The power of "yet" can be a powerful tool when it comes to learning and teaching. Having spent a lot of time over the last few courses considering what "yet" means to myself and others I can safely say that it can alter the way you view your learning journey.
When I started my masters, I would have said that I have a pretty positive outlook on life in general. I have always loved learning and I was excited to get back into the classroom as the learner instead of the teacher. However, when I started reading Mindset by Carol Dweck, I quickly realized that I had a lot of attributes that someone with a fixed mindset would have. I was very hard on myself when it came to learning. I used to think that was just having high expectations but I've realized that sometimes it can stop me from doing something because I am afraid of
doing it wrong. I am working towards having a growth mindset every day. I also think that a teacher with a growth mindset can help students with their own growth mindset. Carol Dweck states in her book, "When you enter a mindset, you enter a new world. In one world, the world of fixed traits, success is about proving you're smart or talented. Validating yourself. In the other, the world of changing qualities, it's about stretching yourself to learn something new. Developing yourself" (2006). My view and ideas on growth mindset have grown by leaps and bounds since I began this program. You can take a look at my original ideas of a growth mindset and see how they have evolved in my first blog post by clicking here.
By having a growth mindset you are more open to facing challenges and not being afraid of failing. If you know that you can grow when you fail and learn from it you are more likely to not be afraid of taking risks. As someone who has a growth mindset, you are also able to accept and use the feedback to grow and improve instead of taking it negatively you can use the feedback as feed-forward to grow from.
Carol Dweck states that students should be in "an environment filled- overflowing with yet" (2015). I believe this is true. When we give students the opportunity to realize that learning is messy and has challenges but give them the confidence and understanding that they will have a yet. This environment cultivates a passion for learning, intrinsic motivation, and adaptability, providing students with the essential tools for academic success and a fulfilling, lifelong journey of self-improvement. By believing in the power of growth and effort, students can thrive both in their educational endeavors and throughout their future experiences.
When I was creating my Growth Mindset Plan, I really wanted to be able to introduce what a growth mindset is and give my audience concrete examples of not only changing their own way of thinking but to begin introducing a growth mindset to their own students. You can view my Growth Mindset Plan by clicking here.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Ballantine Books.
[Stanford University]. (2015, November 3). Teaching a Growth Mindset - Carol Dweck [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/isHM1rEd3GE?si=Uct5_znKbl0ifwfp
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