Students who believe that they can learn, will learn and students who believe that they can not learn, will not. Within the past few years the growth mindset model has gained a lot of momentum. The main underlying belief of growth mindset is that students who believe that they can learn will be able to apply themselves to the best of their ability within the classroom and real-world situations and will grow. Students with a sort of fixed mindset, believe that their growth is fixed. That people know as much as they know, and they cannot know or learn anymore than that. Now, as an educator, a growth mindset seams more appealing to foster within the classroom. Being as there are a lot of cool things that we can teach to students, as long as they are willing and believe that they are capable of learning. If students have a fixed mindset, our job would be very boring because if students do not believe in themselves then it is hard to teach them. Not saying that it is impossible, because it is not. However, students with a fixed mindset tend to have worse attitudes towards learning and coming to school.
There are a lot of qualities about students with fixed mindsets that actually dwindle their abilities to be effective problem solvers within the classroom. A quote from Dr. Rachel Turney states, “Students with a fixed mindset like to be told that they are smart, instead of being praised for hard work.” Thus, the importance of changing the language in your classroom during group work or independent work. Students need to be praised for their hard work, not their intelligence level. Because when a growth mindset is fostered, the students already understand that they can learn and grow their abilities and skills with the correct pedagogy.
Most educators have become stagnant in their teaching practices and thus they are praising the students for being smart, instead of the students working hard to work towards the learning goals. Another quote from Dr. Rachel Turney states, “Praising students for their intelligence level actually lead students to be less persistent.” A study proved that praising students for intelligence levels actually makes them less persistence, therefore when they reach something that is challenging, they do not want to try and make it through the task at hand.
Growth mindset is one thing that has to be fostered from the very beginning of the school year because the language used within the classroom has to be very specific. However, students with a growth mindset take more action within their education and their learning and they own the process of getting them to mastery level of their learning targets.
Just a little over a month ago, in one of my many clinical experience, I had a 1st grader look me dead in the eyes and say, “that’s okay Ms. Trone, I can do hard things so I know that I will be able to get it if I do this…” This, coming from a first grader killed me. But it showed me the power of a student taking charge of their own learning, and this is what every educator needs to aim for.
Miss Trone 