Classroom Procedures to Foster a Change Mindset

Professor Carol Dweck quoted: Individuals with a fixed mindset believe that their intelligence is simply an inborn trait--they have a certain amount, and that's that. In contrast, individuals with a growth mindset believe that they can develop their intelligence over time.

 

Students who believe they can grow their basic abilities have greater motivation and higher accomplishment than students who believe their abilities are optimum and don't need to change anything. 

 

Here are some things you can do right away to lay a foundation for growth all year:

 

1) Establish high expectations (not just high standards). So let students know that you are questioning them because you know they can meet those expectations. For example:

•  For example, when introducing a new topic, you can tell your students, "This will be a challenging concept to learn, but all of us can reach the goal. I want you to test yourself."
• Note comments to your students that contain specific feedback on ways to improve, along with a resolution you provide because you think they can develop a high level of skill in that area.

 

2) Create a risk-tolerant knowledge zone. Let your students know that you value challenge-seeking, learning, and effort above perfect performance. The amount of progress they make individually is more important than how they compare to others. It should be clear that errors are bound to happen, and we can all learn from them.

 

3) Give feedback that concentrates on the procedure

• Recognize your students' effort and teach them to self-assess and build on their effort strategies.
• Help your students understand in many ways to employ action effectively, such as seeking out challenges, setting goals and making plans, using creative methods, and sticking with it when facing a problem.
• Give feedback that is appropriate to the situation--for example, don't praise effort if the student did not work hard.

 

4) Introduce students to the concept of the malleable mind. 

•  Let students know that their brains form new connections and make them brighter when practising hard things. Instead of feeling dumb when they struggle, they will learn to "feel" those connections growing.
• Teach students how the brain changes with learning and build their brains with effective learning strategies through a blended learning curriculum.

 

By introducing the growth mindset into your classroom early in the year, you can start to construct a culture of growth that will sustain your students as learners all year long.

 

 

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