Defying Gravity: How Growth Mindset, Failing Forward, and COVA Propel My Learning to New Heights

Something has changed within me... something is not the same.

As I have worked through this course and studied the impact of the Growth Mindset. When I came into the course I probably would have told you that I had worked out most of my fixed mindset issues during the last round of classes while setting up my ePortfolio and writing my Innovation Plan. I even blogged about this when wrapping up the courses. However, as I read through Carol Dweck's book, Mindset, I really began to examine my own thoughts and how they were impacting my work in the program.

Isn't it nice to know... that good will conquer evil?

While not necessarily evil, the fixed mindset is definitely not a good thing and can set you back. One of my favorite concepts that I learned from Dweck's book is that we can change our Mindset and talk to our Fixed Mindset thoughts with our Growth Mindset voice (Dweck, 2016). Let me say that louder for the people in the back. You can change your thoughts. When you do this you are also changing your brain. A Growth Mindset brain looks different on imaging than a Fixed Mindset brain and that is a huge thing that helps me Defy Gravity and rise above my negative thoughts. This is also where the Power of Yet comes in. I experienced this first hand, ironically with my Growth Mindset Plan. When I first submitted my plan I received a grade that was not inline with what I am used to receiving. I did not as they say "understand the assignment." Thankfully, I was allowed an opportunity to fail forward and correct my work.

“If you’re somebody when you’re successful, what are you when you’re unsuccessful?” Carol Dweck, p. 32

Our successes and failures do not define us. Our mindset does.

I'm through accepting limits... cuz someone says they're so...

Through my Learning Manifesto I was able to really express my thoughts on technology with littles. I believe we need to bring it to them, teach them, and continue to find ways to integrate it into their everyday educational lives. I was criticized as a Kinder teacher for holding this view, but technology isn't going away. Let's embrace it!

Some things I cannot change... but 'til I try, I'll never know!

Something I want to investigate and work on more as I move throughout the program is integrated COVA more (Harapnuik, 2018). I do believe in giving students Choice, Ownership, Voice through Authenticity, however, I am constantly looking at things through my dyslexia therapy brain where things are very explicit and direct. When I put my Kinder teacher hat on I can see the beauty of it, but for my kiddos with learning disabilities the explicit and systematic teaching is very important, but I want to do more research on finding ways to integrate COVA for them. I believe it is possible, it will just take a different way to unlock it for them!

Together we're unlimited... Together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been

Better together. We've have heard it said a million times in education, but we truly are. We all different types of learning communities. I have found social media to be incredibly valuable for finding community and resources from people all over the world. Check out this blog to see some of my favorite Professional Learning Communities.

I look forward to continuing to take my learning to new heights as I progress through the program.

References

Dweck, C. S. (2016). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Ballantine Books.

Harapnuik, D. (2018, July 14). COVA. It's About Learning. Retrieved December 1, 2024, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6991