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| Michael Feagan. (Sept. 15 2017). Card Trick Math [photo]. |
For the online portion of our class I watched a video about growth mindsets in math. The idea of growth mindsets originated from Carol Dweck and argues for students and educators to have a mindset that anything can be learned by anyone with enough effort put into it. Dweck's ideas have become very popular in the world of education, with the term growth mindset becoming entrenched in educators' vernacular. Overall I agree with the fundamental concept of a growth mindset, as opposed to a fixed mindset which Dweck asserts is the belief that an individual can only learn so much and is incapable of learning more advanced concepts. I still have some issues with Dweck's concept of the growth mindset. A cursory glance at criticisms involving Dweck's theories should leave any educator questioning how they integrate this approach in their classroom. One of the things I always thought of when hearing about growth mindsets is "what if the student is already trying their hardest?" As someone who has struggled with math I would not feel more motivated if I was told to try harder if I had already tried my hardest. Likewise if a student is already trying their hardest and can't get it, and is told that anyone can do it if they try hard, I as a student would be left wondering what's wrong with me. I feel like a growth mindset might be encouraging students to unfairly push students who are trying and still struggling with any academic concept. I therefore think that teachers need to be reflective about how they're integrating the ideas of a growth mindset into their classes and make sure that they are applying it fairly to all students.
Hey Michael,
ReplyDeleteGreat post that looks at the two mindsets that are often found in math. I really like that you yourself made a connection to the different mindsets and teachers word choices. When it comes to hopefully creating positive math classroom environments, I too hope that we as future teachers will be able to encourage students in a fair and helpful manner instead of in a pushy tone in hopes to foster excitement and positive growth within math academic concepts.
- Rachel
Michael, I think your point about students feeling discouraged when they aren't achieving success although they are trying their hardest is very important. Yes, effort and persistence are critical for success, but they aren't enough. These students need to be in an environment where they are being shown new ideas, and can observe and learn from other students' thought processes, so that they can have a direction to channel their effort. Instead of telling a student to try harder, it's more helpful for a teacher to tell their students which idea was on the right track, or to provide a hint if the students are completely stuck. Finding that balance between giving out answers too easily and encouraging the students to discover the answer without support is going to take practice and experience.
ReplyDeleteHey Michael,
ReplyDeleteI thought that the connection you made between different mindsets and teacher influence in regards to word choice was great. In order to make an inviting classroom for learning, educators make up a huge portion of this role, as well as school influence/community. It was refreshing that you made connection about different mindsets dependent on the atmosphere of the classroom setting and teacher persona.
- Jacob