Growing Together Through Mindset and Design

Through completing the coursework in this most recent installment of the Digital Learning and Leading Program, I have had the opportunity to reflect and design a plan to create a significant learning environment for my learners. Developing an environment that fosters a growth mindset is imperative if I want my innovation plan to succeed. It is difficult to cultivate, guide, and nourish a true growth mindset in the classroom, because students are conditioned to constantly want that “A”. For many of my own students I find that they come to high school already engrossed in the fixed mindset and it is a real challenge for me to help them understand how they will be able to reach their full potential.

I have decided that if I truly model the growth mindset in my classroom everyday that my students begin to open up to the idea of facing true challenges and growth. I want to let them know how much I learn from them every day and I try to be honest with them about their progress. I also allow them to be open and honest with me about my teaching. If something that I am doing isn’t helping them, I need to know. If I want them to understand the true value of learning the lesson of not reaching their goals “yet”, I need to be sure that they know that I am on the same journey.

Learning how to give, receive, and properly use constructive criticism is one of the major components of my innovation plan. I believe that once students can successfully grasp the idea that analyzing and applying critical feedback will allow them to grow exponentially in their learning journeys that their mindset will change and they will be more apt to challenge themselves instead of take the easy way out (cheat). They will be able to really show their true grit and potential by putting in the time, effort, and focus that will be needed in order for them to become better writers and learners.

I have found that by challenging my learners to reach their full potential that they become less occupied with their grades and begin to focus more on their process. I believe that by modeling the growth mindset everyday and sharing my own learning reflections with my learners, that they are more apt to work hard themselves. It is my hope that once they start truly failing forward, working hard, and reflecting on their learning, that they will see the true rewards of their hard work in my classroom and their writing.

My learners deserve to have an environment where they can have open and honest conversations about their writing and their learning. I believe that engaging my students through a constructivist philosophy, that they will have a chance to really take ownership of their learning process and engage in writing in more meaningful ways. Designing my writing workshop using Fink’s guidelines, has really allowed me to focus on the true goals that I want to set for my learners. After reflecting and building a plan with my learners' end goals in mind, I now know that we will be able to really dive in deep together and truly begin growing as learners through this process. Allowing my students to be part of a significant learning environment community that engages them in honest critique about their writing as well as a chance for them to reflect on their process will not only keep them engaged in their chosen research and writing projects, but they will also remain engaged in their growth process as learners.

References:

Dweck, C.S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballantine Books.

Fink, L. D. (2003). A self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Harapnuik, D. (n.d.). Learning philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=95

Harapnuik, D. (2016, June 16). Mapping your learner’s journey. It’s About Learning. http://www.harapnuik.org/?p=6420

Learning Theory Project Team of HKU. What teachers should know about learning theories. Retrieved from https://kb.edu.hku.hk/learning_theory_history/

Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Wiggns, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.