by Ann Larson Ericson
Aaron interrupts the class for the fifteenth time. As soon as I turn my back, he’s out of his seat, clowning around and disturbing his neighbor. He stays on task only so long as I let him know I’m tracking him. When I move to focus on another student, Aaron stops work and begins distracting his classmates. I am losing patience and hope.
And then there is Seth. I notice that his head is down on the desk again. He’s ignoring the materials in front of him. His lab notebook is on the floor. His experiment is stalled out on step one. Rousing him, I hear my own nagging voice and frustration. Have I given up on Seth too?
And let’s not leave out Tasha, who dances into the classroom, circulating her giddy chatter and teasing playfulness as the rest of class settles in to learn. How many more times must I redirect her back to her seat and to the task at hand?
Then I think about “mindsets.” There is a powerful sentence in the Developmental Designs 2 Resource Book that has been running through my head lately:
The growth mindset is the space of possibility that we hold for students, created by our belief in their capacity for growth toward responsible independence and achievement. (99)
Those words “the space of possibility” resonate with me and have led to a lot of soul searching. Do I believe in the “space of possibility” for Aaron when he blurts out in class and distracts the entire class for the fifteenth time in one class period? Do I believe in the “space of possibility” for Seth when he again puts his head down on the lab table and refuses to participate or interact? Do I believe in the “space of possibility” for Tasha when midlesson she dances around the room singing and laughing and shouting to her friends? The answer to those questions is a resounding yes! I have to believe in the space of possibility for them even as I dig deep to find the tools to combat my own impatience and loss of faith.
But how do I do this? How do I change from “He can’t . . . ,” “He always . . . ,” and “She will never . . . ,” to truly believing my students can grow and change? I have to actively and consistently respond to these situations in a way that lets my students know that I notice what they’re doing and that I will step in to redirect them when they need it. While at the same time, I must let them know that I believe they can grow into responsible independence. Whether it’s one time or fifteen times, I need to gently, yet firmly, let Aaron know to wait his turn to speak and attend to his work with or without my immediate attention. I have to send the message to Seth that checking out is not an option, because we both know he is capable of learning. Tasha needs to be given as many reminders as it takes that her dancing and clowning around in class is not how high school kids behave. I have to remain objective in my interactions and not take their behaviors personally while letting each and every one of my students know I care deeply and hold high expectations for them. There is so much I have to do to develop my growth mindset with my struggling students. Some days I have to take a deep breath and regain my composure before responding, but my kids need to know that I haven’t given up on their growth.
How do I, or we as teachers, keep ourselves from slipping into a fixed mindset? How do you find the space of possibility for your most challenging students?
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"Language that Encourages a Growth Mindset"
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About Ann Larson Ericson
For more than nine years, I've been using the Developmental Designs approach in my school. I am currently the 7–12 Instructional Coach at Community of Peace Academy, a public charter school on the east side of St. Paul, Minnesota. Before starting my new position, I taught high school chemistry and physical science at Community of Peace Academy. Since 2011 I've spent my summers as a Developmental Designs facilitator of professional development. Previously, I've taught science at urban and suburban schools, served as a director of gifted and talented education in a rural Wisconsin school district, and taught English in Shanghai, China. I hold a Bachelor of Arts from St. Olaf College and a Master of Arts from St. Catherine University. Contact me at [email protected]
Ann-thank you for this question. I sometimes remind myself that growth looks different for every student. I wonder if Seth, Aaron, and Tasha can still be growing from your consistent and mindful redirection yet even still make some mistakes.
Posted by: Erin Klug | 04/28/2015 at 10:45 AM