Growth Mindset Jenny Fleming Professional School Counselor, Sherwood ES LCPC, NCC, RPT
Gifts - Celebrate yourself Modeling positivity and celebrating After you finish, think to yourself about the following questions, on a your strengths, sets a great example scale from 1-5 (1 - really hard to 5 - really for your children. easy): Complete the Gifts worksheet! + + + How much effort did you have to put into identifying your gifts? What realm did your first thoughts fall in - emotional, social, physical? How hard would it have been to identify your areas for improvement?
Carol Dweck Professor of Psychology at Stanford University Carol Dweck has conducted research over the last 35 years with children and young adults. Her primary focus is how children view themselves as learners.
Mindset Research When children are praised or given feedback for intelligence their performance declines over time. Praising children for intelligence rather than effort actually hinders performance drastically over time. Students beliefs about intelligence play an important role in their school achievement, engagement and happiness. Praising the process (effort or strategies) creates eagerness for challenges, persistence in the face of difficulty and enhanced performance.
...Mindset Research In Math, more girls have a fixed mindset than boys Individuals labeled as Higher ability more frequently have a fixed mindset Students labeled as Lower ability with a fixed mindset perceive themselves as not smart and only ever capable of easy tasks Fixed mindset children see failure as something to be avoided and therefore stay firmly in their comfort zone So, what do we do?
Intelligence How do you define it? + Gardner - Multiple Intelligences (original 7) + + + + + + + Musical-rhythmic Visual-spatial Verbal-linguistic Logical-mathematical Bodily-kinesthetic Interpersonal (social skills) Intrapersonal (Introspective/self-reflective)
Whole child Children are complex little beings. There are many different pieces to each individual.
Take Note of your child 1. Take a note card (for each of your children) 2. Write your top three celebrations about your child 3. Write your top wish for an improvement of your child s
Scenario Nine-year-old Libby went to her first gymnastics competition. Long-limbed, flexible and energetic; she enjoys and does well in gymnastics. She is nervous about competing, but confident, and even has been daydreaming of the trophy she knows she will win. In the first event, floor exercises, Libby was first to compete and did a good job. A few other girls performed their routines and Libby went from 1st to 3rd. Libby also did well in the other events, but not well enough to win. By the end of the evening, she had received no trophies and was devastated.
What would you do if you were Libby s parents? Why? 1. Tell Libby that you thought she was the best. 2. Tell her she was robbed of a trophy that was rightfully hers. 3. Re-assure her that gymnastics is not that important. 4. Tell her that she has the ability and will surely win next time. 5. Tell her that she didn t deserve to win. She didn t practice enough like you told her to.
Class Dojo Video
Train your brain
Confusing messages Said Heard You learned that so quickly! You re so clever! If I don t learn something quickly, I m not clever. You are brilliant! You got an A without studying. I d better stop studying or they won t think I m brilliant.
How to Foster a Growth Mindset Teach about the brain Model positive thinking Believe it and practice it. It s more likely your child will honor it, if they see you value it. Praise intentionally Embrace process Take advantage of mistakes Let kids take reasonable risks and fail
...Fostering a Growth Mindset Overtly label effort based thinking Use descriptions for areas of improvement like yet, trying, and experiencing Encourage peer collaboration & discussion Encourage curiosity and creativity
Phrasing
Ingredients for success
Class Dojo video - making mistakes
Build self-awareness
Emotional state Temperature Feeling Words
Emotional inventory
Triggers Sometimes staying positive and praising effort, is trickier in specific situations. Knowing yourself and your child s highest level frustrations will help you predict challenging situations in advance.
Strategize self control What works for self control in your house? Brainstorm things you/your child can do to emotionally regulate Highlight strategies your child is willing to try Practice strategies in low stress times Practice strategies in increased stress times Use visual reminders to make strategies concrete
Mrs. Fleming s suggestions
Worksheets
Resources - Biography Ish by Peter Reynolds What Do You Do With An Idea by Kobi Yamada Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld The Little Engine That Could The Bravest Fish & the Cave Monster by Matt Buckingham I Knew You Could by Craig Dorfman Jack s Talent by Maryann Cocca-Leffler Yes We Can by Sam McBratney The Fantastic Elastic Brain
Growth Mindset Belief that intelligence can be developed Purpose to LEARN Embrace Challenge. Persist despite roadblocks Effort as a path to mastery. Learn from criticism, See others success as inspiration Belief in intellectual growth
Thank You for EVERYTHING! Any questions? + School - Jennifer_L_Fleming@mcpsmd.org + Private Practice - JFleming@resnikpsychology.com