Great leaders encourage everyone around them to grow. What makes tomorrow promising is the attitude of one who is willing to grow. But leaders have to be careful because they have the responsibility to practice what they preach. A leader who doesn’t have a growth mindset but preaches the importance of having a growth mindset will be unable to encourage their students to grow. Students will have a hard time getting past the confusion. When this confusion enters the picture, trust is broken. The growth mindset is intangible. You can’t touch it, but it is so powerful. Great leaders are able to help others see what a Growth Mindset looks like. They understand that the application has to be visible for students to really understand what it is and how they can get there. As a result it’s up to you to show them what it looks like.
Ask for their help
Your personal growth should not be a mystery to your students. As you discover the adjustments you need to make to be a better teacher, share your experiences with your students. You can further pull the students into your journey by asking them for help to make those adjustments and develop successful habits. Here is an example:
“Will you help me do a better job of referencing The Learning Target throughout the lesson? I want to make sure I don’t lose any of you.”
Call it out when it happens
You can make the Growth Mindset visible by telegraphing your actions. Let the students know what you are thinking and what actions you are going to take. Here is an example:
“I’m trying to get more student voice in the classroom, so I’m going to wait a little longer for an answer to my question.”
When you illustrate what a growth mindset looks like, you set a great example for your students. Try out these ideas and let me know in the comments section how it worked. Remember………Teachers Are Leaders.
MB
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**As always, Carol Dweck’s book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success