LEARNING AND TEACHING WORKSHOP – GROWTH MINDSET BY LAUREN DALEY

21st November 2016

This research was completed as part of a practitioner enquiry during the South Lanarkshire Council NQT programme 2015-2016.

What happens when I praise effort in the

classroom?A small-scale classroom research project

PRACTITIONER ENQUIRY

RATIONALE Cross sector group Learner centred Recognising the learning process Raising achievement A need for a more positive mindset in the

classroom: changing “I can’t” to “I can” Exploring a “Growth Mindset”

WHAT IS A GROWTH MINDSET? Developed by Carol Dweck (2006) Centers around the belief that abilities and

intelligence are malleable and not fixed. Focuses a lot on the attitude of learners and

how adjusting that attitude can have profound impacts on outcomes.

Opposite of growth mindset is fixed mindset. Adopting a growth mindset can impact goals,

reaction to failures, beliefs about effort and overall feeling of self-worth.

"In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that's that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don't necessarily think everyone's the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.”

- Carol Dweck (in interview with OneDublin)

AIMS: WHAT DO I WANT TO FIND OUT? What actually happens when I praise effort in

the classroom? How do I effectively praise effort in the

classroom? What strategies and language should I use? What kind of mindsets do my pupils have? How will pupils respond to being praised for

their efforts? Could raising pupil awareness of their

achievements lead to raising their attainment?

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION Survey Reflective journal Listening to pupil voice

STRATEGIES Use of a classroom wall display Use of growth mindset vocabulary Use of encouraging praise cards

Classroom Display

Praise Cards

IMPLEMENTATION S2 elective class Voice Unit Learning voice terminology & skills 4 week cycle (now ongoing) Use of Starter task to introduce and explore

what a Growth Mindset is and to conduct a survey.

Pupil self and peer assessment throughout lessons.

Use of teacher vocabulary and praise.

FINDINGS - INDIVIDUAL

Increased confidence & more resilience Recognising process Pupils using encouraging language Pupils understanding importance of

“trying” Strategies used were effective

Finishing more work Improved persistence and resilience: trying

repeatedly and not giving up Huge improvement in lowest ability pupils’

confidence Higher achievers were recognising when they

needed something more challenging Handwriting improved, more time spent on

work. Positive experience but could be improved

through a whole school focus on Growth Mindset.

FINDINGS - GROUP

PERSONAL REFLECTION: STRATEGIES USEDo Use of praise cards pupils recognised when they were praised

for their effort in the process of creating drama

Lower ability pupils were being praised more regularly, leading to developed confidence.

Most pupils responded well to public praise, but some found it embarrassing.

Increased resilience and determination to develop skills, pushing pupils out of their comfort zone, such as trying a new accent.

PERSONAL REFLECTION: STRATEGIES USED Use of Wall Display Effective visual reminder for pupils to take

a positive approach to tasks. Encourage pupils to think about their

vocabulary. Pupils changed their own vocabulary and

recognised when their peers were using Fixed Mindset language.

PERSONAL REFLECTION: STRATEGIES USED Observations Increased confidence, particularly with

lower ability pupils Increased resilience Increased engagement in tasks Pupil use of Growth Mindset language Pupils taking more ownership over their

learning Self and Peer Assessment feedback was

more reliable and constructive as pupils recognised what they could improve and the steps they should take to ensure they are successful.

EVIDENCE – WHAT DID THE PUPILS THINK BEFORE?

“I don’t know what I have achieved.”

“We only get praised for participating in a final performance”

“People who are really clever always get praised”

“I’ve not made any achievements”

EVIDENCE – WHAT DO THE PUPILS THINK NOW?

“You might not be good at something but at least you tried.”

“Different voices and accents – when I tried them and rehearsed them I succeeded.”

“I got better at using different accents though focusing in my rehearsal” “When I was doing the radio

performance, I had the role of playing a deep voice. I never thought I could do this but when I tried I succeeded.”

“more confident in performance”

“I’m not scared to try different voices or voice terms (accent)”

IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE PRACTICE Target high achieving pupils to help them

continue to challenge themselves. More regular use of praise cards and sharing

praise with parents/carers. More variety of praise cards to ensure these

can be used for any activity. Regular use of “Mindset Moments”,

encouraging pupils to take ownership for updating their wall display.

Build into lesson routine from beginning of year.

More consistent approach.

REFERENCES https://onedublin.org/2012/06/19/stanford-uni

versitys-carol-dweck-on-the-growth-mindset-and-education/

DWECK, C. S. (2006). Mindset: the new psychology of success. New York, Random House.

TRY IT OUT: On the green post it, write something you

would usually say to pupils when praising them.

On the yellow post it, consider what you would say, using growth mindset language.