Fixed Vs. Growth Mindset

29 Mar 2016 72 Comments

by Ritu in Children, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The other month we had a staff training session.
You know the feeling right?
A whole day sitting, listening to someone chit chatting away about things that are totally irrelevant.
Techniques that will probably be forgotten by 95% of the people attending the course, as soon as they walk out.
But this time, there was something pretty major that I took away with me.
The training was all about Differentiation in the Classroom.  In layman’s terms, that means how we can teach the same to all different levels of pupils.  How we can cater for all within one lesson, and have each pupil leaving the classroom, feeling like they learned something.
It’s not an easy thing to do, from the Early Years through to the older children, but it is so important to actually present learning  in a way that a child understands.
The speaker talked about mindsets, and specifically Fixed mindsets Vs. Growth mindsets.

FG1

Now, I found some images on Google that give you a bit of an idea about what these mindsets are.

FG2

In a nutshell, we have to, as educators, allow our pupils to have a Growth mindset.  They need to feel that they can do it. They can learn something. They just have to keep on trying.
And in order for them to be able to develop this mindset, we need to have the same too.
Literally, the next day, I was talking to my own children, and Lil Man, who finds maths pretty tough, was chatting to me.  I have never been much of a mathematician myself, and I was ready to sympathise with him, saying I was never great at maths too, but then I remembered what the lady said the day before. So I altered my own words to say that, yes, I was never the best at maths, but I hadn’t stopped learning, even to this day.  In fact, I am ashamed to say, I don’t know my times tables by heart… thought with my own children learning them, I am getting better every day!
These statements below are a great way of altering your wording, so you can make any possible negative statement into a positive!

FG3

Since the training, I have been very mindful (We had to train on that, mindfulness, too once!) of the things I say, and how I say them.
Yes I hate sports, and I used to say I was never any good at them, but the fact of the matter is, I was pretty good at hockey, and netball. Discus and javelin, I loved. Badminton and tennis, again more physical pursuits that I enjoyed.  I just enjoyed other things more, so I never developed the skills.  Who knows, I may have been another Fatima Whitbread if I’d kept up the throwing!
Lil Princess loathes going to Punjabi school on a Saturday for 4 hours ( I would too!) but my in-laws were adamant that she should.  I was always saying I wasn’t bothered about sending her, as I never learned how to read and write my mother tongue.  I speak it well and understand it better than many Punjabi GCSE holders.  But then I realised that I should be positive, for her sake.  She may not be great at it, but if she carries on, it’s another feather in her bow. And If she really hates it still by July, we can stop it, but she won’t have been a quitter, she will have given it her all for this academic year.
The whole mindset thing, it’s really what I am about, actually. I have always been a glass half full kinda gal, seeing the silver lining, and I think that is really key to having that growth mindset. Positivity.  Knowing that something can happen, and that things can change. It’s just sometimes it’s you that has to embrace change first and try your hardest!
So, the moral of Ritu’s latest ramblings?
Don’t think “I can’t!” think “ I’ll try!”.

Images courtesy of Google.

72 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. Trackback: I’m a 1%er! The Art Of Brilliance @BeingBrilliant #MondayBlogs | But I Smile Anyway...

  2. joey
    Apr 02, 2016 @ 21:14:31

    That is JUST fascinating! What a wonderful program! I wish I’d known this when I was six and my father would review my report cards and say, “She’s just not good with math.” I HAD Bs THEN! Maybe he should have said I was good at math, or that I could get better at math. But then, I don’t suppose he knew this either…
    I appreciate this post as a person, as a former teacher, and as a parent. What a fantastic tool.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Zin
    Mar 30, 2016 @ 19:16:51

    I’m 17 years old, going to graduate in less than a month and I still don’t know my math times table. I remember trying so hard back in the 2nd grade and giving up on it. I’ve been terrible when it comes to Math for as long as I could remember. And now I just really don’t know who takes the blame, maybe most of it is just my fault for never having much interest in the subject. :]

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ritu
      Mar 30, 2016 @ 19:54:54

      I’m 40 and still don’t know mine. .. but I do learn more n more as in try to get my own kids to learn!
      I’ll never be a mathematician. .. but I can always learn ! (Or I’ll use a calculator! )

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  4. oneta hayes
    Mar 30, 2016 @ 17:42:48

    This is so good for any age. Even a fixed mind can be changed unfortunately
    A growth one can too with a bad teacher or other bad influence. You must be very special.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ritu
      Mar 30, 2016 @ 17:47:09

      That is very sweet of you to say, I’m touched 😊
      It is true though. .. bad teaching, bad situations. .. they can a alter mindsets, which is why we need to try and create positive environments everywhere so both children and adults alike can benefit from that growth mindset 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. Ann GrubbsnCritters
    Mar 30, 2016 @ 15:59:07

    And I’m trying to pin it but I can’t. Apparently the image format can’t be pinned. : (

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. Ann GrubbsnCritters
    Mar 30, 2016 @ 15:56:49

    Love this post, Ritu! Am in total agreement!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. TanGental
    Mar 30, 2016 @ 13:05:12

    Love this and it is so true. I’m not sure if you follow Norah – http://norahcolvin.com/2016/03/29/adventures-in-learning/ – but she was an early years teacher in Oz and has begun to set up a series of on line aides. However her whole blog is dedicated to teaching as you do and you may find it interesting to dip in. I’ve actually met her too and she’s lovely. And tall. I mean really tall. And I can’t get my head around you as a discuss thrower or javelin!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. Al Lane
    Mar 30, 2016 @ 09:13:21

    Thank you for sharing this, Ritu. It is such an important lesson. I’ve bookmarked this to come back to again! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. Deb
    Mar 30, 2016 @ 03:25:54

    Oh it is all about the mindset, even for us adults! You can choose to be positive about something or negative and that will direct how it will turn out. I think it’s a wonderful thing to embrace the growth mindset, I wish all schools would. Let the right brain out as much as you do the left brain…it’s creativity that becomes inventions and new ideas. I bet if you continue to employ that on Lil Man and Lil Princess you will notice results, plus your students too. Good luck! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  10. Vashti Quiroz-Vega
    Mar 30, 2016 @ 00:25:05

    Great post! The way we word things has an impact not only on others but on ourselves as well. I love that chart. What a difference in mindset between the first column and the second. It would be terrific if this was taught in elementary school. That way people would start their lives on a positive note. 😀 xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. Judy Martin
    Mar 29, 2016 @ 20:08:56

    This was a wonderful post, Sis. It really does make a difference the way we phrase things and out attitude towards them 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. Trackback: Fixed Vs. Growth Mindset — But I Smile Anyway… | Toward the within...

  13. incahootswithmuddyboots
    Mar 29, 2016 @ 18:43:20

    Great reminder for all of us to approach life and learning with a positive attitude!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  14. syl65
    Mar 29, 2016 @ 17:21:01

    Great inspiration Sister! For years I had to overcome shyness and change my mindset to give things a try. It’s a lot better than thinking about what could have been!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  15. Priceless Joy
    Mar 29, 2016 @ 16:50:15

    That’s a good thing for all of us to remember.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  16. Sue Vincent
    Mar 29, 2016 @ 16:28:45

    Great article, Ritu. I agree wholeheartedly… there is always something more to learn and that makes life such an adventure. If we can encourage children to see it that way, I feel we are opening the doors wider for them 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  17. Trackback: Fixed vs. Growth Mindset | Illuminite Caliginosus

  18. The Story Reading Ape
    Mar 29, 2016 @ 14:12:08

    Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:

    This could easily apply to writers and everyone else for that matter – Thank You Teacher Ritu 👍😃

    Like

    Reply

  19. Olga
    Mar 29, 2016 @ 13:51:19

    Wonderful post, Ritu. So true that when you start being mindful in your own self-talk and direct it to positive wording, it will transfer to how we speak to our children and others. Love the chart with the mindset statements. #10 is one of my favorites in a world where you always need a Plan B or C. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  20. Linda
    Mar 29, 2016 @ 13:28:07

    Wonderful post Ritu! Now if we could get all the teachers AND parents on board – wouldn’t that be great for all our kids! 🙂 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  21. Merryn
    Mar 29, 2016 @ 13:21:02

    I loved reading this post! I am a primary-school trained teacher (SAHM at the moment who tutors a couple of students). I think I grew up with a fixed mindset but my university course blew those myths out of the water and it has been an exciting journey ever since – realising that I can develop new skills and I don’t have to settle with “I can’t do this because I musn’t have the right brain/ ability for it”.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  22. Erika Kind
    Mar 29, 2016 @ 12:21:22

    That way Inchanged my while life… changing the mindset for the benefit. Things are only hopeless when we believe they are. As you said: At least try it seriously!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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