Step #1: Student Surveys
After reviewing student results, we concluded that students did already show some signs of a growth mindset. In areas such as reading in particular, students showed that they were confident in their ability. The results below helped inform what kinds of strategies we would use for our students in order to benefit their growth. Areas of focus that emerged after the survey were focusing on student effort, what to do when faced with difficulties and and self-image.
- No matter how good my English is, I can always improve it.
- Mix of students between the middle and most agreeable option indicating that students believe they can improve.
- I like school best when I don’t have to put in very much effort.
- Most students responded with one of the last two faces – which means that do not enjoy when they are required to put in more effort.
- No matter how well I can read now, I can always get better.
- Students responded with primarily the last two options, showing that they agree with the statement.
- The more I try, the better I will be become.
- Again, most students responded positively to this statement.
- When something is hard to do, it makes me want to work more on it.
- This question received mixed responses, again showing how effort is one of the factors that students do not necessary enjoy.
- When something is hard for me, it makes me feel like I’m not smart.
- This question saw most students agreeing with the statement with a few that disagreed.
- When I read a book that is too hard for me, I feel like if I try harder I can read it eventually.
- Almost every student responded to this statement positively, reading appears to be a place where students feel confident in their eventual growth.
- When I do something too hard for me, I want to give up.
- Students mostly disagreed with this statement with a handful that responded positively.
Step #2: Strategies
1. Goal Setting with a focus on writing and reading skills .
This goal seeks to to have students work on settings goals with a special focus on their reading and writing skills as for many of these ELL students this can be an area that requires growth. We will approach this strategy by discussing student current mentalities when faced with issues with school work and what kind of steps they could take to achieve what they that have set before themselves. We will also focus on the importance of micro-goals, by setting small achievable goals. We want our students to experience a boost in their confidence and feel they have the power to do anything they set their minds to, this is supported by ensuring our students choose goals that are in reach.
2. Embracing the word "Yet"
One area that is essential for developing a student's mindset is the word "yet". Ideally we are setting up students to achieve a brighter future as they grow comfortable with resistance and practice their persistence. By teaching our students that with practice, persistence and patience many things can be achieved; we are setting them up to be more engaged learners. This also ties into the third strategy of developing their own toolbox, as the power of "yet" is explored.
3. Giving students their own toolbox of growth mindset strategies.
As ELL learners advance in their education they are expected to be more independent and self-sufficient in their own learning. Each week, we will be giving our student at least one applicable strategy they can try themselves. This will differ from journalling, success folders. etc. We will be writing about these strategies below and how effective they were for our students.
4. Our own growth.
As educators it is essential that we too "practice what we preach", and this is achieved through means of checking our own practices as educators. Does our language support a growth mindset? When faced with a challenge how do we react? Throughout this PIP both of us will be checking our own mindsets and making sure we are taking the necessary steps to grow as educators. We know that "teacher language can not only affect student learning...but it can reach further to affect the mindsets that students are develop", so we knew it was important to be conscious of our own mindset and language during our time here (Rau, 2016, p. 1702). The image below is our challenge to ourselves for the last week of February as we seek to use language that supports a growth mindset classroom.
This goal seeks to to have students work on settings goals with a special focus on their reading and writing skills as for many of these ELL students this can be an area that requires growth. We will approach this strategy by discussing student current mentalities when faced with issues with school work and what kind of steps they could take to achieve what they that have set before themselves. We will also focus on the importance of micro-goals, by setting small achievable goals. We want our students to experience a boost in their confidence and feel they have the power to do anything they set their minds to, this is supported by ensuring our students choose goals that are in reach.
2. Embracing the word "Yet"
One area that is essential for developing a student's mindset is the word "yet". Ideally we are setting up students to achieve a brighter future as they grow comfortable with resistance and practice their persistence. By teaching our students that with practice, persistence and patience many things can be achieved; we are setting them up to be more engaged learners. This also ties into the third strategy of developing their own toolbox, as the power of "yet" is explored.
3. Giving students their own toolbox of growth mindset strategies.
As ELL learners advance in their education they are expected to be more independent and self-sufficient in their own learning. Each week, we will be giving our student at least one applicable strategy they can try themselves. This will differ from journalling, success folders. etc. We will be writing about these strategies below and how effective they were for our students.
4. Our own growth.
As educators it is essential that we too "practice what we preach", and this is achieved through means of checking our own practices as educators. Does our language support a growth mindset? When faced with a challenge how do we react? Throughout this PIP both of us will be checking our own mindsets and making sure we are taking the necessary steps to grow as educators. We know that "teacher language can not only affect student learning...but it can reach further to affect the mindsets that students are develop", so we knew it was important to be conscious of our own mindset and language during our time here (Rau, 2016, p. 1702). The image below is our challenge to ourselves for the last week of February as we seek to use language that supports a growth mindset classroom.
https://www.create-abilities.com/blogs/create-abilities-blog/growth-mindset-strategies-to-teach-your-students
Step 3: Integration
Over the last few weeks, we have integration growth mindset into the fibre of our classrooms. Our students have been regularly introduced to various techniques to help them develop a growth mindset. Once a week, we use our health block to highlight a certain topic of growth mindset while also continually integrating some strategies into our classrooms.
Strategy #1: This was followed through with goal setting sheets that were posted around the classroom at the beginning of our writing unit. We integrate writing skills as they must writing it out, as well as speaking skills as we highlight one a day that we repeat out loud. This strategy was also explored in our goal setting sheets that we tried to follow for a few weeks. Students had to set a goal and list some strategies that they could practice to achieve this. This strategy also embodied as the power of yet, as we tried to normalize not achieving their goal right away.
Strategy #2: As I wrote above, students spoke at length about the power of the word "yet". We would highlight this word when talking about goal setting, and that it was normal to not achieve their goal right away. We would also use those teachable moments of a student's frustration to take a second to speak to the importance of the word "Yet". It was so amazing to see how students started to integrate this word into their own vocabulary as they encouraged others to embrace the power of 'Yet".
Strategy #3: Building their toolboxes consisted of small strategies we provided or encouraged the students to use throughout our teaching times. The daily journalling of their goal on their chart was a part of this, we wanted students to think about their how they are working to achieve their goals. Sometimes we tried tasks that we knew would be beyond their ability, introducing failure in a non negative way, helped normalize it for them. Other strategies we discussed were asking others around us for help and the importance of practice.
Strategy #4: As you will read on another page, we sought to grow our own understanding through reflection. Part of this reflection took place in our many shared staff room working periods and car rides to and from the school. Our conversations that we shared and the time we took to ask each other questions about growth mindset, helped us really consider a growth mindset and deepen our understanding. Having a someone to bounce ideas off of was very helpful, as we got to offer ideas and hear honest feedback from each other.
Strategy #1: This was followed through with goal setting sheets that were posted around the classroom at the beginning of our writing unit. We integrate writing skills as they must writing it out, as well as speaking skills as we highlight one a day that we repeat out loud. This strategy was also explored in our goal setting sheets that we tried to follow for a few weeks. Students had to set a goal and list some strategies that they could practice to achieve this. This strategy also embodied as the power of yet, as we tried to normalize not achieving their goal right away.
Strategy #2: As I wrote above, students spoke at length about the power of the word "yet". We would highlight this word when talking about goal setting, and that it was normal to not achieve their goal right away. We would also use those teachable moments of a student's frustration to take a second to speak to the importance of the word "Yet". It was so amazing to see how students started to integrate this word into their own vocabulary as they encouraged others to embrace the power of 'Yet".
Strategy #3: Building their toolboxes consisted of small strategies we provided or encouraged the students to use throughout our teaching times. The daily journalling of their goal on their chart was a part of this, we wanted students to think about their how they are working to achieve their goals. Sometimes we tried tasks that we knew would be beyond their ability, introducing failure in a non negative way, helped normalize it for them. Other strategies we discussed were asking others around us for help and the importance of practice.
Strategy #4: As you will read on another page, we sought to grow our own understanding through reflection. Part of this reflection took place in our many shared staff room working periods and car rides to and from the school. Our conversations that we shared and the time we took to ask each other questions about growth mindset, helped us really consider a growth mindset and deepen our understanding. Having a someone to bounce ideas off of was very helpful, as we got to offer ideas and hear honest feedback from each other.
Step #4: Evaluating Growth
As the final step of our evaluation, we set out to reassess our students growth mindset. We edited our previous survey from our first round of evaluation, and presented it to our students near the end of our time at our placement. We wanted to assess if there was any area of growth for students after weeks of talking about growth mindset. Another way we tried to assess their growth was presenting students with three difficult tasks and one easier task, then students will get a choice of which they would like to return to again. Seeing if students choose an harder activity that they have not succeeded at shows that students are showing perseverance and a growth mindset.
Results of the 2nd Survey
Overall the second survey showed growth in the students, as more of the students felt comfortable answering in a manner that demonstrated growth mind set. I believe this was due to a variety of factors, such as the rephrasing of the questions. Before they were stated as both negative and positives sentences which turned out to be confusing and tainted our first round of results. This time, a happy face showed growth mindset and sad face demonstrated a fixed mindset.
For the most part students all had their responses in the two far right most happy faces, except for a few questions which prompted students to answer in a way that showed a fixed mindset. The first question that prompted thus negative response was “I like school best when I have to try, try and try it again”. After some discussion with students they shared that they gave this response because while they understand trying is important, they do not enjoy it. There other response which showed their somewhat lack of a growth of mindset was “I know I am smart, even if things are difficult”. This I believe shows the students need to build their self-confidence, which understandably takes longer than two months. Though it was worth noting that the response was generally in the middle and the higher end of the scale, which still shows the presence of growth mindset.
Regardless of a few questions, the survey results showed a generally higher growth mindset. While they were minor movements, most students moved up the scale. This was an exciting discovery as we read through the student’s surveys, and it was obvious to us that even in small ways we had impacted these student’s mindset. Taking small steps in our classroom and mindful moments in our planning were indeed positive ways of making an impact for these students.
Results of the 2nd Survey
Overall the second survey showed growth in the students, as more of the students felt comfortable answering in a manner that demonstrated growth mind set. I believe this was due to a variety of factors, such as the rephrasing of the questions. Before they were stated as both negative and positives sentences which turned out to be confusing and tainted our first round of results. This time, a happy face showed growth mindset and sad face demonstrated a fixed mindset.
For the most part students all had their responses in the two far right most happy faces, except for a few questions which prompted students to answer in a way that showed a fixed mindset. The first question that prompted thus negative response was “I like school best when I have to try, try and try it again”. After some discussion with students they shared that they gave this response because while they understand trying is important, they do not enjoy it. There other response which showed their somewhat lack of a growth of mindset was “I know I am smart, even if things are difficult”. This I believe shows the students need to build their self-confidence, which understandably takes longer than two months. Though it was worth noting that the response was generally in the middle and the higher end of the scale, which still shows the presence of growth mindset.
Regardless of a few questions, the survey results showed a generally higher growth mindset. While they were minor movements, most students moved up the scale. This was an exciting discovery as we read through the student’s surveys, and it was obvious to us that even in small ways we had impacted these student’s mindset. Taking small steps in our classroom and mindful moments in our planning were indeed positive ways of making an impact for these students.
Step #5 - The Future
Moving forward, there are a few things that I would have changed as a part of our PIP. We have listed them, and how we would go about achieving this.
- Integration of more ELL strategies: If I were to repeat this project again, I would set out a more clearly planned integration of ELL strategies. While I believe a lot of our strategies went hand in hand with ELL language acquisition, such as the use of visuals, making connections to our personal lives and modelling. I would have liked to find
- Growth Mindset Classroom: In my own classroom, I would like to shape a class philosophy and design around growth mindset. I think if I was able to design my classroom around growth mindset, and start the year off with it, it would be a more immersive experience for the students. There would also be more opportunity to create goals/strategies and monitor/reflect on them throughout a whole year.