Growth Mindset to No Limits

First week of school and a first grader announced to his teacher, “I can’t do this!”  She responded perfectly with “YET.”  This scenario is a perfect example of how our students are developing a fixed mindset at early ages.  It is a reminder we must reinforce that they can achieve.

As you know, a fixed mindset, one without hope, is bred in an environment where students are inundated with negative outlooks and reminders of limited resources or even criticisms of education and hope for the future. Our schools are becoming flooded with more and more students who face financial hardships in their homes.

 

Think about these statistics.

  • 1 in 5 children live in poverty.
  • Children who experience hunger and food insecurity have effects such as lower reading and math scores, more emotional and behavioral problems and physical or mental deficits.
  • There are as many as 46.2 million Americans living poverty.
  • Children in poverty are 1.3 times are more likely to have learning and developmental delays.
  • Students in poverty are more often more than two years behind by 4th

 

According to Eric Jensen (May 2013), we know students from low income families are less likely to engage in school.  Lack of effort or being unmotivated is often a lack of hope and is fostered by a give up attitude that they may be immersed in each day.  Living in poverty is difficult and the stress of the environment may spill over as a lack of optimism.  This lack of hope leads to a fixed mindset, a feeling that “it is not worth the effort.” This can be perceived as “lazy” by teachers. In actuality, it is a lack of belief that has occurred repeatedly and has become a mindset habit.

Connecting these statistics with brain research, there IS HOPE!  Within the last few years, we have come to understand that the brain is NOT a fixed entity much like a machine. Our brain is constantly changing based on our actions and thoughts.  The concept of our brain being able to change constantly is called neuroplasticity.  Plasticity is how our brain learns new information and how to do new activities. Our students need to know that their brain can change and is malleable. They can’t do it— YET!! Practice, effort, trying new strategies helps students move from can’t to can.

For example, when you are learning a new motor task, you utilize two sections of the brain called the SMA (Supplementary Motor Area) and the M1 (Primary Motor Area) which work together almost like a highway.  When you repeat the motor task and increase the blood flow to this area of the brain, you are also rousing impulses and sprouting axons and dendrites.  We know when you are creating dendrites, you are learning.  When we use this “highway” repetitively, we are creating a strong pathway and this makes the task much easier. Think about learning how to play the guitar. When you begin, the pathway is weak but with repetitive practice, the skill of playing the guitar becomes more fluent and quick.

With the same idea above, we can change a child’s fixed mindset to one of growth and hope. A person with a growth mindset believes they can work hard, practice and improve or get better. It is not just that you practice and you learn but that trying harder and attempting new strategies can help you succeed not only at the task at hand but in the future.

We need to teach our students the concept of neuroplasticity and that our brains are always changing.  Their actions can increase their abilities. Work to increase a positive attitude with students by always praising effort.  A mindset is not changed easily but with repetitive positive words that affirm effort will help to increase a student’s motivation.

When we encourage students to try—we have succeeded in helping them be successful. I am not encouraging empty praise but an increase in explicitly guiding students in what steps they can take to improve or succeed. With repetitive reinforcement that quitting is NOT an option but that there is HOPE for success—it just takes effort which brings GROWTH.  Thanks Taylorsville for your efforts toward teaching Growth Mindset.  Who knows—maybe we can move towards a mindset of no limits!

Think NO LIMITS!

 

Resources that inspired or were cited in this Blog:

Article (2014) by Margie Meacham entitled, “The Growth Mindset Starts in the Brain”:  https://www.td.org/Publications/Blogs/Science-of-Learning-Blog/2014/09/The-Growth-Mindset-Starts-in-the-Brain

Statistics from dosomething.org

Article (2013) by Eric Jensen enttitled, “How Poverty Affects Classroom Engagement.” Accessed on July 28, 2016.

Video from Sheridan College accessed on July 30, 2016:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vo-rcVMgbI

 

 

 

 

2 Thoughts.

  1. I have certainly set my own mind to this…they all may not learn at the same pace, but they all CAN learn. It’s my job to provide the support and repetition. I always keep in mind their environmental factors to guide me in nurturing them and understanding their hurts and hang ups, but refuse to let this be an excuse for one not learning.

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