Unlock the Yet Unlock the Mind

“I'm not really a computer person”. “If you ever leave the technology department, I'm leaving too. I don’t know any of this stuff without you”. “I can’t do this” These were all the words I spoke to my campus technologist when I first started as a computer aide in 2017. Little did I know that in 2021 I would be the campus technologist on my own campus with the goal of becoming a Director of Education Technology. I was raised with a fixed mindset. I was raised to believe that because I wasn't immediately successful at something I wasn't meant to do it. That all changed when I was monitoring a group of third graders during a presentation of "The Original NED Show". I don't know what it was about that presentation, but something made it stick with me. From that point on I'm a huge supporter of "The power of yet."

"The power of yet."

"Never give up."

"Encourage others."

"Do your best. "

In so few words we have just given children everything they need to succeed. but not every child or adult is going to jump at the idea of, "Yet". For someone who is so set in their way of thinking, how do we change that?

Carol Dweck popularised the terms Growth and Fix Mindset. A person with a fixed mindset believes they were either born with it or not. Whether it be physical strength or cognitive, if they are not immediately good at it there's no point in trying. A person with a growth mindset believes that when they can't do something they just need to practice and try harder. They see challenges as a way of personal growth. (Dweck,2016)

Why is a Growth Mindset Important?

A child with a fixed mindset is going to believe there is no point in learning. They will have no want to be in school, they will have no want to learn. If we let them stay in that mindset that will never unlock all the world have to offer them. As the adult in a child's life, be it, Educator or Parent, it is our responsibility to teach them a growth mindset. With a fixed mindset they will never reach their potential. They will never lead a full filling life.

Every child has the right to learn and become anything they want. The other thing is every adult has the same right too. They all just need to know the steps.

The 4 steps to a Growth Mindset.

Step 1: Learn to hear your fixed mindset “voice.”

You know that voice you hear in the back of your head that tells you, "you're not good enough"? That is your fixed mindset voice. It's the voice that points out all of your shortcomings. Scott Jeffery calls it the "Inner Saboteur".

It's when you take your failures and instead of seeing where a mistake was you tell yourself it's not your fault. The adults that we already have in our society like that are not people anyone tends to want to be around. They surround themselves with people just like them or those that they feel are a bit beneath them. People with fixed mindsets feel threatened when others around them are more successful than they are. (Dweck,2016) Another good way of thinking about it is they are probably someone asking for a manager.

We don't want or need many more fixed-mindset people leading our future. Our children are that future. We need to encourage them that when they hear their fixed mindset voice, they make a choice.

Step 2: Recognize that you have a choice.

When you hear your fixed mindset voice you have a choice. You can choose to see your failures as complete failures and you will never be able to do it, or you can look at them and find where you can do better. Elon Musk said, "Failure is a good option. If you are not failing, you are not trying hard enough." We have to encourage children and ourselves to just keep trying. don't allow one setback to be the thing that stunts your growth. Teach children to talk back to their fixed mindset and remind them that if Ralph Baer gave up they never would have had video games.

Step 3: Talk back to it with a growth mindset voice.

When you get hit with your fixed mindset voice and you choose to fight back against it you fight a voice with a voice, a growth mindset voice. Your growth mindset takes things like, "I can't do that" and talks back with "You'll never know if you don't try." it's that reminder that you just don't know something yet or that you just need to do your best. Sound Familiar? Teaching children to talk back to their fixed mindset voice is very similar to the message that "The Original NED Show" teaches. Children and adults need to know they have a voice even when it's themselves they are defending against. When you see a child or colleague struggling, model it for them. Be their growth mindset voice. Children pick up things so well when the adults around them model a behavior. You can do this by showing them how you are putting your growth mindset voice into action.

Step 4: Take the growth mindset action.

If you're going to talk the talk you need to walk the walk. Developing anything requires more than just words, it takes action and effort. You have to accept challenges. When you find you don't know something take that as an opportunity to learn. When you are not good at something take the time to practice. A great way of modeling this for children is when they ask you a question instead of giving them a straight answer take the time to look it up with them. When they are struggling with something encourage them to keep trying. Praise them for giving their best effort not just when they are successful! (Dweck, 2016)

When should you practice the growth mindset?

Every (insert your own expletive) Day! Every day is a new opportunity for a new challenge. You make the choice every day to let your fixed mindset run you or your growth mindset. Children need to see those choices. As educators and parents, it is our job to help our children develop their growth mindset. As they are introduced to new struggles encourage them to try new things. When they get excited, get excited with them. Our children are our future. Let's be sure to give them the best possible future.

References

Dweck, C. S. (2016). Mindset: The new psychology of Success. Ballantine Books.

Jeffrey, S. (2020, June 23). Change your fixed mindset into a growth mindset [complete guide]. Scott Jeffrey. Retrieved March 25, 2023, from https://scottjeffrey.com/change-your-fixed-mindset/

The NED Program. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2023, from http://www.thenedshow.com/ned_program.html

Smithsonian Institution. (n.d.). Video game history. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved March 25, 2023, from https://www.si.edu/spotlight/the-father-of-the-video-game-the-ralph-baer-prototypes-and-electronic-games/video-game-history#:~:text=Engineer%20Ralph%20Baer%20was%20certain,several%20video%20game%20test%20units.