Magnificent Mindsets

Last night I took the helm and played hostess for our #tlap Twitter Chat. Click {here} to read the script and prepare to be positively inspired and influenced by our charACTer chat. Oh, and grab some new ideas for your character building.

Today I'm delighted to share a new find that I first read about

over at Books That Heal Kids in early July.

This spunky little scientist sets off to make the most magnificent thing. She imagines it, believes she can do it, and gives it her best shot. But it's an epic fail. When it doesn't work out as she'd hoped, "she gets MAD!" Then the self-talk begins. "I'm no good at this. I QUIT." How many times have we heard this from students? If we're honest, we'll probably admit that we've thought and said this before, too. How do we reframe this to get passed that fixed mindset and move to a growth mindset? Sometimes it's as easy as adding the word yet. I'm not good at this ... yet. There's good news. When this girl's four-legged friend takes her for a walk, she rethinks the project and gives it another try with a much more desirable outcome. Check out this book; you'll find it a valuable tool in your mindset arsenal.

We did a book study with Carol Dweck's Mindset three years ago and now there's mounting evidence out there that teaching mindset is key. So much of what we do in education has to do with unlocking that fixed mindset and helping move it to a growth mindset.

Love this Shel Silverstein quote; thank you, Amy Lynch, for its eye-catching presentation. Click it for a freebie download.

Here's a graphic by Nigel Holmes that helps us better understand the two mindsets. Click it to go to its original source.

We're going to be talking about mindset in our first peace class this week. Look at our focus board for students as they come in while I'm greeting at the door: 

A great clip that showcases optimism is The Greatest, 
an inspirational PSA from The Foundation For A Better Life. 

I'm going to reinforce the idea of mindset with pictures like this:

Someone with a fixed mindset might say something like this:

That bridge isn't going anywhere. What a waste.

How would someone with a growth mindset reframe that?

Your answer might depend upon what you see. What was this bridge built to transport? Is it a walking bridge or is it made for vehicles? How does that change how you feel about or react to it? Hmmm ... 

What might someone with a fixed mindset have to say about

this little maple tree we're attempting to transplant from the frozen tundra of Wisconsin to the subtropical gumbo of the Gulf Coast in Texas?

Show this to students and encourage them to try their hand at reframing those thoughts to view them through a growth mindset lens.

Here are some more fixed-mindset thoughts for reframe:

1. You have to be a genius to learn a second language, and I'm not, so what's the point of trying.

2. Well, she comes from that side of town.

3. He has test anxiety so he won't ever pass that test.

4. Wow, isn't he so so smart!

5. He excels at gymnastics because his family is rich.

6. My parents weren't any good at science either.

Want to know more about fixed and growth mindset? Read Dr. Maurice Elias' post about starting the year off with a positive mindset {here}. Amy Conley wrote about nurturing intrinsic motivation and growth mindset in writing {here}. 

And Glen Whitman discusses the power of the word yet {here}.