Growth Mindset is the Key to Success!

1) What was the process like in coming up with your HMW question? Where did you land? Share your first attempt so we can see where your action plan is headed.

At first, I was trying to be strategic in my development of the HMW question. We have recently gone through some changes in our school and are now developing an inquiry framework throughout the K-6 program. For most, this is something that has been happening in their classrooms for years; however, I am relatively new to the idea of making inquiry visible in my classroom. That’s not to say that my program doesn’t allow for inquiry, but I have never mapped out an inquiry unit, so the idea of changing my entire program seemed a little daunting. As a result, I thought that making inquiry part of my action plan was a great solution. After developing my initial draft of the HMW question, I still feel as though there are some revisions to be made, but for now, I feel as though it is a good place to start! At the end of the day, I am looking at this as an opportunity for growth, regardless of success or failure. After all, failures are a means to greater accomplishments, or so I keep telling myself!

How might we deepen student understanding and foster a growth mindset in our students through project-based learning and inquiry?

2) Who should you talk to next to help guide your inquiry? In order to answer your HWM question, what voices and perspectives need to be consulted? What did you learn when you talked to them?

I am very fortunate to work with a fantastic group of educators who will be a great resource when following through with my action plan. I also am very excited to be working with the Cohort-21 group, as I know that I will be able to learn so much from everyone in the group. As far as voices and perspectives go, I really think that I will be asking for feedback from both students and parents once I begin to implement some of the changes to my program. Although I may feel as though this is the best thing for the students, ultimately it’s how the students and the parents are responding that matters.

3)  Why are you engaging in this line of action and inquiry? What important unmet need sits central to your question?

As mentioned earlier, I am motivated to seek out better ways to engage my students through inquiry, as it is a shift in our school philosophy, but I also believe that it is necessary. I am finding that students are becoming increasingly paralyzed by any challenges they face in the classroom. Not only are they not able to work through a problem, but it has an immediate impact on their mental health. I am finding that students are not able to bounce back when they experience failures and that they are becoming hesitant to try in the first place. My hope is that by finding a way to encourage a growth mindset in the classroom, that students will then be able to transfer this mindset to real-life situations and therefore help with their overall mental health and success in the future.