- How does that impact their motivation?
- Their effort?
- Their work completion?
- What other consequences could it have?
What are the consequences of a teacher having a fixed mindset about themselves?
If you could share one paragraph of this book with another person, which would you choose?
What was your favorite part of this book?
What was your least favorite part of this book?
When students have a fixed mindset it can be very self-defeating. It seems like math and science can be prime subjects for students to use the excuse “I’m not good at science (or math)”. Without naming names I had at least one student in every class that told me repeatedly all year that they were not good at science so there was no chance of them doing well on the activity, assignment or test that was in front of them. All year I tried to convince them that being “good” or “bad” at science is impossible because it’s not a set skill, all you have to do is work hard and pay attention and it can be done! Well, the speeches I give in that situation were awesome but I always have a hard time convincing them that it can be done. The frustrating part of it is that some of the times I was giving this pep-talk the material was SO EASY and the only thing holding the student back was themselves, they never even tried because they had already decided they couldn’t do it. Obviously this has a large impact on work completion, motivation and effort because they have given themselves the excuse to do nothing. My question is: how can we show them that they can be successful with effort? A mindset is a hard thing to change…
ReplyDelete1. The fixed mindset can affect students in a variety of ways inside the classroom. A fixed mindset student can see a bad grade as "proof" that they are stupid when in fact the poor grade is simply evidence that the student did not apply themselves as much as they could have. The student may avoid completing assignments out of fear of being "judged" and this leads to even worse grades. The fixed mindset can also play a part in schools in relation to bullying in which the bullies act as judges seperating students into 2 categories: inferior and superior. It seems that the process of bullying can force students into a fixed mindser of inferiority.
ReplyDelete2. If a teacher has a fixed mindset I believe it leads into the self-fulfilling prophecy problem. Here's an example from Davenport. Teacher: 'Uh-oh, that kid's a Howard... this is gonna be a long year'. The fixed mindset would say, 'those Howard kids are incapable of succeeding in school or life'. The growth mindset would say, 'I know the Howards have a bad reputation but what can I do to help this kid realize their potential and achieve it regardless of outside factors'.
3. A teacher having a fixed mindset about themselves is also a problem because teachers can't grow and improve their teaching unless they are open to change. Here is an example I have seen/heard.
SETTING: Staff meeting. We are going to try out the Gradual Relase method and we want to see you use it once a week.
FIXED-MINDSET TEACHER to FIXED MINDED COLLEAGUE: This is B.S., they roll out these strategies every year and they never work. Our students are terrible, our parents are terrible, nothing works so I'm going to keep doing it my way.
4. The paragraph I would share would be about how to send messages about process and growth starting on page 177. I really liked the quote from Haim Ginott which says, "Praise should deal, not with the child's personality attributes, but with his/her efforts and achievements."
5. My favorite part of the book was sending messages about failure. What do you tell the child who didn't get a ribbon for gymnastics? You tell them they didn't earn it and if they want to be the best they have to work hard BUT it's okay to do gymnastics for fun also if that's what you want to do but if you want to excel, more is required. That last part is probably the most important part of the message.
6. There were few parts of this book I objected to or disliked. I did find a few facts from this book disturbing. On page 75 the Dr. Dweck mentions that research has shown when students feel out the identification information on standardized tests about their gender or race this can trigger steretypical negative thinking. Also I found the section on the praised generation hits the workforce (pgs. 136-137) difficult to comprehend. Companies now are using employee of the day and a workforce that cannot deal with criticism.
1. Since they feel they have a fixed ability, they don't try to improve and will be content with their achievement. If they fail, they won't try to improve their scores. They may not complete their work if they feel it is too difficult for them. This is definitely what I have seen in every student with bd. a fixed mindset will harm the students self esteem.
ReplyDelete2. If a teacher has a fixed mindset it could be detrimental to the students. The eagle reading group will always succeed and the vultures will remain stagnant.
3. If a teacher has a fixed mindset it will be terrible for their own growth which in turn will be harmful to their students and school. If a teacher at JB has a fixed mindset they are going to struggle more this year than in the past. With all the great changes, teachers will need to be able to see JB and the students as successful.
4. If I were to share one part of the boom with someone it would be the quote from the 7th grader on p, 17. She explains that to be smarter you have to work and ask questions.
5. My favorite part is p. 152 when the husband says he will never do dishes and then wonders later why him and wife aren't....physical. I think it's funny that the fixed mindset/ growth mindset expands to very area of life.
My least favorite thing about the boom was that it was a little repetitive.
1. When a student in my class has a fixed mindset they tend to view everything negatively and are more likely to have behavior problems. These students do not raise their hands to answer questions, usually reply to me be saying “I don’t know” or “I don’t care,” and tend to tell me that they are going to fail even before attempting to complete a problem or quiz. They go into “shut down mode” and it is very difficult for the teacher to change this mindset.
ReplyDelete2. A teacher with a fixed mindset about their students can be very detrimental to the students. An example that I have heard is that students that come from low-income households or are of a particular race will never be able to learn. Instead the teacher should be thinking what I can do to adjust my lessons to connect with the students’ needs, interests, and prior knowledge. All students have the ability to learn.
3. The consequences of a teacher that has a fixed mindset affects not only the teacher themselves but also the students and the school as a whole. They refuse to make changes and learn new strategies that can help improvement achievement. We have all seen these types of teachers who have blinders on and refuse to make any effort to improve their teaching, get to know their students and collaborate with colleagues.
4. My favorite paragraph of the book that I would share is a quote from legendary coach John Wooden. He said, “You aren’t a failure until you start to blame.” (pg. 37) What he means is that you can still be in the process of learning from your mistakes, but when you begin to blame you are a failure. If we can teach our students to understand that learning is a process and at times you may struggle but if you continue to put forth the effort they will succeed. Stop the blaming and excuses!
5. My favorite part of the book was the story about how we always praise our kids, students and even adults. What message this sends to them is that they will not receive praise unless they do something right. When they don’t, immediately they deem themselves failures. “Children love praise and it gives them a sense of glow- but only for a minute. The minute they hit a snag, their confidence goes out the window and their motivation hits rock bottom.” (pg. 175)
1. A student with a fixed mindset will not have a love of learning. They will be motivated to do things that come easy to them (therefore guarantee the student success) but will be apprehensive to try new things in which they will have to take risks. A student with a fixed mindset wants will want to put minimal effort into everything. If a large amount of effort is needed – then that student will assume that the task is something they can’t do. Overall, I see students with a fixed mindset as being the students who only want to do what they already know in school. If a challenge arises in the classroom, the student will shut down. When reading about students with a fixed mindset, I thought a lot about our highest achieving students. They are so used to instant success that they often shut down when truly challenged in the classroom.
ReplyDelete2. Teachers who have a fixed mindset about their students do not see the potential within their students. Students who the teacher views as “smart” will always be smart. Students who are behind, will always be seen as such. Teachers with this mindset expect certain students to always fail. They will not go above and beyond to ensure their students’ success.
3. A teacher who has a fixed mindset about themselves will not reflect, evaluate and make changes to their teaching. They will always see what they do as the best way to do things. These teachers will not be receptive to professional development. They will also make many excuses when the data shows that their students are not successful instead of asking what they could do differently.
4. On page 177 there is a story about a woman praising her daughter’s success on a social studies test. She praises the success but also praises the methodology her daughter used in order to become successful. It is a great reminder to always praise good behaviors!
5. I really liked the message of this book. It made me reflect and I thought many of the stories really help prove the author’s point. The only thing I didn’t like about this book – is it seemed a bit redundant.
If a student has a fixed mindset, he may not try to do better than he previously has. He may believe that once he fails, he will continue to fail regardless of the amount of effort or studying. This student may not finish work because he thinks he will only fail – so why put in the effort?
ReplyDeleteIf a teacher has a fixed mindset he will see the student as a good student or a bad student (either academically or behaviorally), instead of a work in progress. With this, students will also be working in a fixed mindset classroom. They may start to believe that no amount of effort on the teacher’s or students’ part will allow the students to succeed.
A teacher with a fixed mindset will not strive to help students in the ways in which they need. If a student needs a different style of teaching or learns in a different way, a teacher may not offer that because they only know one way of teaching. This teacher believes that it doesn’t matter how he/she teaches, the results will be the same either way. Teachers with a fixed mindset may also be reluctant in areas of professional development, thus not learning or accepting new ways to improve teaching and student learning.
If I could share one paragraph with another person it would be from page 141, explaining how to create a growth-mindset environment.
“This involves:
• Presenting skills as learnable
• Conveying that the organization values learning and perseverance, not just ready-made genius or talent
• Giving feedback in a way that promotes learning and future success
• Presenting managers [administrators, colleagues] as resources for learning”
My favorite part of the book is the graphic on page 245. I thought this would be the most helpful for teaching the difference between the two mindsets.
My least favorite part of the book was that it was somewhat repetitive, giving the same scenarios in every chapter.
Just because some people can do something with little or no training, it doesn't mean that others can't do it (and sometimes do it even better) with training.(p.70). This is so important , but often very hard to convince most students...students at the intermediate level are so focused on perceptions that their fear of failure often prevents them from thinking about challenges as a learning process...especially when it appears it is so easy for others. This is often evident in adults, too! It is often hard to motivate oneself when you believe you can not be successful. Most students see their teachers as people that the content/skill comes easily...they never really see teachers model struggling through a true challenge. How do teachers model or think aloud a growth mindset...when experiencing a real challenge?
ReplyDeleteMost people probably experience examples of a time they had a fixed mindset...but would prefer not to have those conversations publicly...how do we talk about this and help create a growth mindset among staff? An example would be the achievement of our African American students. When I analyzed every level and content area of our ITBS our low income African Americans scores were the lowest...sometimes significantly lower than our low income white students. I looked at other data like suspension rates and dropout rates...it is truly devastating data for African American families. Could mindset of staff, students, and families be a part of this?
Feedback can be hard to accept as an adult, but it is funny how we think nothing of giving feedback to colleagues, students, our own children, and spouses frequently! I think clearly identified success criteria and non-negotiables has helped the process of feedback for adults at JB feel less evaluative and more informative. I believe students would feel the same way if we used that same process consistently.
One of my favorite paragraphs is on p.201. Growth-Minded Teachers:Who are These People? How can growth-minded teachers be so selfless, devoting untold hours to the worst students? Are they just saints? Is it reasonable to expect that everyone can become a saint? The answer is that they are not entirely selfless. They love to learn. And teaching is a wonderful way to learn. About people and how the tick. About what you teach. About yourself. And about life....a good teacher is one who continues to learn along with the students...I loved several quotes a few to share...
"The growth mindset is based on the belief in change, and the most gratifying part of work is watching people change."
"Every day presents you with ways to grow and to help the people you care about grow...look for these chances."
"Change can be tough, but I've never heard anyone say it wasn't worth it."
and finally..."You either go one way or the other. You might as well be the one deciding the direction."
JBK8 + a growth-mindset=Learning for ALL!
-Marianne
Maybe my response is just too long... but, I have to post it in two...
ReplyDelete1.A kid with a fixed mindset could have many obstacles. Their motivation is fixed in that it is what it is based on their performance. Since they most likely believe that they are smart or are dumb, they are then motivated by this image. If they feel they have talent in in a subject, like art, they will excel in it and try to paint the best portrait or sculpt the best vase. If they feel inferior in a subject, like reading, they will not try to improve or use the strategies they have learned to get better. To me, motivation and effort go hand in hand. However, effort for a fixed-minded student, effort should not have to be placed on such tasks. It should come naturally. Their “smartness” can’t increase, so why try? Work completion naturally follows. If the work is easily completed in a content area, the student will be motivated to complete it because little effort is needed. On the contrary, if the content is one in which the fixed-minded student struggles, completing the work will only show that they are incompetent. It is therefore less likely that the work will get done as the student is not motivated to apply effort. Additionally, fixed mindsets may also incur false judgment of peers or even teachers. These students see black and white, capable and incapable. They may label others and bring a false sense of despair. They may also have a false sense of superiority over those who need to apply more effort.
2.Students need to feel that they are supported. When a teacher portrays a fixed mindset, thinking that their students come to them with certain abilities which may increase, but will never match those above them, this limits what the students can do and what the teacher can teach. This also does not allow the students with a growth mindset to see all of their options or utilize their strengths. A fixed minded teacher would most likely not take the time to give much needed feedback to the students that struggle since they believe that they cannot achieve. Love this quote ( I know you do too, Becky…) “Don’t judge. Teach. It’s a learning process” (p. 186).
3.Teacher with fixed mindsets of themselves (I am going to add professionally here) are those who choose to teach the same way year after year. They don’t see the point in changing things up. They might think things like - It worked last year so it probably will this year. OR, it didn’t work with that group of kids last year, but it will probably work this year. They also are not those teachers who stand out as leaders because they don’t push themselves or others. Consequently, they stick to their niche and don’t expand their abilities which negatively effects their students. We have seen this happen at JB, however we have also seen the opposite!! I will use Lindsey Gosse as an example (former 8th grade math teacher). She saw a major issue with reading/vocabulary skills in her math students. Utilizing our school-wide writing initiative, she helped students to better understand the content by having them write about it! I think you, Dane and Matt, can totally agree that this works! If you all would have been fixed in your mindsets and not tried something new to actually extend and enhance the comprehension of the material you were teaching, the kids would have failed. By stepping out of your content area box(es - that sounds weird), and incorporate basic reading and writing skills, you were able to see greater success in your students!Okay, so I kind of answered that question backwards, but hopefully it makes sense.
4.The paragraph I would choose to share with someone would have to depend on the person and the reason.
ReplyDeleteFor a parent looking to guide their child OR a teacher who is looking to create a classroom culture/climate, I like this paragraph on page 176: “Parents think they can hand children permanent confidence--like a gift--by praising their brains and talent. It doesn’t work, and in face has the opposite effect. It makes children doubt themselves as soon as anything is hard or anything goes wrong. If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. That way, their children don’t have to be slaves of praise. They will have a lifelong way to build and repair their own confidence.” And this paragraph on page 182: “…children need honest and constructive feedback. If children are “protected” from it, they won’t learn well. They will experience advice, coaching, and feedback as negative and undermining. Withholding constructive criticism does not help children’s confidence; it harms their future.”
5.I really connected with the part about groupthink that started on page 134. I feel like at times we get nervous or apprehensive to share what we really think. I think our group, the DRT, We need to be capable of sharing among ourselves without judgment, sharing with our staff with confidence, and practicing what we have learned, developed, and believe to be true in our classrooms. However, we need to be careful of groupthink; we can‘t think that it is never possible for something to go wrong. If something isn’t working, we need to be strong and say it. Dweck reminds us to be in a growth mindset when we make decisions. We must listen to all sides and be willing to share and challenge each other.
6.My least favorite part of this book was the repetitiveness which led me to think the chapters were unorganized. I also didn’t think the ending was suffice. I would have liked to hear more for educators, but as a leader, I learned a lot from the Business: Mindset and Leadership chapter.
1. Students with a fixed mindset will not be willing to take challenges. When curriculum gets hard, they don’t know how to handle the information they are struggling with. I think this is why a lot of students act out or shut down.
ReplyDeleteTheir effort is there if it’s a task they are used to or is not a challenge to them. I think practicing procedures and having set routines will help these students. They aren’t usually willing to try a difficult task.
They will complete the work as long as it’s something they can do. They won’t persevere until the task is done.
2. The teacher would not challenge his/her students. They will give the students assignments they know the students can complete. They will praise the students ability and talents instead of their efforts.
3. The fixed mindset teachers are more reluctant to change. When they encounter a student with a growth mindset that wants to know more, they may become frustrated with that student for testing them.
4. I would share the last paragraph would be on p. 176. We need to refer to this paragraph often so we remember to praise effort, not talents.
5. There were a couple sections I really liked. The example of a baby learning to walk and talk was a great example that I could relate to. Babies don’t stop walking and talking because it’s hard, they keep at it until they can do it. They are constantly learning. It’s important that we let students know that we are always learning.
I also liked the part about praise/feedback. If you tell a student they are smart and they fail at a task, they are going to feel dumb if they have the fixed mindset. It’s so important to praise effort and not the ability.