Analysis: Part III
Learning something new or unfamiliar for the first time can be challenging for anyone. People will typically struggle before they are successful at something. When my students are learning a new concept it is rare, unless they are innately gifted at math, that they will grasp the material instantaneously. Part of having a growth mindset is to appreciate that learning is a process and accepting that understanding does not happen immediately. However, part of having a growth mindset is not just believing that you have a growth mindset, but actively demonstrating a growth mindset when learning something for the first time. While many of my students claim to have a growth mindset, their actions do not support their claims. In fact what sets my growth minded students apart from my fixed minded students is not their innate ability to do math, but their willingness to venture into unfamiliar mathematical territory and their determination to improve their mathematical skills. These characteristics are what psychologist Angela Duckworth defines as grit, perseverance and passion for long – term goals (Duckworth, 2007 p.1087). As teacher it is imperative that we help students see the benefits of perseverance and show them that the ability to develop perseverance in fact comes from having a growth mindset (Dweck, 2006). Once students develop this skill they will be more confident in their ability to overcome future challenges both within and beyond the classroom.
In order to help my students develop resilience, I first needed to determine their current levels of resilience. All of my students filled out the 12-Item Grit Scale (Artifact #7), a survey created by Duckworth and her colleagues, to determine their personal level of grittiness (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009). On average my students’ level of grittiness was a 3.40, where a 5 is considered extremely gritty and a 1 is considered not gritty at all. This data told me that while some of my students exhibited characteristics of persistence and determination, others needed to further develop these characteristics in order to progress their learning process.
When my students are learning a new concept they tackle challenges in one of two ways. Some are willing to battle through their mistakes because they are confident that they will eventually comprehend the material. Others will give up the moment they encounter a challenging problem or concept. I have noticed that my more persistent students are the ones who have had prior mathematical success. My dismissive students are in fact those who have struggled with mathematical concepts for the duration of the year. Having trouble understanding a new concept is unsettling for anyone, but it is particularly disconcerting for a high school teenager who has been unsuccessful at developing math skills in the past. Unfortunately, many individuals become so paralyzed by the fear of potential failure that they refrain from even trying to learn new material.
When a person tries something for the first time and has some sort of success they typically have the motivation to further develop that skill. But what happens if someone is unsuccessful from the start? Should they simply quit and pursue something where they experience immediate success? In a school setting I find that students accept being weaker at one subject as long as they are strong in another. While it is natural for students to prefer one subject to another, they must continue developing understanding in both their strong subjects and the ones they find more challenging. Becoming comfortable with new situations and one’s ability to learn new talents is an extraordinarily valuable life skill. Ultimately, developing confidence in one’s ability to survive and thrive in unfamiliar situations can translate to greater success not only in higher education, but also in other aspects of life.
In order to help my students develop resilience, I first needed to determine their current levels of resilience. All of my students filled out the 12-Item Grit Scale (Artifact #7), a survey created by Duckworth and her colleagues, to determine their personal level of grittiness (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009). On average my students’ level of grittiness was a 3.40, where a 5 is considered extremely gritty and a 1 is considered not gritty at all. This data told me that while some of my students exhibited characteristics of persistence and determination, others needed to further develop these characteristics in order to progress their learning process.
When my students are learning a new concept they tackle challenges in one of two ways. Some are willing to battle through their mistakes because they are confident that they will eventually comprehend the material. Others will give up the moment they encounter a challenging problem or concept. I have noticed that my more persistent students are the ones who have had prior mathematical success. My dismissive students are in fact those who have struggled with mathematical concepts for the duration of the year. Having trouble understanding a new concept is unsettling for anyone, but it is particularly disconcerting for a high school teenager who has been unsuccessful at developing math skills in the past. Unfortunately, many individuals become so paralyzed by the fear of potential failure that they refrain from even trying to learn new material.
When a person tries something for the first time and has some sort of success they typically have the motivation to further develop that skill. But what happens if someone is unsuccessful from the start? Should they simply quit and pursue something where they experience immediate success? In a school setting I find that students accept being weaker at one subject as long as they are strong in another. While it is natural for students to prefer one subject to another, they must continue developing understanding in both their strong subjects and the ones they find more challenging. Becoming comfortable with new situations and one’s ability to learn new talents is an extraordinarily valuable life skill. Ultimately, developing confidence in one’s ability to survive and thrive in unfamiliar situations can translate to greater success not only in higher education, but also in other aspects of life.