Growth Mindset : Strategies for Helping our Kids Succeed in School - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Growth Mindset: Strategies for Helping

• ur Kids Succeed in School and Life

Paul Dexter, Ph.D.

This evening we’ll discuss:

• The power of a

”growth mindset”

• A brief overview of

how learning works

• Ways to create an

environment conducive to learning

• Examples of active

(and effective) learning strategies

• Tips for creating a

positive learning environment at home

Mindset

Why do some people keep moving forward while others give up?

Carol Dweck, Ph.D. Stanford University

Fixed Mindset

“A fixed mindset comes from the belief that your qualities are carved in

• stone. Who you are is who

you are, period.”

• Intelligence
• Personality
• Creativity
• Talent

Belief: “I either have it,

• r I don’t.”

Dweck, Carol S. Mindset. New York: Random House Publishing, 2006

Growth Mindset

“A growth mindset comes from the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through effort.” Regardless of:

• Aptitude
• Talent
• Interests
• Temperament

Belief: “I can change and grow (through application and experience).”

Dweck, Carol S. Mindset. New York: Random House Publishing, 2006

Fixed vs. Growth Mindset

Fixed Mindset

• We are who we are,

and I can’t change.

• I blame others for

unwanted outcomes.

• I focus upon what I

have done.

• I aim to prove.
• I praise talent/ability.
• I want to protect myself

from failure. Growth Mindset

• Anyone can change

with enough effort.

• I own the outcomes,

and learn from action.

• I focus upon and what I

will do.

• I aim to improve.
• I praise effort.
• I can learn from failure.

Dweck, Carol S. Mindset. New York: Random House Publishing, 2006

Responses to Error or “Failure”

Fixed Mindset

• Run from the error
• Feel better by finding

someone who did worse

• Avoid similar tasks in the

future Growth Mindset

• Process the error
• Learn from and correct

the error

• Embrace the challenge
• f doing better next

time How the learner perceives and responds to challenges is a big predictor of success!

“Now” vs. “Not Yet”

• “If I’m not good at X

now, I’ll never be good at it.” Results focused: immediate results as an indicator of ability

• “If I’m not good at

X, it’s a challenge for me to

• vercome.”

Progress focused: not about getting it “right”, but making incremental improvement

Making The Connections

• Effort and difficulty result in the

neurons making new connections

• The brain literally gets smarter

Dweck, Carol S. Mindset. New York: Random House Publishing, 2006

Emotional Intelligence

• Often a greater predictor of success in life than

traditional intelligence

• Fostering a growth mindset creates opportunities to

build EI

Key EI components

• Persist in the face of

frustration

• Control impulses

and delay gratification

• Self-motivate
• Have the capacity

to hope Think about how this relates to “studying”.

Studying vs. Learning

What is the difference, if any, between studying and learning?

What mode has your student been in?

• A. Study Mode or B. Learning Mode

Here’s a question…

For which task would your learner work harder? A. Making an A on the test B. Teaching a review session on the material for the next exam

Most students are not taught HOW to learn

Anyone can become an “expert learner”!

Memory: Attention, Practice, and Making MEANING

Attention Starts with the Learning Environment

• In class: sit up front
• Out of class: find the

place(s) for time on task

• Only have what you

need for THAT task

• Remove any

distractions

• Build in “cues”

The Science is Clear

• Our attention is limited
• Involves holding irrelevant

information at bay

• Sensory stimuli can grab
• ur attention
• We remember very little in

the absence of focused attention

• Anxiety or other emotional

states can drain off attentional resources (including our attitude)

Multi-tasking

• Attempting two cognitive

tasks simultaneously

• Often driven by competing

demands

• Checking email during

a class

• Texting at the dinner

table

• Answering a phone call

while writing a paper “Can’t I be efficient, and equally present, by multi-tasking?”

Attention Shifting

• The brain does not

“multi-task”, rather shifts its attention

• If we shift the

attention from deep thought, it takes the brain 20 minutes to get back to deep thought

Multi-Tasking Prevents Deep Work

• Device use as a flight

from boredom

• “State of fragmented

attention”

• Lowers the brain’s ability

to concentrate and contemplate

• Attention residue: some

attention remains stuck thinking about the previous or the next

Single-Tasking for Learning

• Do a “brain dump”

prior to a learning session (reduce residue)

• Have a clear goal

for the time on task

• Put away devices
• Only open

necessary apps

“Work” the Information

• The brain prioritizes

where we put our focus

• We begin to forget

almost immediately

• “Working” the

information interrupts the forgetting process

Assigned Reading

What are some common behaviors when doing academic reading? (Honestly!)

Reading for Making Meaning

1. Read the headings 2. Ask 3-4 questions based on the headings 3. Read a paragraph 4. Summarize 5. Repeat 3 and 4 until finished 6. Go back and work the examples Ask why, how, and what if questions while reading.

Attending to Cues

• Pay attention to

what you “hear” your mind tell you while reading

• Write down the

cues: it’s your brain trying to make connections!

Active Note Taking

Consider the Cornell approach:

• Similar attention to

cues as while reading

• Take time to

summarize

• Interrupt the

forgetting

Mind Mapping: Making Connections

Learning in Groups

• Form a group
• Choose a location

and time

• Organize the group
• Set a goal for each

session

• Teach concepts to

each other

• If answers are

different, explore WHY

As a parent, what can I do to contribute to the learning process and create a positive environment?

Establish A Learning “Place”

• Cues associated
• nly with learning
• Expectation of

single tasking

• Minimize distractions
• Family buy in

Provide An Audience

Ask your learner to:

• Explain concepts
• Make connections

between ideas

• Summarize “chunks”
• f assigned reading
• Use flash cards

interactively

– Ask the questions – Prompt for connections

Ask Open-Ended Reflective Questions

Closed-Ended Questions

• Are your classes going

well?

• Are you ready for the

exam on Thursday?

• Do you understand this

concept?

• How are your ukulele

lessons going? Open-Ended Questions

• What are you learning

about this week?

• Talk to me about what

will be on the exam.

• Teach the concept to

me in your own words.

• Show me something

you weren’t able to do a few weeks ago!

Make Specific Observations

Praise PROCESS

• Effort
• Strategy
• Focus
• Perseverance
• Improvement

Not CHARACTERISTICS

• Intelligence
• Talent
• Grades

Remember: belief in characteristics is more

• f a fixed mindset!

A “Not Yet” Perspective

• “You stuck with it, even

though it was frustrating.”

• “Two weeks ago, you

weren’t able to explain that.”

• “You read for a whole hour!”
• “You just played the first

stanza from memory!” “This process praise creates kids who are hearty and resilient…it builds their confidence.”

• Carol Dweck, 2014

Conclusion

• A “growth mindset”

builds confidence and emotional intelligence

• Learning involves

single-tasking, attention, and working the information

• A “not yet” approach

celebrates incremental steps and successes

• Learning is life long!

Additional Resources

Make It Stick Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L., & McDaniel, M.A. (2014). Make it stick: The science of successful learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Mindset Dweck, Carol S. Mindset. New York: Random House Publishing, 2006 Mindset Toolkit https://www.mindsetkit.org/topics/abo ut-growth-mindset paul.dexter@maine.edu

McGuire, Saundra Y. Teach yourself how to learn: Strategies you can use to ace any course at any level. Sterling, Virginia: Stylus Publishing, 2018.