Growth Mindset & The Power of Yet
Let's work on our Mindset!
Do You Have A Fixed or Growth Mindset?
First, it is important to know what Growth Mindset is all about. Carol Dweck, professor of Psychology at Stanford University and one of the lead researchers in the studies of motivation studies of success, wrote a book called Mindset: A Psychology of Success- How We Can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential. Because of this book, schools, businesses, parents and relationships have began to have a shift in thinking. What does it all mean. First, let's look at a chart that tells us the difference between having a Fixed Mindset vs. a Growth Mindset. Here is a quick 30 seconds to understanding Growth Mindset.
CarolDweck 2014X-480p
Come Add Your Response to this Poster in the GT Room
I want the kids to see this all filled up with your thoughts when they return to GT. Stop by and add to the poster.
Coaching A Mindset
Changing your mindset or your child's mindset is a process. Be patient with yourself and your child. I love this blog, Growth Mindset Zone, and the post with great graphics for coaching a Mindset. Coaching is what it is really about; we are developing people so these things happen over time with lots of practice. It is important to remember we all have a fixed mindset about many things and most of the time we don't even realized how fixed we are in our thoughts.
This site is full of great resources and phrases you can get started with right away!!
The Power of Yet
Here is a great blog post from The Good Enuf Mommy about the Power of Yet. The Good Enuf Mommy has 5 easy steps to help with The Power of Yet. Although, I would say, depending on the type of parent you are, some of these are not so easy. Here is the short and sweet of it:
1. Lead by Example
2. Call Off the Rescue Mission (by far my favorite & the most difficult)
3. Failure is Good Thing
4. Change Your Vocabulary
5. The Power of Yet!
The Power of Yet, is all about helping children understand they are supposed to be perfect the first time or even the 10th. This is particularly difficult when with a task your perceives as something they should be great at right off the bat. It isn't that you don't understand, it is that you don't understand- YET!
Books That Help with Growth Mindset
Ada Twist Scientist by Andrea Beaty
This author is made for the GT classroom. She will be at the Texas Book Festival this Saturday at 2:00 in the children's area. Mrs. Douglass' 2nd grade class will be introducing her.
Iggy Peck Architect
This author is made for the GT classroom. She will be at the Texas Book Festival this Saturday at 2:00 in the children's area. Mrs. Douglass' 2nd grade class will be introducing her.
Rosie Revere Engineer
This author is made for the GT classroom. She will be at the Texas Book Festival this Saturday at 2:00 in the children's area. Mrs. Douglass' 2nd grade class will be introducing her.
A Girl With A Cape by Amy Logan
This is an independent book about the power of our words.
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
This book was made digitally. I use it during the inventor unit in 3rd grade.
Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun
I use it during the inventor unit in 3rd grade.
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
Sky Color by Peter Reynolds
So Few of Me by Peter Reynolds
What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada
What Do You Do with a Problem? by Kobi Yamada
Boredom & Mindset
Yes, boredom is linked to your mindset. Many of you have heard me say, boredom is a state of mind, which is true, and now there is science to back that statement up!! If you work on a Growth Mindset, you will also be working on eliminating that yucky word, boredom. How do you help your child understand that they are in control of their own boredom?
Conversation Starters:
- Why do you think it is easier to learn things you are interested in than the things you find boring?
- What do you do differently when learning about something you like? (possible answers might be: I pay attention, I am active, I am involved, I keep working even when it is hard, I think about it all the time, I talk about it with other people, I stay focused)
- How could you use the same process with something boring?
- Have you tried using more than one sense while doing a boring task?
- Are their strategies for turning something boring into something more interesting?
- Did you eat a good/healthy breakfast or lunch today?
- Did you get enough sleep?
- Do you keep your attention when you were trying to learn?
- Did you make assumptions about the task?
- Were their distractions in the environment when you were trying to learn?
- Did you use more than one sense when trying to learn?
- Did you find an active way to practice the material?
- Have you been holding back your effort?
- Are you willing to put in the effort?
#GrowthMindset
Here are some resources you can use in social media. #GrowthMindset on Twitter:
- @brainology
- @minsetworks
- @growthmindset1
- @MindShiftKQED
- @sheehank11
- @mindsetworks
- @angeladuckw
Cara Beth McLeod
Most of this presentation is from places I learn from on the internet, I have sourced and credited my examples. Only a few statements here are my own, but I am a big believer in the way we frame our thinking has power over our experiences.
Email: cmcleod@eanesisd.net
Website: ccemcleod.weebly.com
Location: 3301 Pinnacle Road, Austin, TX, United States
Phone: 512.732.9120
Twitter: @cbmcleod