Teaching Growth Mindset

(this information is also in the Desirable Difficulties module)

More on Growth Mindset

Popularized by Carol Dweck's book Mindset, the concept of a growth mindset is: "a belief that abilities are malleable and can, with effort, be improved” (Persellin and Daniels 8). This is the opposite of a fixed mindset, or a belief that intelligence and skill is set or fixed and unchangeable. The logical conclusion of fixed mindsets is that no amount of study or work will improve their abilities, while those with growth mindsets look at complex, difficult tasks and welcome the challenge and opportunity to grow. It is also connected the concept of "grit," popularized by Angela Duckworth's book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance Links to an external site.and her TED talk Links to an external site.. 

If applied in a surface-level only way, growth mindset may or may not have an impact. Just defining the term or telling students to adopt an open mind is not enough. Some people have decades of negative experiences and entrenched thoughts that they simply can't learn math or are inherently bad at writing. And, it is not enough to put all the responsibility of adopting growth mindsets on students - we also need to intentionally create learning environments that create opportunities for students to make mistakes, try again, and learn. From our grading practices to the language we use with assignment feedback, growth-mindset thinking only thrives in certain landscapes. You can find great resources for teaching growth mindset at the Mindset Kit site Links to an external site.. 

 

Strategies for Strengthening Students' Growth Mindsets

Persellin and Daniels provide more than a dozen strategies to help faculty steer students away from any fixed mindset ideas. 

    1. Break It Down
    2. Stress the Ideas that Ability is Malleable and Can Be Developed 
    3. Make it Worthwhile for Students to Learn from Their Mistakes
    4. Encourage Effort and Active Reflection 
    5. Create a Culture of Respect
    6. Try Problem-Based Learning
    7.  Use Stories to Inspire
    8. Share Stories of Your Own Failure with Students
    9. Challenge Students to Think With a Growth Mindset
    10. Encourage Students to Find Strategies to Make a Topic Relevant to Their Experience or Area of Interest
    11. Remind Students that Grit Can Be Acquired
    12. Cultivate the Trait of Conscientiousness in Your Students
    13. Encourage Learners to Engage in Positive Self-Talk
    14. Show Students Duckworth’s (2013) Six-Minute TED Talk and Discuss in Class

 

Another great resource is the University of Pennsylvania's Positive Psychology Center Links to an external site.. It has many links, articles, podcasts, and other resources that support teaching resilience and grit. 

For more information about any of these approaches, please contact me or check out the book from the TLC!