Why the
is so important?
Having a growth mindset means viewing challenges and setbacks as opportunities for personal growth. People with this mindset understand that their abilities can be improved with hard work and effort, even if they struggle initially. They recognize that their skills are not fixed and can develop over time.
Adopting a growth mindset can bring tangible benefits. It allows individuals to shift their perspective towards challenges and maintain their motivation to improve their abilities. Rather than saying "I can't do this," they say "I can't do it yet."
The theory of growth mindset originated from research by psychologist Carol Dweck and her colleagues, which focused on children. However, the concept also applies to adults. Growth mindset is not innate; both children and adults can develop the belief that difficult tasks can become easier with time and effort. Morin, A. (n.d.). Growth Mindset: How to Develop Growth Mindset.
Fixed vs Growth Mindsets, Google site, 2023.
Being patient means knowing that good things take time and effort. It's not always easy, but it can lead to success. When we talk to students, we need to encourage them to have a growth mindset by using positive language. In the education field, the word YET has significant power and influence. It is critical to instill self-confidence in students, foster a positive self-concept, and recognize their immense abilities so that they can reach great heights and achieve their aspirations.
The Power of YET
Growth Mindset Bulletin Board Set, Google site, 2023.
Growth mindset vs Fixed mindset
"You can have a growth mindset for intelligence and a fixed mindset for your personality, or vice versa. And in different situations, your mindset can change" Jeffrey, 2016.
If we look we can see the fix mindset as a pessimistic and negative mentality, on the contrary, the growth of mindset gives us an opportunity to change the idea of ourselves to such a point that from believing that we cannot achieve something, we arrive to believe that we are more than good at developing our abilities.
How to apply the "4 Steps to Changing your Mindset" in Prekindergarten?
Step 1: Learn to hear your fixed mindset “voice.”
During this step, it is important to instill a sense of positivity in students as they are challenged to learn new things. For example, my pre-K students are very young and can find new experiences, like coming to a new environment and learning different concepts. Therefore, we must encourage thoughts like "it's okay to fail, I can always try again until I reach my goal." As educators, it is our responsibility to help students positively listen to their inner voice.
Step 3: Talk back to it with a growth mindset voice.
With steps 1 and 2 in mind, it's time to move on to step 3. This involves responding to ourselves with positivity at all times. For instance, if a prekindergarten student struggles to write well with a pencil, we should avoid self-criticism like "I'll never succeed" or "I'm not good enough." Instead, we should encourage positive self-criticism and maintain a growth mindset. This approach is crucial for achieving academic growth through emotional development.
Step 2: Recognize that you have a choice.
Although pre-kindergarten students are too young to understand difficult concepts due to their degree of maturity, in this step, they can be taught that they always have alternatives and choices to improve, that is, make them understand that we have goals and that we must put a lot of effort into them to improve and learn new things, I think that Growth of Mindset applies to all grades, from the youngest to the oldest, always increasing the level of complexity conceptually and emotionally depending on age.
Step 4: Take the growth mindset action.
In step number 4, we need to take action and work on mindset growth. However, in prekindergarten, children are too young to make decisions and take initiatives. Though they may have some understanding, their decisions will be limited by their level of maturity. Therefore, as teachers, we need to set expectations and challenges for our students and provide feedback on their learning progress. We need to be cautious when dealing with their emotions and feelings, as they are still very young. It is important to be involved in their mentality and evaluate their learning progress. This step requires a great deal of attention and care towards our young students, but we must not underestimate their abilities.
Please, click here to view "Questions that Activate a Growth Mindset"
Promote Growth of mindset
Prepare yourself: Teachers need a positive mindset and be ready for challenges during projects. We should expect errors and failures and embrace a growth mindset to overcome them while engaging our students' minds.
Prepare your environment: Set up visual aids in the classroom that depict the theme of Growth Mindset. This will enhance the visual aspect and motivate students to adopt a more positive mindset while studying.
Prepare your students: Choosing growth mindset stories and age-appropriate videos can help pre-kindergarten students learn about mindset in a fun and understandable way.
RESOURCES
For the little ones
For teachers and adults
Books
References
College, M. M. C. (2023, August 28). The Power of Yet. Mary MacKillop Catholic College. https://www.mmcc.catholic.edu.au/news/the-power-of-yet#:~:text=In%20essence%20the%20word%20means
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: the New Psychology of Success. Random House. https://a.co/d/cW9oSJu
Esther Pia Cordova. (2019). A World Without Failures (Maima Adiputri, Ed.). https://a.co/d/gQ0w5yX
Esther Pia Cordova, & Maima Widya Adiputri. (2017). I can’t do that, yet : growth mindset. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. https://a.co/d/7NIY2ts
Jeffrey, S. (2016, December 26). Change Your Fixed Mindset into a Growth Mindset [Complete Guide]. Scott Jeffrey. https://scottjeffrey.com/change-your-fixed-mindset/#The_Dangers_of_a_Fixed_Mindset
Morin, A. (n.d.). Growth Mindset: How to Develop Growth Mindset. Www.understood.org. https://www.understood.org/en/articles/growth-mindset
Stevens, G. (2018). Positive mindset habits for teachers : 10 Steps to reduce stress, increase student engagement and reignite your passion for teaching. Red Lotus Books. https://a.co/d/9A2bNoGStevens, G. (2018).