Growth Mindset as a
Student & Educator
Why it's important
As a provider of dyslexia therapy I spend much of my day working with students that experience frustration and failure as a regular part of their educational experience. A recent study showed that students with dyslexia often struggle with anxiety and low self-esteem when compared to peers without the disability (Zuppardo et al., 2023, p. 86). I often talk to them about how they are neurosculpters and can change their brains. How incredible, right?! I have to remind them that they are doing incredible work to form new pathways and that is HARD. My students struggle with associating success and failure with their identity, and as I have started my graduate school journey I have realized… so do I.
In her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Dweck (2016) discusses self-esteem and the Growth Mindset, “If you’re somebody when you’re successful, what are you when you’re unsuccessful?” (p. 32). Associating success and failure with who you are is what Dweck calls a fixed mindset. The Growth Mindset separates your successes and failures from your identity. Everyone has to work hard for achievements (Dweck, 2016, p. 41). Anyone can work to change their brain. Dyslexia Therapy is literally creating new pathways in the brain, much like the Growth Mindset. A study showed different brain activity in students who had embraced Growth Mindset principles against those with a fixed mindset (Ng, 2018, p. 4-5).
I have realized that I closely connect my success in school with making a good grade. This is a very fixed mindset. Growth Mindset is more about learning and how I can become a better educator and human from the things I experience. As a provider of therapy to students who must work hard daily to overcome this way of thinking I am working to go first and work to build my own Growth Mindset so that I can in turn help them build theirs.
Learn to hear your fixed mindset “voice.”
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This comes down to metacognition or thinking about what you’re thinking about. This is a practice that I have been exposed to before, but will really be more aware of moving forward. I will listen to how I talk to and about myself.
Talk back to it with a growth mindset voice.
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Words are a powerful thing. There is so much power in our words. Whether it is the words spoken out loud or in our head, our words have power. I will make the choice to speak to myself in a way that embraces the Growth Mindset and reframe thoughts that do not align with it.
Recognize that you have a choice.
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Just as we have a choice in the way that we treat others, we have a choice in the way we treat ourselves. I have to make a conscious effort to choose a Growth Mindset over a fixed one.
Take the growth mindset action.
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I will choose to do things that help me grow. This involves seeking feedback, embracing setbacks and responding positively to challenges.
Four Steps
Dweck offers four steps to changing one’s mindset.
The Power of Yet
I will promote the power of yet to my students through bibliotherapy. We will read about the Power of Yet in literature and discuss how even though we can’t do something, that doesn’t mean we won’t be able to do something in the future. We can’t do it, YET.
Daily Check-ins: Students need to recognize how they are feeling to be able to start to foster a Growth Mindset. This could be done through a journal or Google Form.
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Growth Mindset Affirmations: Students need to practice routines for what to do when they find themselves in a fixed mindset. A list can be developed by the teacher and students for them to access when needed.
Promoting Growth Mindset With Students
Promoting Growth Mindset With
Colleagues & Co-Workers
It is important to be open and honest with those who we work closest with. I believe it is important to share and collaborate with our colleagues and share the things that we are learning. Sharing struggles with colleagues and co-workers and how I am overcoming them with Growth Mindset can be a powerful testament to the Power of Yet and about the Growth Mindset.
Resources
Books
Videos
Personal Impact
In the short time I have been in this program, the Growth Mindset study has already had an impact on me. I have learned that I truly have to be very aware of my thoughts and notice early when the fixed mindset starts to creep in. It is important to immediately identify those thoughts and make the choice to speak to them with Growth Mindset ones. When I do not make that choice, things can spiral very quickly into the fixed mindset doldrums. If I can continue to develop and strengthen my Growth Mindset and focus on the learning process rather than my GPA I will become a better educator and stronger therapist for my students and can help them from a place of personal growth and experience.