Growth vs Change For Learners & Educators by Grace Hinkebein

How Learners and Educators React to Change

graceh71500 — 2024-04-01 15:09:36 UTC

Plenty of people fear change. When you are set in your ways, you like to stick to your methods. For instance, educators may resist change for a lot of reasons. Sometimes classroom changes brings in more work for the teacher. Educators already have a lot on their plate and can feel reluctant to take on something new. Learners may feel the same way. A lot of students are used to learning in the same way, even if that method isn't stretching their thinking skills in a meaningful way. Learners may fear the additional work that comes with any change.

Nurturing the Growth of Students

graceh71500 — 2024-04-01 15:11:24 UTC

This article discusses the differences between a fixed and a growth mindset, and how educators can nurture the growth of learners. One of the 10 methods discussed is to avoid praising intelligence. We should no longer praise students for their intelligence or their talent because it only helps those who already have a growth mindset. Instead we need to praise kids for their efforts, strategies, focus, perseverance, and improvement. Encouragement goes a long way.

Opportunities for Educators to Grow

graceh71500 — 2024-04-01 15:11:48 UTC

How can educators seek out opportunities for growth? As educators, we should always be striving to improve upon our practices. Growth in education is not just reserved for students, everyone can be considered a learner. Some opportunities for growth in this article include: Self evaluation, adaptability, communication, innovation, organization, and leadership. Adaptability is one that really sticks out to me because in order to change and grow, you need to be willing to adapt your methods. Communication is also a key concept here as a lot of the growth in education comes from team work and community building. It's important for educators to stay in the loop through reading, social media, professional development, and more so they can consistently improve and grow in their schools.

How Growth or Change can Look

graceh71500 — 2024-04-01 15:12:43 UTC

Growth and change in education are not synonyms. However, they do go hand in hand. Change leads to growth. Embracing change, development, and learning will allow both educators and learners to grow.

Change can be instant — Growth is slow
Change can be imposed from the outside — Growth is internal
Change can be a one-off event — Growth is an incremental process
Change can be made by a single decision — Growth requires consistent motivation and learning
Change can be negative or positive — Growth is always positive
Change can be the beginning of growth — Growth always starts with a decision for change

Examples of Growth and Change

graceh71500 — 2024-04-01 15:13:19 UTC

Many strategies can fall under the category of change. For educators, change can be as simple as incorporating new technology, adding new policies/expectations, or using different strategies. Learners can change the methods they use to study, adjust how they manage school with home life, or change their educational interests. Change is important because it allows you try something new, but it does not always lead to success or growth.

Growth begins with the decision to change. It is not as instantaneous but it is always positive. For educators, growth can include making praise more specific, documenting success, explaining goals clearly, and making learning cooperative. Growth is a slow yet meaningful process for educators. With learners, growth can mean accepting every challenge as an opportunity, embracing failure, slowing down and reflecting on work, and creating goals.

Resources

graceh71500 — 2024-04-01 15:15:24 UTC

Bernock, D. (2021, October 7). 6 Ways Change & growth differ – which do you need?. Danielle Bernock. https://www.daniellebernock.com/6-ways-change-growth-differ-which-do-you-need/

10 growth mindset examples to develop success in school. Credits for Teachers. (2023, September 8). https://creditsforteachers.com/growth-mindset-examples-to-develop-success-in-school/

Fenici, M. (2023, June 20). Areas of growth for teachers. Europass Teacher Academy. https://www.teacheracademy.eu/blog/teachers-growth/

How to foster a growth mindset in the classroom: American University. School of Education Online. (2022, October 27). https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/growth-mindset-in-the-classroom/

Balow, C. (2022). 10 reasons teachers resist instructional coaching and what you can do. SchoolMint Blog. https://blog.schoolmint.com/10-reasons-teachers-resist-instructional-coaching-and-what-you-can-do#:~:text=Resistant%20teachers%2C%20according%20to%20Zimmerman,%2C%20principals)%2C%20or%20feel%20their

graceh71500 — 2024-04-01 17:27:05 UTC

This video from Simon Sinek discusses why people resist change and how fear can prevent us from greatness because of our resistance to change. However, through empathy, patience, and teamwork, it is possible to overcome this fear of change and embrace growth.

graceh71500 — 2024-04-01 17:34:51 UTC

In this video, 5th grader Carson Byblow discusses the difference between a growth and a fixed mindset. He discusses his struggle to learn how to read and how that affected him and his emotions in a negative away. He realized that this mindset was not healthy and now he is learning how to change his fixed mindset into a growth mindset.

graceh71500 — 2024-04-01 17:39:53 UTC

Struggling to turn your fixed mindset into a growth mindset? This video is helpful to anybody, educators or learners, in overcoming a fixed mindset and improving upon yourself.

graceh71500 — 2024-04-01 17:42:27 UTC