I was beyond excited to hear Jo Boaler speak about her new book. Through my undergrad the idea of a growth mindset was very relevant and interesting to me. I am at fault for having a fixed mindset. I have put off writing this blog post for the last couple of days because I do not think I am a great writer and feel stuck by this barrier. I struggle with writing so I say I am just not an English person. I need to practice what I preach and give it a shot. Each day I practice my skills when writing emails or responses to students. This is just another effort that I am putting in to improve my growth mindset.
During the seminar Jo talked about the six keys that will enable you to learn, live, and lead with no barriers. Each key plays an important part so that you are able to feel there are no boundaries. You will find anything is possible because our brains and lives are adaptable to change and will bring positive outcomes. Jo’s new book is not just geared toward math but can be used as a general guide and aid in your whole life.
The 6 keys to learn, lead, and live without barriers.
1) Brain growth and change
2) Struggle
3) Mindset
4) Engaging and valuable content
5) Flexibility and depth not speed
6) Connections and collaboration
One thing that really stood out to me was how to cultivate a growth mindset in your classroom. You can do this by creating relationships with your students where they feel you really care about their success. I want to continue attending the girls sports games or theater events or whatever they have going on. Another small thing that I heard and want to implement when giving feedback is to end with, I am giving you this feedback because I believe in you. This is so simple and positive and will help build a community with a growth mindset.
It's amazing how we forget the impact some positive words can have not just on students, but other human beings. Well said Samantha!