Can I improve on this process? Of course. The growth mindset is all about making adjustments and learning from mistakes. It is a culture that I am attempting to build in my classroom this school year. That culture must be modeled and I hope that students take that cue and run with it. So what is my next step? I have committed to focusing on the growth mindset tomorrow in my classroom as I read the book, “Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: Stretch It, Shape It”, by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D. (Deak & Ackerley, 2017). I hope this will create a meaningful discussion to help my students internalize the growth mindset even more. This book, along with an activity that pushes my students to reword their fixed mindset statements should help them continue to grow in their knowledge of how the growth mindset can help them in and out of the classroom (Dweck, 2017).
As I continue to improve my own mindset, I wonder if I am helping my students find their true growth mindset or not. How will I know if they are really using it? This is a question that I will need to allow to take shape on its own in order to allow my students the freedom to make the choice for themselves. As I wait and see, I find myself needing to use my blog to clarify my thoughts and make sure I am practicing what I preach in my classroom. I am looking forward to blogging right alongside my students this week and see what reactions I receive. Yet again, I find myself saying let’s try to see what happens. I guess that is the thought process that truly made me a better teacher last school year and led to receiving the Teacher of the Year award. The next step is definitely stepping into that ‘uncomfortable’ area that I find myself in more and more.
References
Deak, J. A. M., & Ackerley, S. (2017). Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: Stretch It, Shape It. Little Pickle Press.
Dweck, C. (2017). Mindset. Robinson.
Mischnick Mindset 