My Philosophy--Growth Mindset

I speak to students plainly, without sugarcoating, so I'd like to be frank with you regarding my general philosophies in the classroom.  Some of my ideas may strike you as odd, perhaps even "crazy," but I assure you that my beliefs are sound and may even help you on the path to success.

I’d like to first explain why I never want to hear you ask me, “Is this for a grade?” or “What can I do to bring my grade up?”  Before I begin, let me say that I get it.  I know that grades are important; they are important to you, to your parents, to colleges.  I understand that you want your report cards to reflect your achievements and that one’s GPA seems to be a golden ticket to the perfect future.  But let's consider what grades truly mean today.  Are they accurate reflections of learning?  I’m sure you know many people who have achieved decent, and perhaps even stellar, grades because they have managed to cheat or bend the rules.  And sometimes there are those who never seem to have to try at anything but still manage to get straight A’s.  Does the A earned by a student who really pushed herself show that effort?  I’m not saying that you shouldn’t ultimately be proud of your grades, but our focus should be not on this extrinsic factor but on intrinsic motivation, that is, motivation that comes from the inner sense of having accomplished something, of having learned something new, of having finally mastered or even just improved a skill.  You should want to work your hardest on an assignment because your name is on it, and you wouldn’t ever want to present something of your own doing that didn’t represent your best effort.  You are at school to learn, so you should never consider school work a waste of time.  Whether you are in Advanced Placement or in standard English, understand that it is not our innate abilities but our willingness to work hard and go above and beyond expectations that reveals our true potential.  So work to improve yourself, your abilities, and your mind, and your character (and maybe even your grades) will follow.

This couples with my attitude toward risk-taking and failure.  Too often, we fear failure; we believe that failing at anything is proof that we aren't smart or quick or talented, and thus we are unwilling to take even the smallest risks in our education.  We must remember, however, that without risk there can be no reward.  Consider the lives of some of the greatest thinkers, noted inventors, celebrated personalities who failed, were rejected, were told to give up.  People like J.K. Rowling, Bill Gates, Stephen King, Colonel Sanders, and Henry Ford found failure in their first attempts at greatness, but they possessed two important traits--grit and a willingness to fail, again and again if necessary.  Think of how different things might be today without the lightbulb, Disney World, or Starbucks.  Is it painful to fail?  Absolutely, but failing is essential to learning.  It increases our empathy, compassion, and, most importantly, our resilience.  It is a stepping stone to future success as with each failure we learn what NOT to do, and we try again and again until we achieve our purpose.  So take risks in your education.  Participate in class, try out a different essay style, examine closely that physics exam that seems to be filled with red pen and study your errors and take another shot at it.

What these ideas create is a growth mindset--the belief that our intelligence is flexible, that our abilities can be developed with hard work and determination.  If you have a growth mindset, you will embrace challenges, even if you might fail, because you know that with perseverance, you can accomplish them.  Someone with a growth mindset measures success by effort and improvement, not by the end result of a grade or score, and he will view failure as an opportunity to grow and build his character.  We will spend a great deal of time moving from a fixed to a growth mindset, and I will help you along the way by encouraging a shift in our language, by encouraging you to participate in class and take risks, by simply encouraging you to push on...but I can't do it alone.  So here is your first challenge--to examine your mindset and perhaps work to change it in order to tap into your potential.  Are you ready?