FEATURE: SUCCESSFUL INNOVATIVE TEACHING PRACTICE
involve risk), and they value the growth created by these challenges.
So how do we encourage growth mindset in our students? The key here is to encourage students to treat their education, their life, and their situations in life, like a staircase. Most staircases have many steps. Ask students to imagine that each step of the staircase is taking them one step closer to their goal. Believing that they can reach the top is very important – and the feeling when they do is unbelievably satisfying and rewarding. Here are the growth mindset steps to success
that we currently use in our school. These can be applied to all subjects and academic targets/goals as well as pastoral and personal development goals. At the bottom of the steps you will notice that phrases are targeted towards a fixed mindset, but as you climb the steps you will notice that the phrases become more positive and focused on a growth mindset.
It is a fantastic way of evaluating how the
GROWTH MINDSET Actually, I Can!
The Steps to Success
I will keep trying and stay focused I am motivated, I can do this My goal is in sight I am nearly there I did it!
I worried and scared of failing This is challenging
where to start
Negative/fixed mindset language used by teacher
This is quite hard so you may not be able to complete it
If you can’t do this question, then move onto the next one.
That’s good enough, you’ve achieved a Grade 4.
If you are stuck then ask the student next to you to help you.
If you get this answer wrong then will fail.
students are feeling about approaching a task or challenge and exploring how you can work your way up the steps in order to achieve the desired outcome. Another way of promoting and developing
growth mindset in students is the use of positive language (see table below). Interestingly, the language we use as educational professionals has a massive impact on our students. If students are told to give up, move on and not to try their best then they will then believe that what they have done is enough and will therefore not develop a growth mindset or the urge to learn more. By changing the language and phrases we use towards students, we can motivate them to
approach classroom tasks and challenges in a completely different way. If we constantly use phrases like those in the ‘Negative/fixed mindset’ column, this will have a corresponding negative impact on how students think about themselves, and on their ability to complete tasks. Imagine your teacher telling you ‘You will
never achieve the target grade you’ve been set in maths because you’re just not intelligent enough’. How would you feel? Teachers are trained to support, guide and develop students so they can achieve their full potential. Students generally
Positive/growth mindset language used by teacher
It is meant to be hard, but challenges help you to grow.
Try again. Maybe this time think back to the prior learning you have completed.
Well done for achieving a grade 4, but what can you now do to develop this more to aim for a grade 5?this.
What other resources can you refer to to support you with answering this question?
If you get this answer wrong, that’s OK. You can learn from this and work out where you went wrong and how you can develop this.
September 2021
look up to teachers and believe what they say, as they are the subject experts. However, if they don’t hear encouragement and positive language from a teacher, students could start to question their knowledge and their ability to help them pass their exams. The people around students and the language
they use has a great impact on them, although it is down to the individual how they interpret other people’s words. If we use positive language and students hear positive language around them, they are more likely to believe, achieve and succeed. If teachers use negative language towards students and their work, they will feel disappointed and discouraged. This can quickly impact their motivation and attitude to work. It’s so important for educational leaders and teachers to lead / teach positively, and to use language that will inspire and motivate their students. Through my years of working within an
educational setting I have implemented a number of growth mindset strategies to support students in developing this, including: the use of positive language in lessons and assemblies; inspiring videos, quotes and images in assembly, classrooms and around the school; the implementation of the steps to a growth mindset as mentioned earlier; real-life scenarios applied to learning to support students’ understanding of a growth mindset; Personal Career Development (PCD) lessons designed to explore students’ mindsets; and one of lessons / workshops on how to develop a growth mindset. Growth mindset is all about how you approach
goals and aims, but others around you can impact on your thoughts and performance. That is why teachers and staff working with students have to adopt growth mindsets themselves to inspire and influence the students they work with.
If you are interested in finding out more about growth mindset and how you can support students in your schools with developing this, then please contact Kayleigh at:
Website:
www.actuallyican.co.uk Email:
contact@actuallyican.co.uk Instagram: @kayleigh_greenacre & @actually1can Facebook: @actually1can Linked In: Kayleigh Greenacre Youtube: Kayleigh Greenacre Twitter: Kayleigh Greenacre
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