Growth Mindset Resources - Pop, Buzz, Zap!

A few days ago I attended the Growth Mindset online conference that Big Life Journal put together. I was very pleasantly surprised. They even had speakers representing a few progressive education models (such as Acton Academy and Brave Generation Academy). The first keynote speaker was from Mineola Public Schools, and she explained the work they had been doing to explain neuroscience to kindergarteners (meaning that they found analogies, simple language, and body movements that kids could act out).

Here's some language I liked from the conference. Which is your favorite?

Smart isn't born. Smart is made.

Mistakes are expected.

Effort feedback and process feedback, not person feedback.

Learning takes time.

Fail Fast and Fail Forward.
Fail Fast - don't sulk over it
Fail Forward - what can you learn from this?

Your brain grows the most when you make mistakes, then learn from them.

Every person who enters our door is a genius who deserves to find a calling that will change the world.

Pop! Buzz! Zap!

Pop! - make fists then pop all your figers out wide
saying to yourself, "This is hard" or "I'm curious"

Buzz! - vibrate hands
the productive struggle

Zap! - clap
our neurons find one another and start connecting

"That's what smart is."

They decided to share their work with the world in this series of videos. These analogies are great for learners of any age (even adults) who are stuck in a fixed mindset. Enjoy!

Hello Learners! Meet Your Brain!

Meet Your Neurons!

Pop, Buzz, Zap!

A few days ago they posted two new videos designed for middle schoolers: Recognizing Mistakes Improves Our Brain! and Growth and Fixed Mindset.

They also have a self-regulation series of videos. Go Mineola Public Schools!