Week 8 - Changing Mindsets - March 27- April 2

A fixed mindset creates beliefs focused on judgment. A growth mindset creates beliefs focused on change. It is possible to help people/students replace the judging going on in their heads with a growth mindset in which they ask, “What can I learn from this? How can I improve?” Simply teaching about the mindsets helps people to shift their thinking about intelligence and talent. The brain does not have a fixed amount of intelligence. Instead, it is more like a muscle in that it changes and gets stronger when used. The more you challenge yourself, the more the brain grows. When students learn this they end up feeling empowered to know they can be in charge of the growth of their own brains.

Changing your mindset doesn’t occur by learning a few tricks, however. The goal is for students to change from a judge-and-be-judged framework to a learn-and-help-learn framework. Students benefit when adults model this mindset, make comments that reflect a growth mindset, and who reward student behavior that aligns with a growth mindset.

1. What steps can you take in your classroom to change the mindset of your students?

2. What are two important concepts or ideas you can take away from this book?

Week 7 - Parents, Teachers, Coaches - Mar 20-26

This chapter focuses on the people who impart, often inadvertently, a certain mindset to children and students. Every day teachers send messages to students about how to think of themselves. These can be growth-mindset messages: you are developing and I am interested in your growth. Or they can be fixed-mindset messages: your traits are permanent and I’m going to judge them. Of course no one sets out to do the latter. This is why it’s important to learn to distinguish between these two types of messages and purposefully help students develop growth mindsets. Praising ability or intelligence often harms motivation and performance because students become afraid of making mistakes or appearing less than smart. The best thing we can do is to teach students to love challenges, see mistakes as opportunities, and enjoy giving consistent effort.

1. Think of a specific instance where a student failed or was not successful learning what you were attempting to teach. What are 3 things you could have said to foster more of a growth mindset in that student to keep them from giving up. Use examples from the book to help.

2. Do you excuse your children’s failures so you won’t harm their self-esteem? Think of times you’ve done this, and then think about how you could use the occasion to teach them a growth mindset (and help them succeed!).

Week 6 - Mindsets in Love (or Not) - Mar 6-12

1. How do you handle criticism or perceived criticism? Are you able to hear it and be reflective or do you tend to become defensive and look for reasons why it’s not your fault?

2. What do you think criticism means? How could you handle it differently in the future?

3. What are some keys to working together with your colleagues and your students in a way that promotes growth and understanding for all?