Mindset Playground

This great article asks you to ponder how science really works: instead of accepting the facts as given, we grow by poking and probing. Sometimes exploring the unknown can make us uncomfortable, but by pursuing what is uncertain and unknown, we will be more innovative in our thinking and learning.

QUOTE "The key to instilling a growth mindset is teaching kids that their brains are like muscles that can be strengthened through hard work and persistence." Dweck explains: "I know how powerful it can be when implemented and understood correctly. Education can be very faddish but this is not a fad. It's a basic scientific finding, I want it to be part of what we know and what we use."

This article addresses three common MISCONCEPTIONS about growth mindset: 1 I already have it, and I always have. 2 A growth mindset is just about praising and rewarding effort. 3 Just espouse a growth mindset, and good things will happen. Dweck argues that we need to address those misconceptions and be aware of our own fixed mindset triggers: QUOTE "One reason why is we all have our own fixed-mindset triggers. When we face challenges, receive criticism, or fare poorly compared with others, we can easily fall into insecurity or defensiveness, a response that inhibits growth."

Read the article for more details about these growth-provoking questions: 1 What do you know? What don't you know? 2 How do you achieve goals to learn something new? 3 How do you show what you know and can do? How do you tell your story with narratives and numbers?

Read the article to find out more about each one: 1. If you find criticism hard, know you're not alone 2. Know that there is always help 3. Adjust to change 4. If you get something wrong, figure out how to fix it 5. Find a support network 6. Balance is key 7. Stay mindful 8. Proceed with kindness

This is an old NPR piece (2007) about Carol Dweck's research. QUOTE from Dweck: "If you think about a child who's coping with an especially challenging task, I don't think there's anything better in the world than that child hearing from a parent or from a teacher the words, 'You'll get there.' And that, I think, is the spirit of what this is about."

The article discusses people's reactions to failure ("we feel guilty; we try to knuckle down; or we diminish our goals") and proposes alternatives: QUOTE "We should seek adventures, and learn from our mistakes. Envision our future selves. And know when to quit."

Here are the subheadings in this very useful article which provides an overview of Dweck's growth mindset discoveries: The Opportunity of Defeat Confronting Deficiencies Proper Praise Making Up Your Mind-set A for Effort

Main points; read the article for lots of details: #1 Caring for others builds resiliency against stress #2 Purpose in life reduces stress #3 Focus on how stress can help students grow

This article works through the process both of deciding when to quit something and also the benefits of learning to say "no" ... and both of these are important skills to have as you continue to grow. The article is about work and the business world, but it can easily apply to school as well!

There is a lot of overlap between growth mindset and the recommendations you will find in this article, such as: No grades: "Commenting on a piece of work forces students to internalize changes rather than focusing on exclusively on the grade." Reconsider assessment: "If teachers remove the expectation that students turn in perfect work then students won't feel they have to either cheat or be cheated."

Johannes Haushofer bravely posts document listing degree programs he did not get in to and academic positions he did not get. Haushofer wrote that he created the document to "give some perspective". "Most of what I try fails, but these failures are often invisible, while the successes are visible," he wrote.

Read the article for details about these mental habits: 1. Making excuses. 2. Catastrophizing the future. 3. Seeking audience approval. 4. Believing self-doubt. 5. Putting yourself down. 6. Second-guessing yourself.

QUOTE "There are good reasons why many people are not changing much. Here are four reasons that I've learned about. Later I will share what these look like and what can be done about it." They don't know they can. They don't know how. They don't want to. They don't know they are worth it.

1. start by defining what a complaint is 2. track how often you complain and what about 3. separate yourself from chronic complainers 4. turn complaints into solutions 5. use the "but-positive" technique 6. change "have to" to "get to"

In this piece +Pedro Noguera has identified what is, for me, a key difference between growth mindset and the grit narrative: the growth mindset is all about agency, while the grit narrative does not emphasize agency at all... in some ways, just the opposite (suck it up!).

Read the article for details about each piece of advice: 1. Don't Compare Yourself to Others 2. Abandon Perfectionism 3. Be Vulnerable to a Trusted Community 4. Embrace a Growth Mindset 5. Set Goals that are Within Your Control 6. Treat Your Work Like an Experiment. 7. Trust Yourself

QUOTE The first rule of improvisation is "yes, and," meaning that anyone's contribution to the group discussion is accepted without judgment. "We always talk about the four 'c's of improv: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication," says Deana Criess. To persuade students to abandon their fear of mistakes, she insists on unconditional support to all answers, then works to build trust among the group and invite risk-taking.

YOUR BRAIN MAY BE HARD-WIRED TO FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE, BUT (WITH PRACTICE) YOU CAN REPROGRAM IT: read the article to learn more about these five practical suggestions: 1 take a short break 2 practice looking for small moments of beauty or kindness 3 search for and comment on the positive qualities and actions of others 4 exercise 5 try to be persistent with your mindfulness practices, but don't beat yourself up

This is a collection of Growth Mindset Twitter posts for the week of May 7-14 2016.