2/28/23: The Power of a Growth Mindset!

Let’s make it a great week!

​Helpful Stuff

I think by now we have all at least heard of Carol Dweck’s fixed and growth mindset concepts.

This is a fundamental building block for any subject, not just our beloved English and language arts.
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Before we can even begin teaching the content, it’s important to explore the students’ existing beliefs about learning (& how much they actually control in their own learning), their abilities, and how much they can improve!

One thing I still remind myself of while working on my current students’ mindsets is that it’s going to be a long-term process, just like learning and growing is for all of us.

We set ourselves and our students up for frustration and disappointment if we approach this with unrealistic expectations.

We all grow little by little: maybe today a student tries a little harder than yesterday before giving up, maybe a student attempts a little harder to understand why they got the answer wrong, maybe they don’t try again but they at least listen to your constructive feedback; these are all measures of growth!

Do not get caught up in what you think growth looks like, because it will look different for everyone. We should all just try to be at least 1% better than we were yesterday.

I challenge ourselves to examine our own limiting beliefs: for example, I don’t know how many times I’ve caught myself saying I’m “not a math person”.

Now, I correct myself to say I haven’t dedicated the time and effort to really develop my abilities in math but I’m sure I could if I really wanted to, just like we all can.
It is incredibly valuable to both ourselves and our students to voice out loud: “Remember, teachers do not know everything and we are just as much a student as you are.”

For this week, let’s just focus on catching ourselves whenever we say things that show a limited fixed mindset and correct ourselves (in front of our students, to model that we are all works in progress and humble enough to admit mistakes) and when we are alone, let’s correct it for ourselves so we really start changing our subconscious limiting beliefs.

I don’t want to dump everything about growth mindset all in one email, or even in consecutive emails, so the most helpful stuff will be coming you in intervals.

As always, keep and use what is useful and disregard the rest. :)

Recommendations

I am re-listening to this fantastic audiobook called The Growth Mindset Coach: A Teacher's Month-by-Month Handbook for Empowering Students to Achieve and it has inspired me to really try to cultivate a culture of the growth mindset more vigorously.

I know you’re probably thinking, “But Charlie, the last thing I need right now is another thing to do!”

And I agree, our plates are full. Think about it this way: it’s not another thing to do, but another way of starting to think! Don’t see it as another thing served on your plate, see it as a different way of serving and looking at what is already on your plate.

There doesn’t have to be any physical products or copies made or papers turned in. Just try to catch little moments where you can insert some growth mindset thinking & perspectives in your school day.

The book is organized with a theme, or mantra, for each month and starts in August and ends in July, much like the school year. For example, August’s theme is “Teaching is a Practice, Not a Perfection.”
Don’t get bogged down with following the calendar’s structure to a tee, but rather, look at doing just a little bit better where you can.

Here is a short summary of the book to help you!

A Little Inspiration

We can all get better.

We are all working to get better.

Every day is a new opportunity to be a better, stronger, more improved you than you were in the past.

Our students, and we too, are powerful works in progress so let’s not focus so much on the end product, just like in the classroom sometimes, but in the wonderful process of learning and growing to get there.

Let’s not focus on the letter grade but rather on the effort made and how much individual improvement and growth was made in that beautiful life-long struggle we call learning.

Please forward this to any teacher that could benefit from this message and help spread the love!

You can always reply to this message or message us on Facebook here!

Keep changing the world!
Charlie with Shining Scholar Education
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