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1.6 Cultivate a Growth Mindset in Yourself First (Required to earn certificate)
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Posted by CUNY Mindset Initiative on March 11, 2024 at 11:01 am💬 Reflection/Discussion:
- How can you authentically model a growth mindset through your attitude, behaviors, and teaching practices? How can you support and inspire other faculty and staff to cultivate a growth mindset and related behaviors in their academic department and college?
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Consider showing struggling, for real, with students. Put up a problem not based on the knowledge of the subject, but on other skills that might be challenging for all, such as logic or a Suduko. Let the students see they can figure some things out even before the teacher gets it. Then, have students discuss why this activity was useful. What did they learn that they can apply to the class and to other challenges?
Seth,
For me, it has been both through bringing it up in formal settings (when it connects in meetings) and informally. I find that when faculty complains about students, it is a good entry point. Start by empathizing and then sharing one strategy that helps you. Maybe then follow up with an email that has a resource. Encourage that professor and follow up. If you feel comfortable, they tell them about the mindset modules and share your experience to encourage them to join.
Some folks are going to be curmudgeons, but they will be like that no matter what. Look for those frustrated, but open to suggestions.
Deborah
There are many ways in which I can model a growth mindset in the college community. I share with students stories from my own education (like on Day 1 of college, I registered for Philosophy thinking it was Psychology—and how I dealt with that). It was a true semester of growth on many levels. In the classroom, I think I can do more encouraging of students through meaningful feedback that points them to the next step or level and challenge them to think more–rather than trying to communicate with grades. I try to do this now. I also try to give them time to reflect on and share their learning and their journey in learning. I also try to give students opportunities to give me feedback, both openly in the classroom and more anonymously through online forms. Talking about how things are going is the norm, or at least a goal. I want to know what’s going on for them and what specific ways I might orient the course more to what they need to or want to learn. By teaching FYE-enhanced classes (a current BMCC initiative) students are also directly encouraged to develop growth mindset practices (such as setting SMART goals). Likewise, through the BMCC Teaching Collaboratory, I worked to emphasize nonjudgmental peer observation of teaching so that instructors focus more on student learning and meeting their objectives and less on “how it went.”
This past semester I taught a writing intensive class (or writing across the curriculum) for the first time. I decided to make it “ungraded” and had students set their own goals for what they wanted to accomplish related to writing during the semester. This was helpful because they were all starting at different levels of writing skill, English fluency, etc., and also had different education and career plans, and so a one size fits all approach definitely would not have worked. I think this fostered a growth mindset by acknowledging that whatever skill level they were at in terms of writing was fine, and that we would work through the semester to advance those skills without judgment or competition. Also, by taking the focus off the grade, students were able to focus on their growth! It was a little messy at the end of the semester with self-assessment and final grades, but, I know that I will learn from my “failures” and do better next semester.
To own up to mistakes and failures in class, to not be overly ashamed of things I don’t know. To be mindful of overt self-talk in those situations. I remember I used to be terrified of saying something wrong and then having to correct myself late in class. Now, when I make a mistake, I come back and own it without making too much of a fuss. Other times, instead of showing embarrassment at not knowing something I show excitement and curiosity. I think the same applies to the department and college. Even though we are experts in our niche area, there is so much we don’t know. So showing receptiveness to amend my ignorance can remind others of my desire for learning and growth.
IÂ believe that demonstrating a growth mindset through my attitude and actions when receiving course evaluations from students is crucial. While some feedback may be positive, there are instances of harsh criticism. Upon carefully reviewing and reflecting on the assessments, I acknowledge negative emotions while showing self-compassion and empathy. When confronted with negative criticism, I consciously practice self-awareness and self-regulation to ensure it does not impede my ability to maintain a respectful and motivating relationship with the students.
In order to support my colleagues in fostering a growth mindset, I set an example by exhibiting resilience in the face of challenges. Additionally, I encourage my peers to engage in conferences and workshops and share peer-reviewed articles on best practices. Furthermore, I volunteer to mentor students in the health science department, emphasizing the benefits of mentorship for both the mentor and mentee. My objective is to inspire my colleagues to cultivate a growth mindset.
I have had a similar experience where I made a mistake during a class discussion and had to correct the wrong information the following day. It takes a lot of humility and self-awareness to acknowledge a mistake in front of the students, fearing they will lose confidence in my competency as an instructor. Accepting mistakes openly can motivate students to do the same, especially when they are directly involved in providing care for sick patients. Reporting a mistake can be a learning opportunity for oneself and others and finding strategies to prevent it from recurring.
Modeling growth mindset involves not only sharing personal experiences of failure and growth, but also being willing to admit lack of knowledge or expertise in real time. For example, when confronted with a question outside of ones expertise, an instructor should candidly admit that they lack knowledge of this particular subject/area/topic but they are willing to look it up for students or direct them to appropriate resources. Additionally, designing in-class activities and low stakes assignments that allow for failure can help students understand the value of practice.
For one of my classes, I assign a formal research report. Students complete this assignment in multiple stages across the semester so that I can provide constructive feedback throughout the semester and students can benefit from guidance at each stage. The goal is that all students will get the individualized guidance they need to submit a high quality formal report. I try to emphasize to students that writing about complex scientific content is challenging, but can be broken up into simpler steps. By the end of the semester, all of my students are able to submit an excellent report. I also tell students that I still often get feedback from others when I write something and that this feedback always results in an improved product, hoping to convey that we can all improve at any stage of our careers.
I’m thinking that I can model a growth mindset in ways such as the following:
a.) attitude – making sure that I convey the idea that the content and structure of my teaching is open to possible revision and challenges. Noting is carved in stone. There are things that I know/understand and there are things that i may still be exploring. So, conveying this is important. As is admitting when I don’t now something or when i made a mistake.
b.) behaviors – checking in with students on a regular basis and encouraging a growth mindset with them. And giving them some tools with which to do this.
c.) teaching practices – teaching in a way that facilitates a growth mindset
As far as supporting and inspiring other faculty and staff to cultivate a growth mindset and related behaviors in their academic department and college, one way to do this is to share some of what I am getting from this workshop. But also, to speak the language of a growth mindset when we are discussing teaching and learning and creating policies and programming for students.
Like other folks have mentioned, I think acknowledging my mistakes or ignorance and explaining how that will be addressed is key for modeling growth mindset, though it’s important to do this in an authentic way. For me, that might mean expressing some light disappointment in myself but following through and coming back with the right information.
I also think emphasizing the importance of students’ asking questions from the start of my engagement with them can be helpful, and there is the opportunity provide tangible reinforcement for active participation through grading.
Colleagues can be supported in cultivating growth mindset by treating them with the same encouragement and non-judgement that I treat students with. I think creating and promoting spaces for peer support and professional development, e.g. for content review or mock instruction within academic departments, could also be helpful. I also think just sharing that I have reviewed these modules could be a good way to model and destigmatize the process for colleagues.
My first year philosophy course as an undergrad provided stories I tell to this day as well!
I’m sure I’m not the only one who’d love to hear more about the FYE-enhanced courses at BMCC. We keep talking about making changes to the FYE at QCC, but as a faculty member, I’m not sure what substantive changes have been made recently. I’d love to hear what’s going on at BMCC.
I like your “ABPs” of growth mindset (attitudes, behaviors, practices)! Do you have examples of specific practices you could share?
Sharing an anecdote from when we were students and how we managed to overcome a situation makes them reflect on something similar that they are facing. I encourage them to visit me during my office hours (or student hours, as we now call them). Speaking with them allows me to discuss or practice growth mindset concepts while reviewing the course content. As for co-workers, I talk to them informally, and I invite them to attend when there is a Growth Mindset workshop.
I am lucky to be fairly ignorant. I frequently find myself saying in class something like: “I have no idea, let’s look it up” or I never thought about that, let’s think it through and see where we end up.” This I hope models the idea that there is no shame in not knowing something or in not having a ready opinion about a topic. It also lets me show students how to go about figuring things out, while taking lots of wrong turns.
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