Growth Mindset (The Brain)

 

Growth mindset is so hard to model, when it's something that you're working on yourself. Some amazing literature has come out in the recent past, both for adults and children, about our brains being machines that are constantly growing and our mind has the power to support or suppress that belief.

We drew a rudimentary sketch of the brain (because it's complicated in more ways than one), using the left and right hemisphere as a starting point. I asked the kids to jot down negative self talk, phrases that they use when they feel they cannot accomplish something. Then I asked them to transform those phrases into the positive version. These two sets of phrases represent Fixed and Growth mindset.

I can't do it VS I can do it

I won't do it VS I can try this

It's too hard VS I'll keep trying

Once we pasted the phrases into separate sides, the kids drew the Growth Mindset side of their brain sketch as a garden..growing.

We agreed to keep this list handy for Monday mornings, but not just for the kids! 

EXPAND ON GROWTH MINDSET

I watched a Ted Talk several years ago that introduced me to Carol Dwecks mindset research. Carson Byblow taught me a thing or two that I kept looking into: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px9CzSZsa0Y