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Growth Mindset_ A Driving Philosophy, Not Just a Tool _ Edutopia

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Four Teaching Moves That Promote A Growth Mindset In All Readers _ MindShift _ KQED News

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6 Tips to Help Students Develop a Growth Mindset in the Classroom _ Lexia Learning

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The Impact of the Growth Mindset Social Studies

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How to Develop the Growth Mindset_ 4 Steps for Music Entrepreneurs To Achieve Success - Astrid Baumgardner

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Harnessing the Power of Failure in Your Music Classroom_ Grit Gr

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Find information about growth mindset, discover how learning mindsets can affect student performance, and explore strategies that support student confidence.

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By Cindy Nebel
Last week I was provided with a unique opportunity to see into the world of administration in higher education. I attended the Higher Learning Commission annual meeting in Chicago, IL where I was mostly joined by Presidents, Vice Presidents, Deans and Provosts, and individuals in charge of assessment (who have widely varying titles). Little old Assistant Professor me was eager to immerse myself in whatever way I could. I attended talks on gaining assessment buy in (even through the use of learning science!), "brain-based" learning, and the dismal career outlook for many of our students. But the talk that has stayed with me was a round table conversation I had about growth mindset and grit, topics on which I was only somewhat familiar.

Growth Mindset

Mindset refers to an individual's beliefs about their talents. A fixed mindset is a belief that one's talents are due to inborn traits. For example, someone might believe that they got a good grade because they are good at math. In contrast, a growth mindset refers to the belief that talents are malleable, by whatever means. For example, someone might believe that they got a good grade because they worked hard, sought out extra help, etc. Often a growth mindset is described as being a synonym for hard work or motivation, but that is only one way in which talents might change. Someone with a growth mindset might similarly be more likely to sign up for a pill meant to improve memory because they have the belief that memory can be changed.

Research on mindset has been championed by Carol Dweck and indeed her research is very compelling. Students show improved test scores, greater resilience after failure, and subjective experiences of empowerment. A meta-analysis of studies looking at different types of interventions on self-regulation found that across 113 different studies, mindset interventions were significant predictors of goal setting (1).

Grit

Mindset is related to grit, although they are somewhat different concepts. Grit refers to a student's ability to persist after setbacks. Grit is related to mindset in that if one believes that failures are due to their fixed traits, there is no reason to try again. Conversely, individuals with growth mindset are more likely to be resilient and have more grit. Research on grit has been primarily championed by Angela Duckworth, but is not as comprehensive as that of mindset, having only been coined in 2007. The research that exists does indicate that grit predicts academic success (2), but there has been limited research on how the scales developed to assess grit work in all circumstances, despite their current widespread use.

These theories are not without criticism. Much of Dweck's original research on mindset has been simplified into something akin to "if you tell students to work hard, they will succeed, but if you tell them they are smart, they will fail" and that's far from what Dweck wrote. Others have questioned the original research due to failed replications (3) and limitations of the theory for actual practice. Finally, there is an argument that the pendulum has swung too far; we know that both ability and effort are important for success. A growth mindset will not compensate for lack of talent, but talent is rarely sufficient without the resilience that comes from a growth mindset.

This past year one of my undergraduate students was interested in examining the effect of mindset feedback on effort and performance. She gave students a mindset questionnaire and a series of memory tests. After each test, she pretended to grade their answers and gave them simple feedback: good job, you must have a great memory OR good job, you should be doing great by the end. I had pretty serious doubts that such a small manipulation would work, but it did... sort of. The project had some limitations. The vast majority of participants were labeled as having a growth mindset on the questionnaire, although perhaps that is unsurprising in a college student sample. We were therefore only able to look at those individuals, instead of examining interactions. The other major problem is that everyone was trying really hard from the very beginning of the study. We gave them up to 6 minutes to study 20 words and about half of the participants took the full amount of time, which didn't allow us to see any changes in effort over time, so we reduced the analysis to growth mindset individuals who took less than the full 6 minutes on the first test. And lo and behold: individuals who received growth feedback studied longer and improved their performance significantly more than those who received fixed feedback.

Does this make me a believer? Yes and no. My experiences in the classroom tell me that many students lack resilience. They flounder after receiving that first poor grade and struggle to bounce back. These students do need encouragement. The results of the study above indicate to me that small changes can make a difference, but perhaps not for everyone. The research seems to show that growth mindset interventions can improve student success, but only under the right circumstances.

So, back to the conversation at the HLC convention. Across the universities there was a sense that this work is important, that our students need to be more resilient (because we need to increase retention), and that grit or growth mindset interventions offer a promising avenue with which to help our students. However, there was considerable variability in the way this is being implemented. At one university, students are shown videos of peers who talk about times that they failed during their first year and how they recovered. At another institution, students are given a series of advising appointments in which they review their grittiness scores and talk about their current successes and failures. Other universities are trying to get faculty buy in, encouraging them to talk in growth and gritty ways.

I got the sense that very few of these institutions were going to the research to figure out what works and under what circumstances. I strongly caution educators from this kind of implementation of any educational fad, science-backed or otherwise. Changes need to be made carefully and with a solid understanding of the science that supports the intervention.

References:

(1) Burnette, J. L., O'Boyle, E. H., VanEpps, E. M., Pollack, J. M., & Finkel, E. J. (2013). Mind-sets matter: A meta-analytic review of implicit theories and self-regulation. Psychological Bulletin, 139(3), 655-701.

(2) Duckworth, A.L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M.D., & Kelly, D.R. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087-1101.

(3) Li, Y., & Bates, T. C. (2017, July 7). Does growth mindset improve children's IQ, educational attainment or response to setbacks? Active-control interventions and data on children's own mindsets. http://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/TSDWY

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By Cindy Nebel Last week I was provided with a unique opportunity to see into the world of administration in higher education. I attended the Higher Learning Commission annual meeting in Chicago, IL where I was mostly joined by Presidents, Vice Presidents, Deans and Provosts, and individuals in charge of assessment (who have widely varying titles).

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After 17 years of teaching art and listening to students put themselves down for not having enough "talent," I decided to employ a growth mindset this upcoming school year.

My intention is to get students thinking more about their internal negative conversations and hopefully get them to change those unhealthy beliefs.

I find that students (and some parents) think they'll be graded on their "talent" as opposed to their ability to try new things.

Defining Growth Mindset

Having a growth mindset is basically believing that everyone has the same opportunity at learning and growth. It's understanding that intelligence, ability, and character aren't fixed.

Carol Dwek, author of " Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" defines these beliefs we hold about ourselves as "self-theories." These belief systems, can cause us to think we're a "great teacher" or a "poor teacher." Or in the case of our students, "smart" or "dumb." They are a barrier for achieving personal and professional growth starting at an early age and can have far-impaction reach into one's happiness later in life.

Fixed Mindset

The art room is an environment ripe with internal conflict. Students often measure their self-worth based on the work their peers create. They mentally document their self-perceived talents (and that of others) instead of developing their skills.

This in turn generates a fixed mindset where students feel "talent" is a barrier they can't cross and therefore they won't try. For them, to be successful means you have to have innate "talent."

However, a fixed mindset isn't just about maintaining a negative "self-theory" about yourself.

Growth Mindset

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a student who believes they have learned all they can on a topic is also placing a barrier for further learning and exploration. These students strive for success and work to avoid failure to maintain their positive "self-theory."

[ Side note: Between the two types of students, I have personally found the later to be hard to navigate towards a growth mindset than the former.]

On the contrary, a growth mindset is one where students are working towards skill acquisition and achievement.

Students who employ a growth mindset believe that effort and dedication to learning will lead to success. They thrive on challenges and when unsuccessful, they use it to their advantage to learn and grow further.

Starting Off the Year Right

To help visualize the concept mindset, I created a giant brain with one half gray and the other half in rainbow colors. I printed out common phrases that I hear students say often. Each has an equivalent growth mindset phrase to accompany the fixed one.

I used my Growth Mindset clipart but gave it a marker texture that matches the feel of clipart from my Photo Clipz store.

I'm hoping these will appeal more to my older students who I find I need to expend the most amount of energy . I use neutral colors for the "fixed" version as those colors feel more stagnant than the rainbow ones I used to illustrate "growth."

Growth Mindset Posters for the Classroom

This bulletin board will be used as a means of teaching about mindset. I want my students to understand the basics. And I hope with the phrases listed there, they will recognize their own voice on either side of the brain.

In short, I intend to:

Demonstrate we all face the same challenges but we internalize it differently.

Show how being successful at art involved practice and dedication, not "talent."

Create more opportunities for peer-to-peer and class-wide critiques in art. I don't do enough in this area. Students need to learn to hear critiques of their work in order to learn and grow from one another.

Verbally support student effort and not innate abilities. I think I do this well, but I I'd like to be more cognizant of it.

So what do you think? Do I have my work cut out for me? Have you tried growth mindset in the art room? If you have, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
UPDATE: I've created a growth mindset bulletin board set for art teachers. If you're looking to employ this philosophy in your art room next year, check it out. It's designed specifically for art teachers.

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After 17 years of teaching art and listening to students put themselves down for not having enough "talent," I decided to employ a growth mindset this upcoming school year. My intention is to get students thinking more about their internal negative conversations and hopefully get them to change those unhealthy beliefs.

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do in order that I may learn how to do it." Pablo Picasso

What is "Growth Mindset?" This is an idea originally developed by Dr. Carol Dweck, based on the fact that our abilities and intelligence levels are not "fixed;" they can grow and improve with time and effort. When a student gives up in frustration, crumpling up the paper, they are suffering from a "Fixed Mindset" - they really believe that they simply can't draw. However, if we understand that our attitude and work habits determine success rather than our current abilities, achievement can soar! Purposefully teaching Growth vs. Fixed Mindset can help any student from age 5 - 105. Also, it helps when the teacher demonstrates how to turn a mistake into something beautiful. You don't have to start over every time you mess up! For more information, check out this article: "Dr. Dweck's discovery of fixed and growth mindsets have shaped our understanding of learning."

RESOURCES FOR MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL

Art projects that help students realize they "can" do art:

Non-objective style pieces such as Piet Mondrian designs, scribble designs, or Jackson Pollack action painting

Sculpture based on design, not drawing skills; kids love to build with their hands!

Playing games such as "Exquisite Corpse," where students collaborate to make something that is funny, not serious at all

Pure design assignments such as quilts, African textile designs, etc.

Have students do a pre-instruction drawing before tackling any kind of realistic style assignment (portraits, figure drawing, landscape painting, etc.). They can compare their pre-instruction drawings to the final piece and see growth! The final piece will not be "perfect," but it will be a whole lot better than the pre-instruction piece!

RESOURCES FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Craftsmanship takes time, patience, and effort and is part of what goes into making our artwork look great. However, all the little imperfections are what give the piece character and make it interesting! There is no such thing as perfection in art; to err is human.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS (ON YOUTUBE) THAT TEACH A GROWTH MINDSET

CHILDREN'S BOOKS ABOUT GROWTH VS. FIXED MINDSET

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do in order that I may learn how to do it." Pablo Picasso What is "Growth Mindset?" This is an idea originally developed by Dr. Carol Dweck, based on the fact that our abilities and intelligence levels are not "fixed;" they can grow and improve with time and effort.

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This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Center Specialist

March 1, 2017

Mindset is a relatively new education term which helps teachers understand the complex challenges of teaching and reaching every student. Often a teacher comes to realize that despite his or her best efforts, not every student responds positively to a lesson and engages in learning. Also, teachers are frequently perplexed by unexpected student behaviors. Frequently, it is a negative mindset that makes students appear resistant to learning or behave in unanticipated ways.

Most of the recent conversations about mindsets focus on the growth mindset made popular by Carol Dweck (2007) in her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. When students lack a growth mindset and possess a fixed mindset, they often give up when they fail at achieving something, since they perceive they have reached the zenith of their predefined level of learning. The fact that students hold a fixed mindset in often the unintended consequence of the way that educators and parents talk about intelligence and learning by defining student learning with a test score and using limited measures of giftedness. Even complimenting high achievement with the label of "smart" creates the false impression that academic success is a result of a fixed intelligence level rather than a combination of effort and improvement.

Mindsets are a result of a student's experience, and since no two student experiences are the same, each student will have different degrees of a positive or negative mindset which can be a barrier to learning. Understanding and appreciating mindsets reinforce the importance of teachers getting to know students and building relationships. It is through these relationships that teachers can begin to fully understand the personal mindsets of students and encourage the experience, feedback, and reflection which can begin to initiate change.

In spite of all of the attention to the growth mindset, there are several critical mindsets teachers should explore with students. The American School Counselors Association (2014) in the publication Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success identifies six mindsets. Successful Practices Network has defined seven learning mindsets in the white paper, Life/Career Abilities Framework: Begin with the End in Mind.

Learning Mindsets from the SPN Life/Career Abilities Framework.

Balance: "I will development myself mentally, emotionally and physically."

Growth: "I can change my abilities through effort."

Efficacy: "I can succeed."

Belonging: "I am comfortable as a member of this learning community."

Relevance: "This work has value and purpose for me."

Hope: "I choose to be optimistic about future events."

Commitment: "I will apply my talents and skills to achieve the best result."

In CTE, because of the many hands-on, group projects, teachers have many opportunities to move students toward positive learning mindsets that can enhance a student's overall school success. Following are strategies CTE teachers can apply to help move students to the positive level of each of these seven mindsets.

Balance - Encourage students to reflect on that success is more than having technical skill and think about controlling emotions with customers and how to positively resolve conflicts with peers and supervisors. Also, don't forget to remind students of the physical demands in their chosen career field.

Growth - Have students chart their growth toward proficiency in the full range of technical skills in the program employability profile.

Efficacy - Have students discuss and write down a five-year plan to enter into a career field and the steps necessary to achieve that goal.

Belonging - Spend time helping students develop positive relationships with peers and use the student leadership organization to build a sense of community.

Relevance - CTE has an advantage over other school subjects in appearing naturally relevant to students. However, continue to explain to students why specific skills are essential to career success.

Hope - Through work-based learning and observing master career professionals, encourage students to visualize themselves as a proficient professional.

Commitment - Give frequent feedback on work, particularly positive comments on good work and describe how their skill contributed to positive results. When students are initially unsuccessful, give encouragement to continue to practice.

Finally, for all mindsets:

Hold High Expectations - Teachers need to show confidence in students through high expectations that students can achieve, perhaps not at first, but through repeated efforts. Technical skills are an excellent way to hold students to high expectations encouraging then to become more proficient.

Listen to Students - Pay attention to student words that indicate a less than positive mindset and help them to reflect on their perceptions and encourage them to think about how that current mindset affects choices.

Reflect On Your Words - Whether, from stereotype, humor or anger, words can be powerful in reinforcing the negative mindsets. Choose your words carefully and consider language.

Model Positive Mindsets - Students learn from watching adults; teachers should consider their personal mindsets in each of these elements and consistently use phrases that show your positive mindsets to students.

Mindsets are powerful aspects of learning, and CTE teachers can help to create positive learning mindsets in their students.
References
Dweck, C. (2007). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (Reprint edition). New York: Ballantine Books.

Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Every Student. (2014). American School Counselor Association. Retrieved from https://schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/home/MindsetsBehaviors.pdf

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CTE Teachers Can Help to Create Positive Learning Mindsets

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This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Center Specialist March 1, 2017 Mindset is a relatively new education term which helps teachers understand the complex challenges of teaching and reaching every student.

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The power of belief

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The power of believing that you can improve

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Carol Dweck researches “growth mindset” — the idea that we can grow our brain’s capacity to learn and to solve problems. In this talk, she describes two ways to think about a problem that’s slightly too hard for you to solve. Are you not smart enough to solve it … or have you just not solved it yet? A great introduction to this influential field.

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The Power of belief -- mindset and success | Eduardo Briceno | TEDxManhattanBeach

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Developing a growth mindset

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Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck

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Praise and Mindset

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Carol Dweck - A Study on Praise and Mindsets

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Defines and gives examples

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How to teach growth mindset to students in 5 steps

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Growth Mindset Lesson Resources - A collection of images, videos, and links to spark learning. by Lee Araoz | This newsletter was created with Smore, an online tool for creating beautiful newsletters for for individual educators, schools and districts

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Carol Dweck talking about the power of yet.

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The power of yet | Carol S Dweck | TEDxNorrköping