UNIT 4: BARRIERS TO ESTABLISHING GROWTH MINDSET

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Introduction

In this unit, we will explore the different barriers that can exist to establishing a growth mindset in the classroom. In order to implement the practices discussed in the previous units, we must have an understanding of what could limit our students' abilities to shift from a fixed mindset to one focused on growth.

Objectives

At the end of this unit learners will be able to:

Identify the barriers that exist when attempting to establish a growth mindset in the classroom.
Determine methods to overcome the barriers of fostering a growth mindset.

Lesson - Barriers to Growth Mindset

Mini Lecture

Everything sends a message to students: are we aware of the messages we are sending? Fixed mindset messages are sent to students through the classroom and school culture, the tasks that are chosen, and the language used every day, just to name a few. In order to ensure we are sending the messages to students that we want - we must first be aware of them. Many of the barriers that we must overcome are inherent in the education system itself. Among these barriers include:

the didactic contract
the culture of testing
the role that speed plays in finishing tasks
our assessment and grading practices
grouping of students into gifted programs

The first barrier mentioned, the didactic contract, is explained by Professor Jo Boaler here in this video:

As Professor Boaler mentions one of the biggest obstacles to establishing a growth mindset in a classroom is our inherent desire to want to help our students. We must allow them to struggle and discover answers on their own while still providing the appropriate scaffolding to help them be successful. Our classrooms should be a place where struggle is normalized, and students recognize that it is alright to do so (American University School of Education, 2020).

Other factors, such as mandated testing, course speed, assessment types, and grading are all inherent to our educational system. These factors all place a major emphasis upon the final product - the grade - as opposed to the process of learning (PRETS, 2015). In this video Professor Boaler discusses the assessments used and the ways in which they can create barriers to fostering growth.

Finally, grouping by ability promotes fixed mindsets and proves to be a major barrier to growth. Students grouped as high ability tend to develop a sense that they need to protect their label, as opposed to focusing on growth. On the opposite side of the spectrum, students labeled as low-ability tend to believe that they are unable to do something and are unwilling to persevere through challenging problems (PBLife, 2016). Again, students become fixated upon the end product, their abilities, as opposed to the process of learning and their ability to improve through growth. The assignment and video in the To-Do section of this lesson takes a closer look at this barrier.

To Do

In this lesson, we have been exploring the various barriers that exist in the classroom when attempting to move a student from a fixed mindset to one focused on growth. Watch the video below. This video is a powerful example of how the language and structures of our education system can have a lasting impact on our students. As you watch the video, think about your own experiences in school both as a student and an educator.

Have you experienced the barriers that have been presented in the video as either a student or a teacher? What were your experiences, and how do you think they affected your mindset? (Look back at your mindset analysis from Unit 1). What changes do you think a school would implement if they were to take mindset seriously? What changes will you make in your practice to overcome these barriers? Enter your responses into the jamboard: https://jamboard.google.com/d/1o4O316mJI7-JeaJiI1HN0gshcn3J6MBShHrn7S-Nv_I/edit?usp=sharing

Referrences

American University School of Education. (2020). How to foster a growth mindset in the classroom. Retrieved April 24, 2021, from https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/growth-mindset-in-the-classroom

PERTS. (2015A). Assign Open Tasks. Mindset Kit. https://www.mindsetkit.org/practices/rPFDKJLhzTictvnb.

PBLife. (2016, May 09). 152: From Tracking to Growth Mind Set Grouping. Retrieved April 24, 2021, from https://pblife.edublogs.org/2016/04/19/152-from-tracking-to-growth-mind-set-grouping/