Growth Mindset Odyssey

A Journey of Learning and Empowerment 

The Importance Of Having A Growth Mindset

I’m excited to share with you my Growth Mindset Plan, which I’ve named “Growth Mindset Odyssey: A Journey of Learning and Empowerment“. This plan aims to cultivate a culture of growth mindset within the ADL Master Program and as a teacher at Eastside Elementary School. Having a growth mindset is very important and it can help you to achieve more ambitious goals. The belief that with dedication and continuous learning our intelligence and abilities can grow and develop is something that makes me excited. It’s a perspective that turns challenges into opportunities for us to learn, become more resilient, and ultimately, to grow.

Transforming Your Mindset: A Four-Step Journey

According to Scott Jeffrey, the secret to shifting your mindset starts with knowing yourself better. To make this change, you need to recognize the moments or situations that make you think in a fixed way and pay attention when you find yourself falling into that pattern. 

In the following paragraphs I’m going to explain how I’m going to be using the 4 steps described by Dr. Dweck to start and develop a growth mindset journey in the environment where I work and live.

Step 1: Learn To Hear Your Fixed Mindset “Voice.”

In this step Dr. Dweck explains how, when we are facing new challenges, this inner voice often questions your abilities and fears failure. When obstacles arise, it may blame your talent or call your choices risky. When faced with criticism, it either avoids taking responsibility or raises doubts about the critics. This inner critic is known as the “inner saboteur” and represents a fixed mindset. By recognizing it, you can prepare for its negative influence and learn to listen for it.

As a third grade teacher I’ve seen in first person how many of my students react when they are faced by new challenges. They tend to feel unsure or worried. I can help them understand that these feelings are like a little voice inside their heads. For example, when my students have to take a math test they tend to feel nervous about it. In this case, I can encourage them with some words like, “Sometimes, we have a little voice in our heads that says, ‘What if I can’t do this?’ or ‘What if I make a mistake?'” and help them understand that is totally okay, it happens to everyone. This way, I can make my students aware of the “fixed mindset voice” and help them learn to listen for it.

When it comes to my ADL Master’s program, understanding and applying the step 1 can be a game changer. Whenever I face a new academic challenge, it’s common to have doubts like, “Am I really ready for this?” or “What if I don’t succeed?”. Actually, making the decision to do this Master Program was a huge concern to me. I had many doubts for many different reasons but I decided to take the challenge. I’m very sure that along the ADL Program I’m going to receive constructive criticism or feedback and I have to be aware of that inner voice that will say to me “It’s not my fault” or “Why should I listen to them?”. Anticipating this voice when I tackle new challenges or face obstacles will be important for me in order to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. I’m aware that this is a long process and that It takes practice, but over time, I’ll  start noticing that inner voice more and get better at overcoming it.

Step 2: Recognize that you have a choice.

Dr. Dweck states how these fixed mindset voices can mean two things: Either you believe your abilities are fixed, and challenges are a sign of your limits, or you see them as opportunities to improve, learn, and grow. In the first case we are in the presence of a fixed mindset, while in the second one we are witnessing a growth mindset. The key is to stop being hard on yourself and start thinking about how you can keep getting better and learning.

In my role as an elementary teacher I can apply this step by explaining to my 8 year old students that when they face challenges, they have a choice in how they see them. I can explain to them that whenever something is difficult, they can say: “I can’t do this; it’s too hard”. That’s a fixed mindset because it suggests to them that they believe they can’t change. On the other hand, they also have the chance to look at difficult situations as a challenge for them to take advantage of and learn more, get better. That’s a growth mindset because it means they believe they can improve. I will encourage my students to choose the growth mindset approach when they encounter difficulties. I will tell them that  it’s okay to find things hard, but the important part is that they’re trying and learning. This explanation can help them shift from a fixed mindset to one focused on growth and improvement.

I will be applying step 2 during  my ADL Master’s program by recognizing that I have the power to choose how I interpret challenges, setbacks, and criticism. Whenever things get hard or I receive criticism, I have the power to look at these situations in two different ways. One perspective is to see them as evidence of fixed talent and ability, suggesting that I’m  limited in what I can achieve. This is the fixed mindset. However, there’s another perspective, which consists in seeing every difficulty as opportunities to push myself further, increase my effort, adapt my strategies, and keep growing. This is the growth mindset. I will constantly remind myself that I have the choice to adopt the growth mindset when facing difficulties. Instead of judging myself, I can focus on self-improvement. I can recognize that challenges are not roadblocks but stepping stones to progress. This shift in perspective can help me excel in my studies and foster a positive learning experience.

Step 3: Talk back to it with a growth mindset voice.

The third step developed by Dr. Dweck explains how when you encounter challenges, setbacks, or criticism, you can have different mindsets. The fixed mindset often doubts your abilities, suggesting you might not have the talent and would be labeled as a failure. In contrast, the growth mindset sees challenges as opportunities to learn and improve over time. Even successful people like Michael Jordan or Thomas Edison faced difficulties and worked hard to achieve their goals. When facing criticism, the fixed mindset tends to blame others, while the growth mindset takes responsibility and learns from it.

In my role as a teacher at my school, a lot of times we tend to doubt our abilities to accomplish certain goals or to overcome difficult situations. For example, nowadays the behavioral problem with the kids is an issue that can bring a lot of setbacks and criticism, from the parents, students, and even from our colleagues. I believe that we can all benefit from embracing a growth mindset when facing difficult situations. Instead of doubting our abilities or fearing failure when we encounter a tough situation, we can remind ourselves that it’s okay not to have all the answers immediately or not to have an immediate solution. We can encourage each other to see these moments as opportunities for growth and learning. From now and on, everytime setbacks occur, I will remind myself that it’s important to avoid blaming myself for not having innate talent or even for not having enough experience in the field of teaching and making some “silly” mistakes. I will try to keep in my head that even the most accomplished individuals faced struggles and persevered. I’m a big fan of Michael Jordan and I will always remember the example that Dr. Dweck explains in her book about how hard he had to work for his success.

Regarding criticism, I will strive to accept feedback with an open mind. Rather than blaming others, I can take responsibility for my actions and use constructive criticism as a chance to learn and improve. This works for my role as a teacher as well as my development within the ADL Master’s Program.

Step 4: Take the growth mindset action.

In my opinion, this is a very important step. Most of the time we tend to spend so much time thinking about something but we never take action. 

As a third-grade teacher and as a member of the ADL Master’s Program, I’m planning to take several actions whenever I  hear that fixed mindset voice, responding with a growth mindset:

1. Positive Self-talk: When that voice says, “I can’t do this” I remind myself, “I may not know this yet, but I can learn with effort.”
2. Encourage Effort: Instead of thinking, “I’m not naturally good at this” I encourage my students and myself by saying, “Effort is how we improve.”
3. Embrace Mistakes: When I make a mistake or a student does, I say, “Mistakes help us learn,” rather than thinking, “I’m a failure.”
4. Set Goals: Instead of thinking, “I can’t do it all” I set achievable goals for myself and my students, like, “We can improve step by step.”
5. Seek Help: I don’t hesitate to ask for help or encourage students to ask questions. It’s a chance to learn, not a sign of weakness.
6. Celebrate Progress: I will shift from thinking, “I’ll never get it right,” to “Every small step forward is a reason to celebrate.”
7. Persist: When faced with a challenge, I will tell myself, “I’ll keep trying until I succeed,” rather than giving up too soon.

I firmly believe that fostering a growth mindset in myself and my students creates a positive learning environment where everyone can thrive.

Message of “Yet”

In her TED Talk, “The Power of Yet,” Carol Dweck explains how the word “yet” can inspire us to do incredible things. She explains how when we believe in the power of yet, we see the potential that we can give ourselves when we view setbacks as “not yet” moments. A “not yet” moment is what we experience when we don’t quite reach our goal. While some see this as a setback, obstacle, or a failure, a person using a growth mindset sees room for growth. This is one of the key differences between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.

As a third-grade teacher, I can apply the power of yet by encouraging my students to view setbacks as “not yet” moments. Instead of seeing these moments as failures, I can help my students to see them as opportunities for growth and learning. I can also encourage my students to embrace mistakes and celebrate progress, rather than focusing on negative experiences. By setting achievable goals and focusing on the process rather than the result, I can help my students develop a growth mindset that will serve them well throughout their lives. I have started to drill the idea of the “yet” message in my students mind and I can already feel proud when some of them say “teacher, I don’t know” and some of their classmates reply in the background “YET”. It’s a unique experience that I’m starting to enjoy very much and I’m very sure it will guide them to a safe port.

As a student in the ADL Master’s program, I can apply the power of yet by reminding myself that I may not know everything yet, but I can learn with effort. When faced with challenges or setbacks, I can view them as opportunities to learn and improve over time. By embracing mistakes and celebrating progress, I can maintain a positive attitude and avoid negative self-talk. In my opinion, seeking help when needed is also important, as it’s a chance to learn and grow. Finally, by persisting when challenges arise and telling myself that I’ll keep trying until I succeed, I can develop a growth mindset that will help me achieve my goals.

I am enthusiastic about integrating the principles of a growth mindset into my academic pursuits and teaching practices. I firmly believe that fostering a growth mindset will not only contribute to my personal development but also create a positive and empowering learning environment for my students and peers.

References

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.

Jeffrey, S. (n.d.). A Complete Guide to Changing Your Fixed Mindset into a Growth Mindset. Retrieved from https://scottjeffrey.com/change-your-fixed-mindset/

Briggs, S. (2015). 25 Ways to develop a growth mindset. InformED. Retrieved from https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/develop-a-growth-mindset/

Einck, C. (2017). Growth mindset affects elementary students (Master’s Thesis, Northwestern College, Orange City, IA). Retrieved from http://nwcommons.nwciowa.edu/education_masters/39/

GCU Blogs. (2021, November 11). Why Growth Mindset is Important?. Grand Canyon University. https://www.gcu.edu/blog/teaching-school-administration/why-growth-mindset-importantForbes Coaches Council. (2021, April 26). How To Use The Power Of ‘Yet’ To Encourage Learning And Growth. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/04/26/how-to-use-the-power-of-yet-to-encourage-learning-and-growth/?sh=5fb3a23073e1