Eclectic Technology

If your learners are fans of Star Wars, then these posters may find a place in your classroom. You will find not only the image above (which is on Growth Mindset), but also an image of The Dark Side, otherwise knows as a Fixed Mindset.

In addition, there is a poster 8 Mathematical Processes of Jedi Masters, as well as one on Standards Based Gradings (an assessment tool). To go directly to a page that allows you to download the images click here.

The infographic above is geared to elementary students. Research shows that if we teach students about their brain, and about growth mindset and fixed mindset it makes a difference. Consider sharing this with your students and have them answer the questions. Some may find that they are holding themselves back based on their mindset. Students could share strategies that they use when they find themselves falling into areas of a fixed mindset.

We want our students to become lifelong learners? To become a lifelong learner it is essential to have a growth mindset. This post begins with a discussion of Carol Dweck's work on growth and fixed mindset, and moves on to provide 25 practices that help to foster lifelong learning. Five of the practices are listed below. There are an additional twenty in the post and each is explained in more depth.

* Begin with the end in mind.

* Create your own learning toolbox.

* Try new things on a frequent basis.

* Keep a "to-learn" list.

* Improve your memory.

Do you teach your students about growth mindset? Is this a topic of discussion with other staff in your school? Jackie Gerstein has shared three excellent resources in this post that focuses on growth mindset.

She has created an infographic (image above) that looks at fixed mindset and growth mindset, showing how a student may identify based on their mindset.

The next step was putting the infographic into ThingLink and creating links to over 15 resources. Here is the link: ThingLink version of the infographic.

There is also a slideshow that provides additional resources (although some may be repeated in the ThingLink). The slideshow is split into four sections:

* Mindsets

* Historical Background

* The Educator with a Growth Mindset

* Teaching the Growth Mindset to your Learners

Since this post is based on a workshop she provided it is a great resource to share with teachers at your school (or other teachers whom you know). Make sure to check out the resources for students. You may find yourself creating a poster to help your students learn more about growth mindset.

This chart looks at the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset by looking at eight areas:

* Desire

* Evaluation of situations

* Dealing with setbacks

* Challenges

* Effort

* Criticism

* Success of others

* Result...

You may want to share this with students or other teachers at your school.

The more times I watch Ted-ED videos the more impressed I am with the quality of the presentations...and the fact that they also supply questions (typically multiple choice and short answers), additional resources and a forum. This particular presentation is an individual sharing their disability, but it also addresses the concepts of fixed mindset and growth mindset, in a way that will engage students. I think it could be used to bring up these two concepts for a great classroom discussion.

What do you think? Do your students come to you with a fixed mindset? Is there future pre-determined by birth? Is intelligence static? Or do you students come in with a growth mindset, with the knowledge that learning takes effort and time, the ability to try and fail, and try again (and again...)? Can intelligence be developed?

Gleeson provides an overview of the two mindsets and explores the infographic and the five categories within in it by asking each as a question. Below is one example...but you will find questins for each category in the post (challenges, obstacles, effort, criticism, success of others).

Quoting from the post:

OBSTACLES: Do we allow our children/ourselves to give up when learning becomes too difficult and stay in a growth- limiting ‘comfort zone’? OR Do we expect our childen/ourselves to persist until we overcome those obstacles and celebrate the achievement of success against all odds?And if you would like to watch a short video that discusses fixed mindset check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhLJPhxuvGM.

Carol Dweck has been studying mindset for many years, and this post shares information from her work. There is a discussion on growth mindset and fixed mindset as well as a discussion on how a growth mindset can help one learn (which also shares information from some of her research).

This is followed by a list of 25 ways to help students develop a growth mindset. Five are listed below.

* Acknowledge and embrace imperfections.

* View challenges as opportunities.

* Follow the research on brain plasticity.

* Value the process over the end result.

* Provide regular opportunities for reflection.

What would happen if your class or your school chose one suggestion a week and had it become a part of the school culture? Would students learn more about growth mindset and be more willing to take risks? To understand that everyone fails at different points in their life, but they have the ability to move on (and potentially share information about people who have failed and led a successful life)?  What are your thoughts on this subject?

And remember to click through to the post to see all 25 suggestions (as well as links to additional resources).

Jackie Gerstein shares a number of posts she has written that discuss growth mindset as well as an interview with Carol Reiley, who is publishing a book, Making a Splash, which is designed for children to learn more about growth mindsets (as well as parents/teachers). Along with the great image (shown above) that compares growth mindset and fixed mindset there is an interview with Carol Reiley as well as two short video clips.

You can also check out her website, GoBrain, to learn more the book and to find a larger version of the visual and information on growth mindset.

What happens when a fixed mindset is moved to a growth mindset? Gerstein states a growth mindset leads to  "focusing on what can work rather than what is not working. This is not to devalue the obstacles that teachers face. It becomes about noting where change is possible and making some small changes in teaching.  Small changes often result in larger, more systemic change."

She then goes on to explore teacher agency and provide strategies for teachers to "gain and increase their agency."

For education to change teachers must also be open to change, and the strategies are suggestions to help teachers gain their voice and become empowered.