Establishing a Growth Mindset for Young Learners

I can help foster a growth a growth mindset in my learners by shifting the focus from grades to effort and progress. Students with a fixed mindset focus on their grades and believe they are a marker for how intelligent they are (Dweck, 2016). By emphasizing the importance of the journey of their learning and highlighting how their mistakes and productive struggle have helped them grow, my learners will understand that learning isn't only about the end product. It's about the growth, reflection, and learning along the way.

I will model the growth mindset and message of "yet" to my learners by letting them in on my own struggles as a lifelong learner. I have always been open with my students about how as a teacher I am still learning. When a lesson doesn't go as planned or I am having difficulty implementing a new strategy, I allow them in on my reflections so they can be aware that not everyone "has it all together." Even when we struggle and haven't conquered something yet we can attempt other solutions and even use our mistakes to help us learn what to do instead. Tying in these real life lessons with a beautiful read aloud, "The Magical Yet," students can wrap their heads around the idea that they don't have to have it all figured out, YET!

Having a growth mindset changes the acceptance of feedback because the pressure is off to be perfect. With a focus on learning and growing, learners understand that we can always look for ways to improve and refine our skills. Receiving feedback also shows that learning is a partnership or even a group effort. We can help each other grow by being able to learn from others. This mentality helps with shifting from everyone for themselves to encouraging each other and being able to help each other problem solve.

Having a growth mindset is a start, but it's not only about having the mentality that your intelligence is malleable. Learners also need to be provided with a significant learning environment with quality instruction and learning experiences. If you shift to a growth mindset, but the learner has no tools or experiences to help push them to grow, the increases in learning will not take place.

References

Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Ballantine Books.