Let me begin by saying that I am not one of those jaded teachers who goes into every professional development session with a negative attitude. I have experienced enough education courses and professional development sessions throughout my twenty-one year career to recognize that some are valuable and that some do not offer anything that will make a meaningful difference in what I do as a educator. Most of the time, I keep an open mind.
I have spoken to several colleagues about Carol Dweck’s growth mindset research and the COVA approach. Some of them are in various stages of the DLL program, and others are unaffiliated with Lamar University. I mentioned to one colleague in particular that if I had learned about COVA in a professional development session, I would likely have been a little cynical. I would probably have doubted the potential effectiveness of the growth mindset and the COVA model. However, as I read and viewed course materials and went through the process of actually participating in the COVA approach through our coursework, I became a believer. My mind was overwhelmed with ideas of how I could use the COVA model to provide deeper learning opportunities that would be more enriching, engaging, and interesting. My students will have a different learning experience because of what I have learned in the DLL program. I am excited to see what is yet to come.
Despite my enthusiasm for incorporating the COVA approach in the classes that I teach, my fixed mindset caused me to feel frustrated with the coursework. I was willing to talk the talk to my students, but I was struggling to walk the walk myself. I did not know exactly what was expected. Most of my education experience has been “sage on the stage” lecture followed by regurgitation of the knowledge imparted. I was comfortable with this model. Just tell me what I have to know and how you want me to show you that I know it. Therefore, the “choice” of COVA made me uncomfortable. I felt as though I was grasping at straws in the dark.
This brings me to the idea of “failing forward.” When I completed the first assignment – Growth Mindset Plan – I submitted it and hoped for the best. When I received feedback – or feedforward – I found it insightful, but, while my grade was certainly acceptable, I did not feel that it represented the hours of work that I had dedicated to organizing my thoughts and preparing the final product. Obviously, my enthusiasm for Carol Dweck did not extend to my own educational experience. In the past I may have blamed my results on personal inadequacies, but I did not do that this time. Because I felt that I owned my Growth Mindset Plan, I wanted to rework it so that it reflected the growing voice that I have now. I took what I considered a personal failure, and instead of letting it hold me back, I used it to create a project of which I could truly be proud.
It is going to take some time for me to completely break with the fixed mindset I have had since kindergarten. I have always been grade driven, and that does not disappear overnight. As I continue through the DLL program, I will return frequently to my new Growth Mindset Plan and Carol Dweck’s work as a reminder of how much richer my learning experiences will be if a continue to develop my growth mindset. Instead of fearing the unknown of having choice, ownership, and voice, I will work to embrace them. I will recognize that in the DLL program, as well as in many aspect of my professional life, there is always an opportunity to improve, to learn from personal failures, and to use moments when I do not meet expectations to find even greater success. It is just another step on the journey.
Growing my Classroom 