Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Growth Mindset

Growth Mindset
Do You, We Value Growth Mindset Enough?
As professionals working in the field of education, most of us know about “growth mindset”.  We recognize that it means we, as humans, can grow in our knowledge and even in our thinking. But as educators, do we really focus enough attention on the value of a “Growth-Mindset Focus” for our classroom on a daily, weekly, monthly, curriculum year basis? Do your students know you value a growth mindset? Do you and your students actually discuss and celebrate “Ah-hah! Growth-Mindset Moments” in your classroom on a regular basis?
The Whole-Brain Child:
According to Dr. Dan Siegel, M.D. author of The Whole-Brain Child, kids start to develop a growth mindset just from learning about how their brain works and grows. Once kids understand that the brain actually physically grows connections as their brains practice and learn new skills and concepts, they get excited about the learning process and feel less worried about making mistakes. As teachers, are we coaching our students to be more active and engaged learners by demonstrating to them just how their brains work? Do they realize the brain is much like a muscle that will actually grow as they learn and make more connections every hour of every day? Do they understand, that if they don’t know “it” now, it is only because they haven’t learned “it” YET?

Research by Carol Dweck:
According to Carol Dweck, research shows that students who have developed a growth-mindset out performed students who have a fixed-mindset. Students with a growth-mindset believe that their intelligence can grow whereas students with a fixed-mindset believe they either have the “smarts” or they don’t. Students with a fixed-mindset thought needing to work hard was proof of their lack of intelligence, worried about not making mistakes, at least looking smart, and gave up easily. With these findings in mind, Dweck and her team set out to teach students about how the brain actually works, how to stay positive, and to keep working in spite of setbacks. Students who received the training demonstrated greater motivation, more resilience, and made greater gains than they had past. They also exhibited greater participation and enjoyment in school.

Tools to Help Us Move & Improve with Growth Mindset:
From the work of Carol Dweck and others it sounds like, we as teachers, need to give much more attention to helping students in our classrooms develop greater “Growth-Mindsets”. Watch the videos and look through the resources below to find a few tools to help your students grow their mindsets.


Watch a Great Math Mindset video by Jo Boaler--Just click on the link below:


Informative Poster from Jo Boaler & youcubed.org 

Great Books to Assist Your Endeavor to Create a Growth Mindset in Your Classroom:
(If you click on the title, it will provide you a link to Amazon.)
Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: Stretch It, Shape It by JoAnn Deak
In kid-friendly language, this book explains what the brain is and how it works. It explains how connections between neurons strengthen the more we practice a skill and it helps kids understand how effort and persistence boost their intelligence! It has fun illustrations and will lead to lots of interesting discussions about growth mindset.

A Walk in the Rain with a Brain by Edward M. Hallowell
This book provides a kid-friendly tour of the parts of the brain.

Making A Splash- Growth Mindset for Kids
This book shows the differences in mindsets between two siblings learning to swim. This book has everything you need to explain growth mindset to your child. It emphasizes effort and persistence in achieving success, and explains why some people have to work harder than others at certain skills.

Thanks for the Feedback, I Think by Julia Cook
Help your kids understand that constructive feedback after mistakes or failures can help them improve and get smarter!

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg
Sky Pig by Jan. L. Coates
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein
I Can’t Do That, YET by Esther P. Cordova
Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions &  How They Came to Be
by Charlotte Foltz Jones
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
Someday by Eileen Spinelli
When Pigs Fly by Valerie Coulman
Strong is the New Pretty by Kate T. Parker
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Salt in his Shoes by Delores & Roslyn Jordan
Nadia the Girl Who Couldn’t Sit Still by Karlen Gray



The poster shown below is available from Teachers Pay Teachers.
It can also be reproduced as a bulletin board for your classroom. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Growth-Mindset-YET-Sign-2968096



What will you do in the coming weeks to cultivate & celebrate the Growth Mindset of your students ?

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