Mind Over Matter:  Modeling and Managing a Growth Mindset for Success

Do you find yourself looking for ways to keep your head above water?  Are you striving to maintain a positive attitude as you work to end the school year on a high note?  As you navigate these challenging times, a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset may be just what you need.  A growth mindset supports the belief  that by working hard and being committed, you can make a difference in yourself and those around you.  Across the board, educators who have a growth mindset are dedicated to personal development, believe in themselves, learn from their mistakes, and see that they can always improve.

Forbes Magazine author Caroline Castrillion says that having the right mindset can make the difference between success and failure (2019).  In her article entitled “Why A Growth Mindset Is Essential For Career Success”, she identifies five characteristics of a growth mindset that cultivate career success.  

How powerful could it be if you promoted those same attributes for success with the students you serve?  A growth mindset in the classroom has been proven to improve teaching and learning.  When educators adopt a growth mindset as a part of the classroom culture,  students are better able to develop an awareness and understanding of their own thought processes and  gain a love for learning.  

Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, Dr. Carol Dweck and colleagues have researched the impact of a growth mindset on student learning success  for over thirty years. Dr. Dweck believes that when implementing a growth mindset in the classroom, it is more important for teachers to show students how to think and less important to tell them what to think.  In this TED Talk, The Power of…YET! Dr. Dweck discusses a way to shift your students’ mindset by moving them away from the perspective of  “I can’t figure it out” and into the perspective that  “I  just haven’t figured it out YET?” 
“Growth mindset is about embodying it in all the everyday practices that educators do. Presenting material with students’ understanding that you think they can all learn it to a high level. It’s collaborating with students, and giving feedback to them on their learning processes. It’s about helping children to relish challenges, because the challenges can help them grow their abilities.” -Carol Dwek

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To learn more about the Growth Mindset, download the Growth Mindset Toolkit from Transforming Education’s website  HERE.  

You may also like listening to  Sasha Crowley’s webinar, “Growth mindset: The key to unlocking student achievement,”