Developing a Growth Mindset Plan
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As an educator, the recent meta-analysis from Case Western Reserve University has certainly given me pause. It is disheartening to learn that the growth mindset, a concept I have advocated for and integrated into my teaching, may not have the significant impact on learning outcomes as I once believed. However, I see this as an opportunity to reflect on my practices and consider how I might modify my approach to teaching with a growth mindset.
I believe that the growth mindset is not a silver bullet but rather one piece of a larger puzzle. If I wish to help my learners develop a growth mindset, I must consider other factors that influence learning, such as the learning environment, the types of tasks students engage in, and the feedback they receive. I must create a classroom culture that values effort, encourages risk-taking, and sees failure as a stepping stone to success.
To model the growth mindset and the message of "yet," I plan to share my own learning journey with my students—emphasizing the challenges I've faced and how I've grown from them. I'll use language that reinforces progress, such as "You haven't mastered this concept yet," to suggest that improvement is always possible.
The growth mindset can indeed change how students receive feedback and their attitudes toward cheating. By valuing learning over performance, students are more likely to see feedback as a tool for growth rather than a judgment of their abilities. This shift can reduce the temptation to cheat, as the focus is no longer solely on grades, but on the learning process itself.
Speaking of grades, a preoccupation with them can undermine the principles of a growth mindset. By incorporating formative assessment and reflecting on learning objectives rather than just test scores, I hope to help students focus on the learning process. Grit, the passion and perseverance for long-term goals, plays a significant role here. It encourages students to persist through challenges, but it must be balanced with support and the right level of challenge to avoid becoming just another form of pressure.
To prevent the growth mindset from becoming a fad or being improperly implemented, I will ensure that my approach is detailed and evidence-based. Grit should not be an excuse for excessive rigor that leads to burnout. Instead, it should be about fostering resilience and a love for learning.
While the growth mindset is a good start, it's clear that it's not enough on its own. Education must move beyond this single concept. We should encourage learners to adopt a Learner’s Mindset, where curiosity, openness, and a desire to understand are at the forefront.
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As I strive to create a significant learning environment, my focus will not be on the growth mindset as an isolated concept but rather as part of a holistic approach to teaching and learning that prioritizes the development of a complete learner—one who is resilient, reflective, and ready to take on the challenges of the world with a true love for learning. My innovation is based on enriching professional learning and I find myself thinking of ways to develop a plan that can be integrated into the very fabric of professional learning when designing courses for educators.
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The idea of a growth attitude is strong, but it is not a magic bullet. It should be part of a bigger plan to help all students, including social and emotional learning, individualized lessons, and fair teaching methods. To get our students to have a Learner's Mindset, we need to encourage them to be curious, love to learn and feel comfortable asking questions. It means making a place where learning is valued for its own sake, not just for the praise or grades it might bring. I am dedicated to helping students develop a more profound and enduring love for learning by incorporating these aspects into my teaching. I think this is what it means to "reignite the learner's mindset." By teaching my students to love learning and showing them how great it feels to get better at something, I think we can do some amazing things together in the education profession! Below is an infographic that I created with the intent of building educators capacity in implementing Growth Mindset in their curriculum and instruction.
Grow dnd Evolve
Looking back at my previous post from EDLD 5302 on the growth mindset, I can see my initial enthusiasm for the concept. I was convinced of its transformative power. But now, I'm realizing that it's about more than just believing in the ability to grow; it's about creating the conditions that make growth possible. It's more than creating infographics about what growth mindset looks like. It's about continuous reflection on our teaching practices and being open to new evidence and strategies. Also, embedding growth mindset methodologies into everyday professional practice will enhance professional development.
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Reflecting on my educational journey from EDLD 5302 to EDLD 5313, I realize the profound impact that understanding and embracing a growth mindset has had on my approach to creating significant learning environments. I recall entering EDLD 5302 with a budding awareness of the principles of growth mindset, inspired by the work of Carol Dweck. Initially, I saw growth mindset as a way to encourage students to persevere through challenges and embrace mistakes as learning opportunities. However, as I transitioned into EDLD 5313 and began the tangible process of building significant learning environments, my appreciation for the depth and practical application of a growth mindset has expanded remarkably.
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In EDLD 5302, I learned that a growth mindset isn't just an educational buzzword; it's a transformative approach to learning and intelligence. It was there that I began to understand the importance of praising effort over innate ability and the potential for intelligence to be developed. I absorbed the theory and engaged with the idea that students with a growth mindset were likely to embrace challenges and achieve more. Yet, at that point, my grasp of growth mindset was largely theoretical.
As I stepped into the world of EDLD 5313, my theoretical understanding was put to the test. Creating significant learning environments required more than just imparting knowledge; it demanded cultivating an atmosphere where learners felt empowered to take risks and where failure was not a setback but a step forward. This shift from theory to practice deepened my understanding of growth mindset as I worked to embed it into the fabric of my teaching practices and classroom culture.
I came to see that fostering a growth mindset was about more than encouraging students; it was about modeling it myself. I learned to share my learning process with students, admitting my mistakes and showing how they contributed to my growth. This vulnerability helped to create a safe space where students felt comfortable taking intellectual risks.
In addition, I came to the realization that having a growth mindset is closely connected to how we design learning experiences. During my time in EDLD 5313, I worked on creating learning tasks that not only provided a challenge and were interesting, but also allowed for varying approaches to learning. To aid in this, I incorporated formative assessments that not only provided feedback on what was learned, but also on how students tackled problems and overcame obstacles.​
As I continue to create significant learning environments in EDLD 5313, I am more committed than ever to applying a growth mindset to every aspect of my teaching. I am cultivating an environment where students are co-creators in their learning journey, where their ideas and feedback actively shape the classroom experience. By doing so, I am not only teaching content; I am mentoring students in the process of learning to learn.
In conclusion, my ideas on growth mindset have not just grown; they have matured and become integral to my educational philosophy. From the seed planted in EDLD 5302 to the garden I tend in EDLD 5313, my understanding of growth mindset has evolved from a concept to a way of being. It is a testament to the transformative power of learning and the joy of guiding students through their own journeys of discovery. ​
References:
Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087–1101.
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Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
Dweck, C. S. (2017). From fixed mindset to growth mindset: Changes in students’ beliefs about intelligence. In A. J. Elliot, C. S. Dweck, & D. S. Yeager (Eds.), Handbook of competence and motivation: Theory and application (2nd ed., pp. 239–256). Guilford Press.
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Harapnuik, D. (2019, April 5). How to grow a growth mindset. It is About Learning. Retrieved April 27, 2024, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=7955
​TED. (2013, May 9). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved April 27, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H14bBuluwB8