Mindset

One of the ways I addressed our fixed mindsets on the campus, was to create a committee that directly spoke to the biggest concern expressed by teachers: the lack of consistent discipline. After surveying all teachers, I asked for volunteers to comprise a committee that would consider the feedback and review the discipline in our school.

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To introduce my school to this idea of fixed and growth mindset in a more formal way, I'd like to have them participate in a survey that gives light to their typical mindset. This would open up for a great discussion. I would then put staff into small groups to discuss their results, followed by sharing out in the whole group. At that points, I would lead a professional learning session on the growth mindset as describe by Carol Dweck.

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Step 2: Recognize that you have a choice.

Even without formal introduction of the growth and fixed mindsets, there are many activities that can promote members of my school to utilize a growth mindset. One of the main goals of the discipline committee mentioned above was to recognize that everyone has a choice. Everyone has a choice to agree or disagree with the rules, to believe or not believe that they can enforce the rules, or to actually enforce the rules or ignore them. The first step was to review each rule and determine the necessity of each rule before presenting them to the rest of the staff. As we talked, we each revealed our mindsets. I believe opportunities to discuss our beliefs of certain aspects of our organizations are important for growth. Schools should have committees every year that examine each area such as duty spots, schedules, rules, discipline management, dress code, etc. The members of the committees should change each year to allow for more growth and ideas to be shared.

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Back to the particular discipline committee, we have found this school year, that as we, the committee, promote a positive attitude about the rules, and teach students and teachers to have a growth mindset about them, there are many less violations this year than the previous. In surveys, teachers also feel like rules are being enforced with greater consistency than last year. According to surveys, the positive results are leading to greater satisfaction at work.

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Visit "The Power of Yet" pages to read more about choices.

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

It's not enough just to teach the members of our organizations that the growth mindset exists. It's not just enough to mention that we have choices. We all have probably been told many times in life that we have choices. How we intentionally overcome our fixed mindset is a necessary step before we see real change.

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In the many conversations, we have had as a committee with colleagues about the rules, we were often speaking to another person's fixed mindset with our own growth mindset. However, it is more important for each individual to learn how to speak to themselves with a growth mindset voice. 

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I have had the opportunity to work with three teachers this year and help them develop their own growth mindset voice. This required me to spend a lot of time with them, and actually spend less time encouraging them, but more time asking them questions that mandated them to analyze their beliefs about themselves and their students. This was a learning opportunity for myself as well as the teachers I mentor. I have seen amazing growth in two out of the three teachers. What's the major difference? I've been able to spend extensive time with two of the teachers, but the third teacher and I have little time in common to actually meet. There has been growth in the third teachers as well concerning the classroom, I'm only talking about the growth mindset here. It's fulfilling to see people realize they can work towards being greater and that they don't have to settle with the way things are now. 

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I believe spending time with the members of your organization discussing goals, current feelings, negatives, and positives is the best way to help develop growth mindset. It's more personalized and the work can be spread out among different campus leaders.

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Visit "Promoting the Growth Mindset" pages to see how a principal can promote the growth mindset for both the teacher with a fixed mindset as well as the teacher with a growth mindset.​

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Step 4: Take the growth mindset action.

This is the most difficult step in any organization. We can talk about the growth mindset, we can talk about the actions, but until we put it into practice, no changes occur.

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So, after one year of implementing a change in the campus rules and enforcement, do we say, "We're good to go!" or do we revisit it this summer and revise once again? The growth mindset says we are never done. We have not reached our full potential. 

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I will send out another survey at the end of the year to determine the major concerns of my campus. I anticipate that consistent enforcement of rules will no longer be on the top. But something will. We will form a committee and we will take action on whatever new concern arises. Our job is never done; there is always room for growth.

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Visit "Continuous Improvement in Schools" to see how taking the growth mindset action aligns with T-TESS.

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Visit "The Vision and Continuous Improvement" to see how the campus or district leader expands the growth mindset to all relevant stakeholders.