Amanda May 

Beliefs about teaching and learning

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          I believe that all students are capable of learning. Impactful educators identify and eliminate roadblocks, enabling students to reach their full potential. They model how to endure challenges and teach students skills to overcome obstacles. They acknowledge that mistakes are part of human nature and understand that how students view mistakes impacts their perseverance, persistence, and determination in learning.

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Why I hold these beliefs 

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          Having worked in the school system, I have seen the impact a growth mindset has on student success. I have also observed various teaching styles and seen how different educators respond to students exhibiting behaviour challenges. Behaviour is a form of communication and must be seen as that. Students don’t exhibit behaviour for no reason and therefore teachers should not shut down students or dish out harsh punishments. To reach our students we need to examine and understand what is not seen and may be under the surface. 

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What informed my beliefs

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          My beliefs stem from the work of Dr. Ross Greene and Dr. Carol Dweck. Dr. Ross Greene's Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) model, also known as Collaborative Problem Solving, suggests that teachers can adopt two perspectives on challenging behavior: "kids do well if they can" and "kids do well if they wanna" (Greene, 2014). The "kids do well if they wanna" approach suggests that students' struggles are due to a lack of drive or interest in learning. According to this perspective teachers make kids “wanna” by encouraging favorable behaviours through rewards, and discouraging unfavourable behaviours through punishment. This approach is often used as a quick solution, but it does not provide a long-term solution to deeper problems. On the other hand, the "kids do well if they can" philosophy suggests that “if the kid had the skills to exhibit adaptive behavior, he wouldn’t be exhibiting challenging behavior” (Greene, 2010) . This approach can help educators identify stressors, unmet needs, and skill deficits to help a student be successful in learning. Dr. Carol Dweck's work in mindset psychology focuses on students' mindsets, which fall on a spectrum from fixed to growth (Dweck, 1999). Students with a fixed mindset often shy away from challenges, believing that having to work hard at something or making mistakes means they don’t have high ability (Armstrong, 2019). On the other hand, students with a growth mindset see effort as a propeller for learning and setbacks as opportunities to build new skills (Armstrong, 2019). Research shows that people's brains and thinking patterns can change over time, forming new neural pathways (Smith, 2020). Therefore, it is crucial for educators to model and teach students to develop a growth mindset, as it has been linked to increased motivation (Rhew et al, 2019) and academic achievement (Yeager et al., 2019).

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Connection between beliefs and teaching practice

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          As an educator, I believe in a "growth mindset" and that "kids do well if they can." Students that adopt a growth mindset believe in their abilities and learn not to fear failure. To promote a growth mindset, I encourage positive self-talk, recognize the power of yet, reward progress over academic achievement, provide feedback, and encourage students to challenge themselves and accept failure as a part of learning. I also believe that all behavior occurs for a reason and see the importance of working collaboratively with students to understand the reasons behind their actions. This approach helps students solve unsolved problems and address lagging skills that hinder their success. Overall, I strive to create a supportive learning environment where students feel comfortable and confident in their abilities.

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What are my goals for future development and growth 

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           My goals for future development and growth are to get involved with extracurricular activities and explore additional teaching methods. Through involvement with extracurricular activities, I can get to know students in and outside of my class. Being involved with extracurriculars will help to build rapport with students and understand their needs and interests. I also want to explore additional teaching methods to add to my teaching toolbox. For example, I am interested in learning more ways to incorporate exploratory learning and STEM activities in my classroom. I am planning to take professional development in these areas over breaks and the summer.

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References

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Armstrong, K. (2019). Carol Dweck on how growth mindsets can bear fruit in the classroom. Association for Psychological Science. Retrieved March 8, 2024, from https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/dweck-growth-mindsets.

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Dweck, C. (1999). Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality, and development. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press. [Google Scholar]

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Greene, R. (2014). Lost at school: Why our kids with behavioral challenges are falling through the cracks and how we can help them. Scribner. 

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Greene, R. (2010). What is Collaborative Problem Solving? - Kids Do Well if They Can Ross Greene #1. YouTube. Retrieved March 8, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvzQQDfAL-Q. 

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Rhew, E., Piro, J., Goolkasian, P., & Cosentino, P. (2018). The effects of a growth mindset on self-efficacy and motivation. Cogent Education, 5(1), 1492337. 

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Smith, J. (2020). Growth mindset vs fixed mindset: How what you think affects what you achieve. Mindset Health. https://www.mindsethealth.com/matter/growth-vs-fixed-mindset 

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Yeager, D., Hanselman, P., Walton, G., Murray, J., Crosnoe, R., Muller, C., Tipton, E., Schneider, B., Hulleman, C., Hinojosa, C., Paunesku, D., Romero ,C., Flint, K., Roberts, A., Trott, J., Iachan, R., Buontempo, J., Yang, S., Carvalho, C., Hahn, P., Gopalan, M., Mhatre, P., Ferguson, R., Duckworth, A., & Dweck, C. (2019). A national experiment reveals where a growth mindset improves achievement. Nature 573, 364–369. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1466-y