by Anne Ericson
Every now and then, a word starts popping up everywhere. Mindset is that word for me these days. Mindset was the main topic of a lively discussion in my neighborhood book club. Mindset is the focus of my school book-study group, dinnertime conversations, and countless faculty lunchroom discussions, and readers of my previous blog indicated that the topic was on their minds. So why do mindsets resonate with so many people both in and out of schools right now? Maybe it’s because many of us struggle with maintaining a growth mindset, whether we’re parenting, teaching, or interacting with colleagues. Maybe it’s because as educators or parents we inherently want to believe in the space of possibility for the growth of our kids. Maybe it’s because the end of the school year can be exhausting, and we find that maintaining that space of possibility for growth is getting harder. How do we keep our minds focused on growth in our students and ourselves when we get tired or discouraged?
As I near the end of another school year, I find myself reflecting on the kids at my school. I think about students such as Aaron who blurts, Seth who shuts down, and Tasha who wanders and distracts. I find myself slipping into a fixed mindset with these students and thinking, “It’s May and that kid will never . . .” or “I can’t believe she’s still . . .” But then I think about the actual, if unsteady, growth they have had this year.
Aaron raises his hand more often. Seth grabs his lab materials and gets started on the latest experiment. Tasha stays focused and engaged for the whole class period. These things are happening, and that means my students are growing! Growth mindset doesn’t tell us that our students will be perfect. What growth mindset tells us is that they are learning and improving. It’s so important to remember growth when Aaron blurts again—he’s not perfect, but this time he caught himself and quickly raised his hand. A colleague shared a note a student gave her that said, “Even though we’ve had our ups and downs, you’re always there for me and never give up on me.” This boy felt the impact of his teacher believing in him and pushing him, an affirmation of a growth mindset and its positive consequences.
Just like our students, teachers aren’t perfect either. We can slip back into fixed mindsets, especially at the end of the year when we’re tired, our students’ standardized test scores aren’t what we had hoped, or we’re feeling overwhelmed. However, now is the time we need to dig deep and look at the good things happening in our schools.
We might think about some of the following: What changes have we seen that tell us our students are ready to move to the next grade? What classroom routines that we had to lead in September are now led by students? Let’s take a minute to talk with a colleague about changes we’ve seen in our students. Let’s jot down a few positive changes we’ve seen in our most challenging students this year. Let’s make sure our students know that we’ve noticed those changes and that we see their growth—it might encourage faith in their own growth mindsets.
And, as we investigate our students, let’s take a minute to look at our own growth this year. What are we better at now than we were in September? Let’s find a buddy teacher and share how we’ve seen each other grow this year. Take a minute to praise each other and ourselves for all our hard work and effort.
Please share some of your ideas on how you keep yourself focused on growth mindset in these final weeks of the school year. And for another time, let’s think about some of our most challenging students and how “our village” works for them as they struggle from one year to the next.
If you enjoyed this reading you should check out
"Wrap Activities Sprout Surprises" by Scott Tyink
Additional Resource; Mindset Works
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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]
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