I have been introducing my students to a Growth Mindset and the Power of Yet for several years now, but it wasn't until starting the ADL program that I actually developed a deeper understanding of how and why a growth mindset is important, not just to introduce but also to model and live by. After reading Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck (2006) and watching some of her videos such as The Power of Believing you can Improve (2014), my eyes have been opened to the science and psychology behind it. Some things I do to help my learners develop a growth mindset is to introduce them to videos, have group discussions, have positive affirmations, and model it daily. I come from a Title 1 school where we have a high mobility rate, high At-Risk population, and where more than half of the students are below grade level. Our students usually have a very fixed mindset and struggle with self esteem, so we work on our improving our student's mindset from day one. We embrace the power of yet and emphasize GROWTH! At first it took my students a while to understand that I would not be upset at them for not getting certain grades because what I was more concerned about was that they were trying their best and growing. This shift in thought kept them striving to grow daily. I even have students help each other out with pep talks. I recently heard one of my students tell another, "It is ok, you might just not understand this part YET, but with practice you will get there. Remember as long as you are learning and growing it will be ok." This made my teacher heart so full. Mindset is everything! Resources: Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success: How we can learn to fulfill our potential. Ballantine Books.
Dweck, C. (2014, December 17). The power of believing that you can improve: Carol Dweck. YouTube. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://youtu.be/_X0mgOOSpLU
Comments