CSLE AND FOSTERING A GROWTH MINDSET
"The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it's not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives."
Carol Dweck.
Helping our learners develop a growth mindset
Learning to foster a growth mindset in students requires time and practice. It demands instruction that reinforces and demonstrates the idea that students can improve their abilities. It involves a shift away from outcomes and toward efforts and processes. Rather than praising an accomplishment, we must honor the effort and learning steps that led to a positive result.
Modifying the use of the growth mindset - Other factors need to be considered.
Dweck (2016) argues that when students believe they can get smarter, they understand that effort makes them stronger. Therefore they put in extra time and effort, leading to higher achievement. However, case studies like the Western Reserve University show that the growth mindset alone had no significant impact on student achievement. Angela Duckworth suggests that grit combined with a growth mindset can lead to success. To move our learners toward reigniting or adopting a Learner's Mindset, we must consider other factors like providing a significant learning environment (CSLE) for them, promoting an inquisitive approach to learning, and helping them connect with the real-world (Harapnuik,2023).
Grit and the growth mindset seem to be words and slogans that schools have floated around quite a bit over the past several years; however, without real action, they remain just that, terms and phrases. It is proven that promoting a growth mindset alone does not make an impact in our classrooms; we need to provide the right environment, student-centered.
Model the growth mindset and the message of "Yet"
We must treat each of our students as unique individuals who learn at their own pace and with their own strategies. Modeling that struggle is normal and part of the learning process, the students will be more likely to take challenges. They will understand that they do not have the ability "Yet," but it can be reached with time, effort, and the right strategy.
Acceptance of feedback to avoid cheating
When we praise our students for their outcomes, they are more likely to feel the temptation to cheat to get the praise. We need to recognize the effort during the learning process to avoid this behavior. Developing a cooperative learning culture between teacher-students and student-student facilitates the acceptance of feedback. Demonstrating mistakes and celebrating corrections. We can model this outlook in reaction to our own mistakes and the steps necessary to correct them.
Preventing the growth mindset from becoming a fad or being improperly implemented
Although we can praise the effort, a growth mindset approach still demands optimal performance from a student. Rewarding efforts are ineffective and can be harmful if the student's efforts are fruitless. Part of growth mindset instruction is teaching students to ask for help and use any resources to assist them. Students must take responsibility for their learning, but also, our commitment is to provide them with the tools they need to learn.
Student's preoccupation with grades and the role of grit
Duckworth speaks about “passion and perseverance” in conjunction with developing a growth mindset, reinforcing the importance of the two. What makes each significant yet similar is that neither is talent-based; both require effort and motivation to persist. By providing an engaging learning environment where students work hard and constantly, we can help them persevere toward their goals. By taking ownership of their learning, they will become less preoccupied with their grades.
The growth mindset is a good start, but it is not enough - moving our learners toward reigniting or adopting a Learner's Mindset
Revisiting my initial Growth Mindset Plan opened my eyes to areas that required more intentional work. I have realized that it is not enough to simply discuss or use terms such as ‘Growth mindset’ and ‘GRIT,’; instead, I must establish environments where these concepts can develop as realities. Significant learning environments help foster and cultivate these ideals. Modeling the “power of yet” in a school climate and providing the students with resources and support is essential.
REFERENCES
Duckworth, A. (May 9, 2013). Grit:The Power of Passion and Perseverance.Retrieve from: https://youtu.be/H14bBuluwB8
Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
Harapnuik, D. (2023). Learners Mindset. Retrieve from https://www.harapnuik.org/?s=mindset
Sisk, V. F. & et al (2018). To What Extent and Under Which Circumstances Are Growth Mind-Sets Important to Academic Achievement? Two Meta-Analyses - https://www.dropbox.com/s/bd1lvy52bbnjhb1/To%20What%20Extent%20and%20Under%20Which%20Circumstances%20Are%20Growth%20Mind-Sets%20Important%20to%20Academic%20Achievement.pdf?dl=0