GROWTH MINDSET PRINCIPALS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE APRIL 18, 2017
INTRODUCTION TO MINDSETS Today, we are learning about the power of our beliefs, both conscious and unconsciously, on our behaviors. Changing just the simplest of these beliefs can have a strong impact in the lives of our students and ourselves.
WHAT IS A MINDSET? It is an attitude, assumptions, belief system, or perspective on how we view ourselves through our personality, behaviors and actions personally in the world. It has many applications across a wide variety of areas. Mindsets are powerful beliefs that are in your mind and your mind can be changed. Today, are talking about Growth Mindset in education. This is but the tip of the iceberg.
OUR LOFTY GOALS IN EDUCATING STUDENTS 1. To be college and/or career ready 2. To be able to read critically, solve complex problems and to write effectively 3. To be able to take on challenges with zeal 4. To evolve into powerful agents of change for themselves and the world
WHY IS IT VITAL TO TEACH ABOUT MINDSETS? a. Educators must believe that talents of students can be developed to allow them to fulfill their potential. b. Every child can be successful with the right combination of hard work and good instruction.
WHAT IS A GROWTH MINDSET? (OPENING ACTIVITY PAPER TOP HALF) (SHARE OUT) Name something about which you believe you have a strong knowledge base or skill level. (Use your Index card in your folder)
The person responsible for this work on mindsets is a professor and researcher, Carol Dweck, PH.D whose decades of research is published in her book, Mindset-The New Psychology of Success How We Can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential She is a world-renown psychologist from Stanford University
Professor Dweck has this to say about Mindsets: There is no relation between students abilities or intelligence and the development of mastery-oriented qualities. Some of the very brightest students avoid challenges, dislike effort and wilt in the face of difficulty. And some of the less bright students are real go-getters, thriving on challenges, persisting intensely when things get difficult and accomplishing more that you expected. It shows that being mastery-oriented is about having the right mindset. It is not about how smart you are. Having the masteryoriented mindset helps them become more able over time. How many of you have found this to be true or not true? Dweck - Education World interview
DEFINITIONS OF GROWTH MINDSET - A belief that your abilities and intelligence can change through effort and learning - Each person is capable of learning anything - A belief that views mistakes as learning opportunities - Struggle and failure might be necessary but with effort and perseverance, everyone can succeed
MORE DEFINITIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS - Intelligence, creativity and artistic ability can be developed over time with practice, hardwork, endurance and a willingness to learn and adapt - You believe your traits, habits, personality, skills are growing and changing. Effort is the linchpin. How far will you go if you try? Failures may hurt but they provide feedback as signposts not endpoints.
FROM THE CHART CALLED TWO MINDSETS # A growth mindset means intelligence can be developed. # Leads to a desire to learn # Embraces challenges # Persists in the face of setbacks # Sees effort to the path of mastery # Learns from criticism # Finds lessons and inspiration in success of others
In contrast to a Growth Mindset is a Fixed Mindset that is a belief that states: Each person s intelligence, skills and talents are predetermined. You are born with certain skills and you are wasting your time trying to improve those skills in which you are not strong.
MORE CHARACTERISTICS OF FIXED MINDSET ( Taken from a book called A Mindset of Learning by Mraz and Hertz) When you think about yourself and the world with a fixed mindset, you believe your traits, habits, personality, skills are fixed and immovable. You are smart or dumb, athletic or clumsy, artistic or not. There is nothing you can do to change those traits. Effort is not valued. Why try if you know you are dumb? Failure is a terrifying prospect. If you fail, does that mean you were never smart in the first place?
ALSO FROM THE CHART FIXED MINDSET % Intelligence is static % Avoids challenges % Gives up easily % Sees effort as fruitless or worse % Ignores useful negative feedback % Feels threatened by success of others
Answer this question: Can you have both types of Mindsets or are your beliefs in one Mindset or the other? Next - Answer questions on bottom of first sheet.
MORE QUOTES FROM CAROL DWECK When you enter a mindset, you enter a new world. In one world (Fixed Mindset) success is about proving you are smart or talented. Validating yourself. In the other mindset (Growth Mindset) it s about stretching yourself to learn something new. Developing yourself. Test scores and measures of achievement tell you where a student is, but they don t tell you where a student could end up. Becoming is better than being.
So How Does This Work in the Brain Your brain is an organ. It is soft like warm butter. Your skull protects your brain. Your brain consumes the energy from 1/5 of the food you eat to operate. Neurons in the brain create pathways when you learn something new. The more pathways, the denser your brain becomes. You can grow the size of your brain through building strong pathways by learning and trying new things. Pathways are strengthened by practicing what you learn.
Let s watch this video called The Power of Belief A TED Talk Discussion What were your take aways from what you saw and heard?
Review the enclosed article, You Can Grow Your Brain Discussion Neuron Activity
Let s Compare and Contrast Growth and Fixed Mindsets 1. Listen to my examples and identify if it indicates a Fixed or Growth Mindset. (Use Signal Cards to answer) 2. Identify something about which you have a Fixed Mindset. (Write on your Index card in your folder) 3. Identify something about which you have a Growth Mindset. (Write on your Index card in your folder)
EFFORT How would you define effort? What helps you to determine how much effort you put forth in something? What about your students? Adolescents often develop the low-effort syndrome as a way to assert their independence from adults. There is a great amount of information about this topic.
EFFORT (CONTINUED) = In a Growth Mindset, effort is the reward. People with this mindset do not give up easily. Setbacks are motivating to them. Champions find success in learning and improving and doing their best.
+ In a Fixed Mindset, people will quit easily, will not struggle or give extra effort. They will not accept challenging tasks so that they do not fail or look less smart.
THE ROLE OF FAILURE IN GROWTH MINDSETS In a Fixed Mindset, mistakes and failures are poisonous to people because they ignore their presence rather than do what it takes to remedy the situation. In a Growth Mindset, mistakes and failures are a natural part of the learning and growth processes and they are opportunities to be embraced not avoided. These mistakes and failures may be painful at first but the opportunity for growth and learning benefit students in the long run. Famous failures article
SUPPORTIVE FEEDBACK VS. THE PERILS OF PRAISE AND CRITICISM Feedback- when a person (teacher) suggests what another person (student) might do to improve. This is called Process Praise Praise makes you feel good about your work but research has shown that praising students for their intelligence can hinder their motivation to learn. See article in your folder
Process Praise sounds like this: I like the way you tried all kinds of strategies on that problem until you solved it. It was a hard assignment but you stuck with it until you finished it. You concentrated on the task and kept working. You took on a challenging task that took a lot of work!
THE NOT YET PERSPECTIVE Instead of the adopting the attitude that one can never learn something difficult, choose the perspective that one has not yet learned it. Through effort, continued practice and perseverance one can learn something difficult. YOUTUBE VIDEO SESAME STREET: THE POWER OF YET
How to help students develop a Growth Mindset Hold a discussion in class about how students who struggled in a subject area were able to improve and be successful with persistence and effort Discuss that often fast learning or getting school work done quickly does not always lead to deep learning. Students who take longer to learn something, learn more deeply. Break down difficult or complex tasks into their component parts so students can see their own skill building progress. Heather Landers - teaching.colostate.edu/tip
How to help (continued) Make your expectations for learning the content and skills in your classroom clear and explicit. Small growth increments repeated over time can lead to a Growth Mindset and increase confidence, + As students make progress, praise their efforts and strategies instead of their intelligence. Help students focus on and value the process of learning. Students are focused on grades which encourages a Fixed Mindset. (and so are parents)
More Help Design some classroom activities and lessons around cooperative rather than competitive or individualistic work. Given research states that students are more motivated and successful when working in groups. Group work helps them develop responsibility and with positive feedback can help develop a Growth Mindset. What are the benefits and challenges of group work?
SCENARIOS ( In small groups using given examples) Identify each example as a Growth Mindset or a Fixed Mindset
COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS Carol Dweck says, If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. That way, their children don t have to be slaves of praise. They will have a lifelong way to build and repair their own confidence. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THIS STATEMENT? HOW MIGHT YOU COMMUNICATE THAT TO PARENTS OF YOUR STUDENTS? WHAT DID YOU TRY HARD AT TODAY? Carol Dweck
RESOURCES AVAILABLE - BOOKS - ARTICLES - LESSONS, ACTIVITIES, POWERPOINTS, VIDEOS AND IDEAS ON INTERNET FOR DIFFERENT LEVELS OF STUDENTS
TIPS FOR YOU 2 ARTICLES INCLUDED IN YOUR FOLDER
QUESTIONS???? DOES THIS HAVE TO BE TAUGHT AS A SEPARATE SUBJECT OR CURRICULUM CONCEPT?
DISCUSSION: HOW DO YOU PLAN TO USE THIS INFORMATION IN YOUR SCHOOL? EXIT SLIP Answer the questions on the given paper at back of folder. Sign it and turn in to presenter.