
(I apologize I accidentally hit submit without finishing my thought). Praise that can judge ones intelligence should be minimal. Appreciation for their effort and dedication to their work should be addressed
DeleteWhat makes me feel smart is accomplishing something new for the first time, or coming up with a solution to a problem I've encountered. This often takes time and many trials, but if you stick with it, a solution is usually on the horizon.
ReplyDeleteTo help students feel smart, we can praise them for the progress they make, regardless of how small or insignificant it seems. Maybe the student who never writes notes during class decided to join in for part of it. Reinforcing good behavior and constantly raising the bar can help students feel smart. Also, we can offer many different types of assessments so that students can shine in their own ways. Maybe a student excels in art and would prefer an artistic poster in place of a boring worksheet? To get students to love to learn, we need them to buy into the growth mindset and following Michelle Pfeiffer's words, teach them that learning is a prize and the mind is like a muscle. If students understand fully how many doors can and will open for them due to learning, hopefully a love of learning follows...
As educators we face a myriad of problems on a daily basis. Overtesting, new APPR requirements, apathetic students, students that are raised on playing lots of video games, no time for new lesson planning, schools downsizing, common core demands and the list goes on and on. If you approached some of these problems with a growth mindset, you would be more likely to rise above and start to find solutions instead of just complaining about the demands of the ever-evolving profession.
A friend of mine who has been teaching more than 20 years said to me just yesterday that she should not be feeling overwhelmed the way she is after teaching for so long. The outrageous demands on students and teachers is really taking its toll. Its very easy to complain to others within our profession because we are all feeling the pressure/stress. I started to complain right along with her but then paused and said, "How will we ever see success from our students if we can't figure out a way to make it work for them/us? We can't give up." I feel like a lot of teachers are giving up. If we give up our students won't even have a chance. Using the growth mindset and changing our way of thinking, our perception, our actions, can make all the difference for our students. (I feel like I should add, easier said than done) :)
ReplyDeleteI know part of our assignment this week is to suggest how we can have a growth mindset when confronted with "problems" in
Deleteeducation but you nailed it Tracy! If we as educators get overwhelmed with what is being asked of us we also have to look at how overwhelming it is to our students to make the "passing grade". If we are stressed it will show in our teaching skills/ body language and will be projected onto our students.
What makes me feel smart? Personally my job and knowing my job. Communicating with students, parents, and colleagues allows me to feel smart. In addition to that, anytime I feel as though I have added value to anything makes me feel like I have accomplished something or feel smart. Any opportunity I have when I can allow a student to really think I feel that is a chance to make them feel smart and accomplished. We all do a great job at teaching kids to "do". However, it is a whole different situation when we try and teach them to think. I do believe that when they realize the difference it can be life changing. Its like a light bulb flicking on. I have seen it many times. I also try and teach kids to keep and open mind. I try and show them the other side to the coin and ask them to tell me what they see. It can be a real eye opener and very rewarding. If I could apply my growth mindset to a situation in my job I think I would focus more on the teachers. I think I would want to advocate for time for the teachers to have where some that maybe struggling could get support from others in terms of reenergizing them. I feel this way because I think it is so necessary for the educators in the building to be confident and happy in order for them to add the value the can to kids lives. I would love to see team building and guest speakers during superintendent days that actually focus on the health and wellness of teachers. I feel that this would bring the building to a whole different level. Trina DiVincenzo
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of guest speakers and team building. Many times superintendent days are used for paperwork and creation of exams but part of the day could be used for positive reinforcement and the power of positive thinking. Positive thinking goes a long way.
DeleteI also like this idea of dedicating time to team building. Creating a positive work environment and more collaborative approach to teaching would ease some of those overwhelming feelings about the continual changes we face.
DeleteWow! What powerful posts so far! I think we can all agree teaching makes us feel smart but in this day and age of education we are fighting quite a battle and it is very difficult to keep a growth mindset and help our students to do the same! We are up against a lot right now, whether it be APPR, assessments, student struggles, home life and more and to keep it all together is a difficult task. I truly believe we need some positive movements in education right now to get everyone back on the same page. One thing i always try to do is go back to when i decided i wanted to be a teacher. What reasons did i have and what motivates me each and every day to want to go to work... the children! I think if we keep that in the forefront and let everything become second i hope it will all fall into place. Everyone needs positivity right now and i think if students saw a teacher spreading it it would said a powerful message. Why not commit to doing one random act of kindness for one student and one colleague this week. Even just a small note to remind them they are special and their hard work doesn't go unnoticed!
ReplyDeleteI guess I feel "smart" when I accomplish something be it personally or professionally. As teachers I think if we create an atmosphere where it's okay to express your opinion and also to make mistakes and not be judged, we can help students feel smart. In my class if a student doesn't know an answer then I let him/her pass to someone in the room. It works well and maybe the person they pick doesn't know either, so he/she passes to someone. There's no high pressure so it makes students feel comfortable. As educators I think we feel overwhelmed with the amount of paperwork that needs to be completed on a weekly basis. I'm not sure how to turn that around using a growth mindset unless something gives. Using my growth mindset I think if we got rid of Domain 4 that would be a start!
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me feel "smart" is working through a problem (for myself or one of my students) and persevering until it is solved. I focus a lot on self-awareness and self-advocacy during speech therapy sessions in order for my students to develop the ability to identify their own strengths/weakness. We use that to develop goals together for our sessions as well as to encourage them to advocate for what they need to help them learn best in their classroom.
ReplyDeleteIn our profession, sometimes problems arise from difficult parents or even colleagues we need to collaborate with. I think the growth mindset can help to see these parents or colleagues as having something to offer us and someone we can learn from- rather than an obstacle to face. Sometimes the most worthwhile collaborations come where you least expect it.
I love that suggestion! Can't we learn something from everybody we come into contact with?! Even if it is what we do NOT want to do. I also always remember that first I am a Mom and when speaking with difficult parents, I always try to show them that I have some empathy or understanding and that can usually drop the frustration level a notch or two.
DeleteI feel smart when I am prepared, and when I can anticipate a difficulty and have a plan in place. I feel smart when I can relate to people and offer support and advice that they may not have received yet. I feel that as teachers, it is our duty to be sure that every student knows they have great abilities in some area, and we are there to help them find it. I know for myself personally, trying to instill a love for learning is a real challenge. I could identify with Michelle in the movie clip because students often feel as though many things that they do should come with a "prize" of some kind. I do give prizes in my class, probably more than I should, but its frustrating because I am aware that I am creating short term results. I believe that to instill a love of learning, the students need to enjoy the topic, enjoy the person presenting the topic, or enjoy the activities involved in the lesson. After all, we, as growing adults need the same thing. As teachers, we tend to blame the state, the country, the politicians, the administration, the technology, etc. I personally think these are excuses that will always be present. They are excuses. They can make things more difficult that is for sure. Just like any job out there. I do my best to get through it by focusing on the kids.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Pfiefer's coat was awesome. :)
DeleteFirst Off I need to say that Dangers Minds is one of my all time favorites! I also love that clip in the movie. It is very true that our students want to be "the best." Even when they say they don't care every single one of them would be astatic to be told they are the best or at the top of something.
ReplyDeleteI went to a conference this year before the students started back with us and the purpose of that day was to listen and absorb a presentation by a man who was telling us how to recruit for Career and Technical Education. We were trained on how to come up with wow factors to grab the students attentions then we were taught how to keep them once the hook was in. This presenter informed us that we are pitching to a Millenial generation (which I am a part of) and one of the characteristics of this generation is that they LOVE and EXPECT to be praised. They want to be told they are the smartest, the fastest and the most talented. I think if the students always feel they are in control and they have an opportunity to feel that "smart" or that "talent" they will succeed and want to succeed.
I feel smart when I can engage in a conversation with people of all walks of life and actually contribute intelligently to their conversation. I feel smart when someone asks me for advice or to help them with an issue before anyone else. I feel smart when I really teach a great lesson. I feel smart when I can now teach my teachers in life such as my mom, my mentors and others. There are a lot of situations where I feel smart but equally there are those situations where I feel dumb : ( Those are no fun and can discourage you from standing out again. These are the situations I need and want to avoid with my students
I know this sounds bad but because we preach to a Millenial generation I try not to "call out" those students that are shy or don't normally enjoy to participate. There are other ways to get them involved but you embarrass them once and they will spend the rest of the school year dreading the same mortification so their learning is blocked by this innate fear of embarrassment. Another thing I do is tell every student they are right in some way... I know everyone thinks I am nutz right now for saying this but when a student is willing to even answer in front of their peers they should be rewarded but only to a certain extend. For example we were working our way through a percent problem today and a student said that we divide by the decimal percent (which was incorrect) but we DO use a decimal percent so I praised her for recognizing that but said that in a situation where we have a decimal percent already we will multiply.
I like to think I feel smart when I know the specifics of a situation and I know how to solve the problem, not the first time…but many times after that! Learning from my mistakes, having success makes me feel smart. As an educator, I want to make sure that I encourage my students to think of themselves as being “smart.” Loving to learn comes from the all the small success that we have in everyday life. I sometimes become overwhelmed when a situation is to big, or hard. But finding that I can break the situation down in smaller parts, will allow me to see a progression of growth. As in education, I want my students to not only feel successful, but also experience it! Students in the middle school are unique, to say the least. I become frustrated with students who do have the ability, but don’t try to be successful. Students with this fixed mindset are more academically and socially challenged. Facing many obstacles in my years of teaching, I have found that I have had to be an example to my students allowing them to see that you must have a growth mindset to take responsibility and start to correct the problems that they face. I make sure my student know it is okay to make mistake, but you also must learn from them. Failure is a part of growing… FAIL (First Attempt In Learning!)
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