Introduction:
Hi everyone, welcome back to Bea Inclusive! Today, I want to discuss a concept vital for personal development and success: the growth mindset. I'll explore today why it's important, how to introduce and teach it, and some practical techniques and activities to foster a growth mindset in our group sessions. And yes, this can also be a fantastic addition to our Lego®-based therapy sessions! So, let's dive in!
Why is a Growth Mindset Important?
A growth mindset, a term coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, is the belief that our abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication, hard work, and perseverance. This contrasts with a fixed mindset, where people believe their talents and intelligence are static traits. Embracing a growth mindset is crucial because it encourages resilience, a love of learning, and overcoming challenges.
How to Introduce and Teach a Growth Mindset:
1. Explain the Concept: Discuss the differences between growth and fixed mindsets. Use relatable examples to illustrate how a growth mindset can lead to success and personal development.
2. Share Stories: Highlight stories of famous individuals with a growth mindset, such as athletes, scientists, or entrepreneurs who overcame failures and setbacks to achieve greatness.
3. Encourage Positive Language: Teach participants to replace fixed-mindset statements like "I can't do this" with growth-mindset statements like "I can't do this yet" or "I’ll learn how to do this."
Teach One Technique:
One effective technique to cultivate a growth mindset is “The Power of Yet.”
· Introduce the Technique: Explain that adding "yet" to their thoughts and statements can transform their mindset. For example, instead of saying, "I'm not good at this," they should say, "I'm not good at this yet."
· Practice the Technique: Encourage group members to practice this technique daily. They can keep a journal where they reframe their fixed mindset statements using "yet."
How to Measure Mindset:
To measure the mindset of group members, you can use the Mindset Assessment Questionnaire.
Mindset Assessment Questionnaire: This questionnaire consists of statements related to growth and fixed mindsets. Participants rate their agreement with each statement on a scale from 1 to 5. You can analyse the scores to determine their predominant mindset and track changes over time.
How to Practice a Growth Mindset:
1. Set Goals: Encourage participants to set specific, achievable goals. This helps them focus on progress rather than perfection.
2. Embrace Challenges: Create an environment where challenges are viewed as opportunities to learn and grow. Celebrate efforts and perseverance, not just outcomes.
Activity Idea: Growth Mindset Poster:
Materials Needed:
Large sheets of paper or poster boards
Markers, stickers, and other decorating supplies
Instructions:
1. Create the Poster: Ask each participant to create a poster that illustrates the concept of a growth mindset. They can include quotes, images, and personal affirmations that inspire them to adopt a growth mindset.
2. Share and Discuss: Once the posters are complete, have a session where participants share their creations and explain why they included certain elements. This fosters a sense of community and reinforces the growth mindset principles.
Integrating Growth Mindset with Lego®-Based Therapy:
In our Lego®-based therapy sessions, we can seamlessly incorporate the concept of a growth mindset.
1. Building Challenges: Present the group with persistence and problem-solving challenges. Emphasise that mistakes are part of the learning process and encourage them to view each setback as an opportunity to learn and improve.
2. Reflective Discussions: After each Lego® session, have a reflective discussion in which participants discuss what they found challenging, how they overcame difficulties, and what they learned. Encourage the use of growth mindset language during these discussions.
3. Growth Mindset Creations: Ask participants to build something that represents a growth mindset. It could be a tower that stands despite being knocked over or a bridge symbolising overcoming obstacles. This tangible representation can reinforce the abstract concept of a growth mindset.
Questions for You:
To wrap up, I have a few questions for you:
What do you fear most about change? This question helps uncover personal barriers to adopting a growth mindset.
When was the last time you overcame a challenge, and how did it make you feel? Reflecting on past successes can reinforce the importance of persistence and effort.
How can you apply the concept of "yet" in your daily life? Thinking about practical applications can help integrate the growth mindset into everyday activities.
My Motivation:
I was motivated to discuss this topic this week by a quote from Socrates: "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." This quote beautifully encapsulates the essence of a growth mindset and its importance in our lives.
Stay Tuned:
Stay tuned if you’d like to learn more about the mindset topic and how to deliver it during the group sessions and assess and evidence progress. This is part of my new advanced training. A Growth Mindset is the cornerstone of healthy, fulfilling lives. By learning and teaching these skills, we can create a more resilient and empowered community.
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Understanding the importance of mindset is one thing, but learning and applying these skills is another. Suppose you are interested in deepening your knowledge of mindset and learning how to deliver engaging and practical sessions that support the well-being of CYPs or adults. In that case, Bea Inclusive's new training program is ideal for you. This training is designed for experienced social group facilitators, education staff, counsellors, and Lego®-Based Therapy (LBT) facilitators who graduated with Bea Inclusive. The new program will offer an exclusive opportunity to advance your skills, access new training materials, and provide feedback to shape future training sessions. Spaces will be limited to ensure high interaction and personalised guidance. I will post more details very soon, so please stay tuned.
In the upcoming training, I will discuss mindset and how it can be tested and practised. This will be highly practical, with plenty of video case studies! All printable resources will be provided, including the CYP's mindset workbook and the facilitator's guidebook. To build your CYP well-being skills, more great topics will be covered, so stay tuned for more info on this course.
Thank you for joining me today. Let's continue to embrace and nurture our growth mindsets in all our group sessions, primarily through our engaging Lego®-based therapy. Stay positive, stay motivated, and keep growing!
Until the next time
Beata Bednarska
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