Growth Mindset
Changing the Mindset
One issue educators face when incorporating new and innovative programs into a classroom is their fixed mindset. My limited experience in the classroom and being around other educators has shown me that many are not willing to embrace new ideas; yet, they spend multiple hours in professional development attempting to learn about new ideas. I believe their fixed mindset is due to a lack of exposure beyond their current environment. Based on my experience, when a person has been exposed to diverse settings, there is an opportunity for growth. One of the main reasons I am working to obtain my Masters in Digital Learning and Leading (DLL) is because I am seeking growth in an area that will remain relevant in the classroom for years to come. If I choose to remain as complacent as many of my fellow educators, I will continue to have what I believe is a fixed mindset. A growth mindset, on the other hand, will allow educators to embrace diverse teachings and learning strategies that will help us to succeed. Changing the mindset of teachers and students will be a crucial factor in embracing any type of innovative concept.
Fixed Mindset
During my research on what is determined to be a fixed mindset, I located an article online titled Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset: What Really Matters. In the article, SJ Scott states,
In a fixed mindset, people believe their qualities are fixed traits and therefore cannot change. These people document their intelligence and talents rather than working to develop and improve them. They also believe that talent alone leads to success, and effort is not required.
Dr. Carol Dweck states in her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, “Individuals who believe their talents are innate gifts have a fixed mindset” (Dweck, 2006).
As I think about what it means to have a fixed mindset, I realize that I have a fixed mindset in certain areas. Understanding the power of "yet" and knowing that some things are worth waiting for, reminds me that success in any area is not always quickly experienced. Leaving my corporate job to become a teacher is a sign of growth as this is something I've never done before and I had no formal training. I had a desire, a group of people to suppport me, made a decision and followed through. I didn't realize it, but I was truly living out the power of "yet". However, once I arrived in my classroom, I had a desire to incorporate certain lessons into my teaching, but would decide not to use them because they didn't work for other teachers. In my mind, if it didn't work for others, it will not work for me. I actually adopted someone else's fixed mindset!
Growth Mindset
As an educator, I must accept that the growth mindset allows me to be at the center of the learning process. When I am in the center of the learning process, I increase my level of awareness and engagement and become a more effective teacher. This is also an important factor when I am instructing my students. Fostering a growth mindset in students is a priority for most educators, but sometimes teachers themselves operate on a fixed mindset (Gunn, 2019). Some of the best practices to change the mindset are 1. Never stop growing. 2. Experiment and innovate. 3. Be Flexible. 4. Truly listen. 5. Reflection (Gunn, 2019). Even the best teachers can incorporate opportunities for growth in their development and teaching. We can only imagine the impact this will have on our students.
In the video The Growth Mindset in the Classroom, the speaker talks about fostering the growth mindset into the classroom by “providing students with different opportunities for success”. One of the things I like most about the DLL program is that I will learn how to identify, investigate, and understand contemporary issues relevant to local and global context. The autonomy that we’ve been granted in the program has allowed the participants to do their best work by providing a sense of belonging, purpose, and relevance. What better time than now to adjust my mindset and foster an environment where my students are learning as much as possible about digital innovation?
What is the Plan?
It is great to think and talk about having a growth mindset. I am reminded of a proverb that says, “whatever a man thinketh in his heart, that he also becomes” Proverbs 23:7 (KJV). In other words, a person will typically act according to what they are thinking. As I think about embracing a growth mindset, I encountered feelings of excitement as well as feelings of indifference. Sometimes, I am ready to move forward; but then other times, I think that I am actually doing well and there is no need to change my thought process. This brings me to realize that I must have a plan in place as it will help me to achieve my goal. Having a plan will also help me to define my objectives and measure my success. To learn more about my plan, please visit My Growth Mindset Plan.
While working towards a growth mindset will take some effort on the person’s part, it is the reward(s) we receive at the end that makes it all worthwhile. It is normal to “have setbacks and disappointments” (Dweck, 2006, 2016) when going through the process. However, once we consistently focus on the “can” instead of the “can’t” in our development, we will gain the courage needed to unleash the potential we have inside us. As a result, we will operate in more of a growth mindset.
Resources
Dweck, C. S. (2006,2016). Chapter 1. In Mindset: The new psychology of success (p. 4). New York, NY: Ballantine Books.
Dweck, C. S. (2006,2016). Chapter 8. In Mindset: The new psychology of success (p. 4). New York, NY: Ballantine Books.
Gunn, J. (2019, October 25). How to build a growth mindset for teachers: Resilient educator. Retrieved July 25, 2020, from https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/growth-mindset-for-teachers/
Lu, J. (2017, May 20). Four Steps to a Growth Mindset https://sites.dartmouth.edu/learning/2017/05/20/developing-a-growth-mindset/
Scott, S. (2020, August 26). Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset: What REALLY Matters for Success. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.developgoodhabits.com/fixed-mindset-vs-growth-mindset/
