Reflections on a Growth Mindset
As you know, I am working on my Master's Degree of Education in Digital Learning and Leading. I have had to learn many new things, about technology and about myself. I'm learning more about myself, and how I can help my students. Technology is important through this course, but it is not the primary driving factor of this course. That fact alone was shocking at first. However, I appreciate the fact that technology is in the back seat instead of the driver's seat.
A few classes back I had to read about the Growth Mindset in a book titled Mindset by Carol S. Dweck. In the book she describes the two mindsets: fixed mindset or growth mindset. I had to research and get an understanding of me, how I work, and what type of mindset I possess. I learned that I have a combination of both that leans toward the growth mindset. I learned that I need to recognize my inner voice and, when necessary, challenge that voice and overcome the obstacle. Dweck is fond of the word "yet." By using the word yet, it implies that the student has not accomplished the goal, but is still striving, working, and learning, and will eventually achieve the goal. I have used this concept with my students, but I haven't used the word yet. I use the phrase "working on it." We work on concepts and skills and as we work those skills become easier. I use the pronoun "we" for a reason. The students are not left alone through the learning process. I help them and coach them, they put in the work, but as a team we work together and the student is able to achieve and be successful. When referring to myself, and my learning goals through this course, I still use the pronoun "we." I am the one working and learning, but I have a full cheer section routing me on along the way. My family, friends, and students encourage me and support me through the process. During this process, my cheer section has been fond of stating my words back to me. "We're working on this assignment, and we will get it done!" "You can do it!" "We believe in you!" It's nice to hear and frustrating sometimes, but it reminds me to push forward and work, and grow. It helps me to flip my switch to the growth mindset.
One of the points Dweck learned about those students with a fixed mindset is that they would rather cheat, than be challenged and fail. In some cases, students would find someone who performed worse in order to feel better. You can learn more about that point by watching Carol Dweck's TED talk. That point is shocking, but not surprising. Thankfully that does not apply to my situation. Teaching at a Microschool eliminates that point because no two students are working on the same material at the same time. I teach students individually at their own pace. Additionally, I eliminate the need to cheat with the way I teach. I don't expect my students to know and memorize everything. They are allowed to use their textbooks and cell phones, even on tests. They are allowed to use their resources.
Another concept that I have been recently introduced to is grit. The idea of grit was developed by Angela Lee Duckworth. For me, it is a continuation of Dweck's work regarding the growth mindset. Duckworth even mentions Dweck at the end of the video clip. I have understood the concept of grit and referred to it often to my students. However, I use a different phrase. I tell them that I appreciate their "stick-to-it-ness." They stick with the concept or skill until they master it; they don't give up. I tell them that I appreciate their perseverance.
The reflection on my mindset, and specifically trying to foster the growth mindset and grit in my students, has led to me consider and reflect upon other assignments that I have done for this particular class, EDLD 5313. I can see how these different assignments have led to a better understanding of myself, and what I want for my classroom and for my students. The first step was understanding my classroom, and how I have set up my classroom. Creating a Significant Learning Environment is the foundational level of the educational environment. I learned through this assignment that I have a relaxed, informal, micro learning environment. I also realized that my challenge is how to take my relaxed, informal, micro learning environment and transform it into a relaxed, informal, micro, blended learning environment. How do I bring my 4-walled classroom feel to an online setting? That is becoming the focus of my innovation plan, especially in regards to the online discussion questions.
The next step was learning more about myself by learning how I learn. Truly, those assignments were hand in hand, but chronologically, learning how I learn was second. By learning more about how I learn, I am better able to understand how I teach and how I relate to my students. Most surprising to me was the fact that Observational Learning and Experiential Learning are a thing! I never learned about observational learning or experiential learning as a theory when I was pursuing a bachelor's degree in elementary education. I learned about Piaget's Constructivist Theory, but not Observational Learning or Experiential Learning. Piaget's Constructivist Theory was closest to my personal learning style, but was not exact. I went "hunting" on the internet to learn about how I learn, and found the Observational Learning and Experiential Learning ideas. It was an exciting moment for me. It was a confirmation that the way I learn is not completely odd and there is research to support my methods and styles. It was almost therapeutic.
From there, I created a BHAG based upon my Innovation Plan. I want to take my sixth grade students from the 4-walled classroom into an online learning environment. I want them to further develop their academic learning network and continue our classroom discussions, but in an online learning environment. The classroom discussions in an online format is causing me great concern. I'm not sure that the students can transfer that skill from the 4-walled classroom to the online classroom. Because of that concern I used the discussion question as the basis for the Understanding by Design assignment. That was not a very good idea. The backward planning of the Understanding by Design method would be great for a unit or chapter planning, but not for the broad topic of discussion questions. Though I would consider this Understanding by Design assignment a failure, I also consider it a success. I learned that my instinct regarding the assignment was correct. I learned that I need to find another way to develop a plan that explains and encourages the discussion question aspect of the online learning environment.
The Understanding by Design assignment brought me full circle to the Growth Mindset assignment. I am not in a fixed mindset regarding the assignment, though I consider it a failure. I will figure out how to overcome that obstacle in planning. I will be spending part of my week off to try to figure out how to plan and design the discussion aspect of the online learning environment. I need my students to understand that after answering the question, they need to respond to their classmates just like they do in the 4-walled classroom. I am determined to figure out this aspect of the online learning environment. Those who know me best would say my Robertson is showing. For the rest world, I have grit!
References:
Duckworth, Angela Lee. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=343&v=H14bBuluwB8
Dweck, Carol S. (n.d.) Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve#t-132447
Dweck, Carol S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
