While eager to have such students in our classrooms, we’re often not sure how to develop these attributes in our students. Every educator wants to open students’ minds to new ideas and ways of thinking but sometimes it is easier said than done. In fact, a teacher’s own mindset can play a role in how they interact with students.

By framing daily interactions with students to consistently remind them that learning is bumpy, messy, and nonlinear; that sometimes it involves trying new approaches; and that there is much to gain by reflecting on missteps, teachers can change communication with students in order to build small moments of opportunity for shifting from a fixed to a growth mindset. This 20-Minute Mentor features an experienced educator that explains how to encourage a growth mindset in several routine teacher-student interactions, while providing specific examples and successes from her own process.

Learning Goals

After viewing this Magna 20-Minute Mentor, participants will be able to:

• Define the attributes of growth and fixed mindsets
• Pinpoint areas in which you can better communicate a growth mindset to students
• Identify mechanisms for normalizing the struggles associated with learning as a process

Topics Covered

• Growth and fixed mindsets
• Supporting students in making mistakes
• Responding when students experience difficulties
• Responding to common challenges from students