A healthy skeptic.
From the get-go, I was skeptical of the Growth Mindset. It all started in Dr. H’s very first 5305 class. During that meeting, he made the comment, “The growth mindset is the perfect example of something that doesn’t work when applied prescriptively.” As I continued to learn more about the growth mindset, it left a bad taste in my mouth. A growth mindset wreaked of toxic positivity, which is defined as “the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations. The process of toxic positivity results in the denial, minimization, and invalidation of the authentic human emotional experience” (Quintero & Long, n.d.).
Like with anything, it’s easier to place blame than to make a structural change to a faulty system. “It’s just your mindset! Change your mindset, change your life!” It is a “small wonder that this idea goes down so easily. All we have to do is get kids to adopt the right attitude, to think optimistically about their ability to handle whatever they’ve been given to do. Even if, quite frankly, it’s not worth doing” (Kohn, 2015)
What is water?
However, Dr. H didn’t say that the growth mindset isn’t real and doesn’t work, he said that it doesn’t work prescriptively. As with anything, it’s all about the context. What do I mean? In his commencement speech This is Water, David Foster Wallace (2013), tells a story of an older fish asking two younger fish “How is the water?” The younger fish ask one another, “What is water?” Wallace (2013) continues by saying, “The point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about.” When I think about the growth mindset, this is what comes to mind: It’s all about context. Sure we can put up posters and tell our teachers and students to have a growth mindset. But unless we are enacting true change in the learning environment, a growth mindset is just another fad. Another book that an administrator read over the summer and wants to add to teachers’ already full plates.
What, pray tell, should we do then?
In spite of all of this, I am not a fan of complaints without solutions. Again, it’s not my idea I offer up, but Dr. Harapnuik’s (2021): The Learner’s Mindset. What is a learner’s mindset? It is “a state of being where people act on their intrinsic capacity to learn and respond to their inquisitive nature that leads to viewing all interactions with the world as learning opportunities. This state enables one to interact with and influence the learning environment as a perpetual learner who has the capacity to use change and challenges as opportunities for growth” (Harapnuik, 2021). It encompasses both the growth mindset and the innovator’s mindset.
Most importantly, it is all about context. Don’t change the attitude of the student, rather create a significant learning environment through choice, ownership, and voice through authentic projects. Move away from the industrial educational model and toward the ecosystem model of education. Finally, it is a must if humans are to continue to have success in the digital century.
Making an impact.
As I consider my thoughts on the growth mindset, it is important to consider my own plan. What modifications should I make? I propose that I don’t modify my plan at all. Rather, I should provide scaffolds for my plan based on the new evidence on how creating a significant learning environment will support a growth mindset. That is, the environment and growth mindset plan must support one another as we move toward a more digitally adept staff. What does this look like alongside my innovation plan?
- Comprehensive, personalized learning opportunities for everyone, including administrative assistants, nutrition, transportation, curriculum & instruction, and many other departments.
- One-on-one, project-based coaching to create more effective workflows and systems.
- Re-purposing current technology with intention and support to improve systems and workflows.
With a light restructuring and “love and logic” approach, I’m confident that I can create the small shifts necessary to grow the district by a adopting a learner’s mindset.
References
Harapnuik, D. (2021, February 9). Learner’s Mindset Explained. It’s About Learning. Retrieved May 2, 2022, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=8705
Kohn, A. (2015, August 16). The “Mindset” Mindset. Alfie Kohn. Retrieved May 1, 2022, from http://www.alfiekohn.org/article/mindset/
Quintero, S., & Long, J. (n.d.). Toxic Positivity: The Dark Side of Positive Vibes. The Psychology Group Fort Lauderdale. Retrieved May 2, 2022, from https://thepsychologygroup.com/toxic-positivity/
Wallace, D. F., & Skittle, L. (2013, May 19). This Is Water – Full version-David Foster Wallace Commencement Speech. YouTube. Retrieved May 2, 2022, from https://youtu.be/8CrOL-ydFMI