Mindset, Changing Minds, and CTE

As we begin a new school year, it is useful to take a moment to consider the children walking into our classrooms and think about who they are and what they bring with them.

·       Are they part of an underrepresented population?

·       Are they English Language Learners?

·       Do they have or need an Individualized Education Plan?

·       Do they have a physical disability or learning disability that requires special accommodations?

·       Will issues of student safety or use of equipment create additonal challenges for the teacher?

·       Are they bored, defiant, uninterested, or just tired?

·       Are they on drugs, prescribed or otherwise?

·       Have they faced recent traumas?

·       Do they have food insecurity, a single parent home, or a parent who is incarcerated?

 The list of potential obstacles goes on and on.

Stanford University psychologist Carl Dweck[1] coined the terms fixed and growth mindset. Fixed mindset is the belief that your qualities are static. By virtue of genetics or early brain formation, you have either a quality or talent or you do not. Growth mindset refers to a positive, learning-focused, mindset. Dweck states that having a growth mindset helps children cultivate their gifts and talents and build their self-confidence leading to improved academic performance. While most teachers, parents, and academic leaders agree that mindset is an important contributor to academic and social achievement, the current academic model is based on identifying and addressing students’ challenges and potential barriers without the balancing effort of identifying their assets and strengths.

When we focus on a student’s limitations, we keep those obstacles in our minds as our primary focus, even without being aware of it. This focus has not served us well. Data indicates that, despite all our efforts, student performance in reading and mathematics has declined since 2013.

In an asset model of education, we intentionally focus on the students’ gifts and talents as well as their challenges. Are they dependable, a courageous risk taker, generous or caring, respected, a problem solver, hardworking, a good communicator, principled and trustworthy? Then we ask, How can we as educators help develop these qualities as well as academic skills in our students?

When creating an equitable learning environment, educators must see the students’ contributions to the classroom and the world, as well as address their needs. Unfortunately, the current education model does not require we take account of students’ assets. Consequently, we don’t see the whole child with all their potential. We get only half the picture.

And when we do take time to see and develop our students’ assets, often others do not. Thus educators are faced with the challenge of changing mindsets of our students who have heard for too long and too often about their limitations. 

Career and Technical Education (CTE), originally “vocational education” or “the trades,” was historically available for students who lacked the finances or the family status to go to college. Over time, the belief that a person’s social status or income was somehow connected to their intellectual capability became an entrenched mindset. Changing that mindset has been challenging and can feel futile.

The good news is that mindset can be changed. To do so, we must take a fresh look at our students, ourselves, and our CTE programs. We must understand that:

1.     Using a growth mindset is not just for students; it’s for all of us as a lifelong goal.

2.     Seeing the qualities of our students requires intentionality in thinking about all they are, not just who they are.

3.     Changing mindsets in ourselves and others requires time, cultivation, persistence, and even some innovative ideas. One presentation to counselors or parents about today’s CTE will not be enough. 

Finally, we must all be mindful of our own gifts and talents. As educators continue to struggle with too large or too small classes, wide variation in student abilities, challenging student behaviors, and pressures from ever-expanding responsibilities, we need to be mindful of our need for self-care and self-love every day.

[1] Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Ballantine Press.