Power of the Growth Mindet (Revisited)

The idea of the growth mindset was developed by psychologist and Stanford professor Carol Dweck. In short, a growth mindset is an understanding that intelligence and abilities are not fixed and permanent. Rather, they can be enhanced and developed through actions such as dedication, effort, and mentorship from others (The RSA, 2015). This belief that intelligence and abilities are changeable causes those with a growth mindset to be more open to learning new tasks and taking risks because, in contrast to those with a fixed mindset, they realize that any setbacks or failures they may encounter help them learn.

As I begin the process of implementing my innovation plan on my campus, having a growth mindset culture would seem to be the most ideal situation as it would encourage open-mindedness, taking chances, and exploration with my innovative idea. But having a growth mindset is not a fixed trait. It is something that needs to be developed and molded over time. So, the question is, how can/should I go about creating this type of environment and mindset on my campus?

Well, I believe the first step would be to explain, scientifically, how intelligence and ability are truly developed. Rather than just being things “we either have or don’t have”, I would demonstrate and explain how obstacles, challenges, and setbacks are what have been scientifically proven to enhance intelligence and ability. This is because every time people challenge themselves to learn something new and difficult, the brain changes and grows and the neurons in their brain produce stronger connections that, over time, can cause them to get smarter (TED, 2014). Therefore, if they do not have the intelligence or ability levels they desire, one of the best ways for them to work towards developing these qualities is by welcoming challenges and obstacles. This will allow them to see that failure, mistakes, and setbacks are not a sign of inability or lack of intelligence. Rather they are necessary parts of the learning process that develops true intelligence and ability (The RSA, 2015). In other words, they will come to realize that learning and, thus, acquiring intelligence and ability is a process.

With this understanding that learning and acquiring intelligence and ability is a process, it would then be imperative for me to emphasize and praise the process rather than getting correct answers. This can be done by applauding positive actions such as effort, perseverance, and dedication to a task (The RSA, 2015). And, if a learner is experiencing difficulties, giving learners feedback that they have “not yet” gotten to the answer is much more powerful than telling them they are wrong, much like the grading system does. It allows the learner to know that the process is not over and there is still hope for them to learn. Whereas focusing on right and wrong answers causes students to want to quit as soon as they encounter difficulties, praising and acknowledging the positive steps learners are taking to complete a task and utilizing “not yet” when they encounter difficulties provides motivation to continue learning even when there are obstacles and challenges. The more this is emphasized, the more the value of grades and the desire to cheat decreases because they are no longer thought to be indicators of knowledge, ability, or true learning. Once learners have gotten used to how I model growth mindset principles through my praise and reaction to their obstacles, they can begin conducting their own self-evaluations to help them monitor whether or not they are operating in a growth mindset as they do tasks. By asking themselves certain questions as they work, they can assess the amount of effort put forth for learning tasks, make personal judgements if this was okay (learner agency), and learn where and how they are engaging in fixed or failure mindset attitudes and behaviors (Gerstein, 2015).

So, once I establish a growth mindset culture, how do I keep it going? How do I sustain it so that it is not simply another educational fad. Well, this is where incorporating significant learning environments is so vital. A major component of a growth mindset is allowing students to learn from obstacles and challenges. This is the only way they will experience the idea that ability and intelligence can be developed. I believe the self-directed, project-based component of my flipped classroom innovation plan will continuously encourage learners to encounter challenges as they work through problems on their own and in groups. This, in turn, will help keep the principles of growth mindset in practice.

REFERENCES

Gerstein, J. (2015, September 04). Is "Have a Growth Mindset" the New "Just Say No”. Retrieved https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2015/09/04/is-have-a-growth-mindset-the-new-just-say-no

TED. (2013, May 9). Grit: the power of passion and perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H14bBuluwB8&feature=emb_title

TED. (2014, December 17). The power of believing that you can improve | Carol Dweck. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch time_continue=45&v=_X0mgOOSpLU&feature=emb_title

The RSA. (2015, December 15). Rsa animate: how to help every child fulfill their potential. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl9TVbAal5s&feature=emb_title