The Power of Mindsets: Nurturing Motivation and Resilience in Students

1. The Power of Mindsets: Nurturing Motivation and Resilience in Students www.drrobertbrooks.com contact@drrobertbrooks.com

2. The power of mindsets Mindsets: The assumptions and expectations we have for ourselves and others that guide our behavior What is the mindset of school leaders who are effective in nurturing motivation and resilience in students? Do we articulate, discuss, and reinforce this mindset at staff meetings?

3. Features of a positive mindset To believe in the capacity of students to become more hopeful and resilient: To believe we can serve as a “charismatic adult” and to encourage this belief in our staff “I want to be a charismatic adult. What do I do?”

4. Features of a positive mindset To believe that all children from birth want to learn and be successful To believe that all students are motivated, but unfortunately, some are dominated by “avoidance motivation” as a way of protecting themselves from situations that they believe will lead to failure and humiliation

5. Features of a positive mindset To believe that if the strategies we are using with students (or staff) are not effective then we must ask, “What is it that we can do differently to help the situation?” rather than continue to wait for others to change first: This should not be seen as blaming but rather as empowering ourselves

6. Features of a positive mindset To be empathic: We must see the world through the eyes of the students with whom we work Exercises to nurture empathy and obtain feedback

7. Features of a positive mindset To create “motivating environments” that nurture learning and a “resilient mindset”: Deci’s focus on basic needs that apply to administrators, staff, and students 1. The need to belong and feel connected (and let’s add the word welcome): When any member of the school environment feels alienated, learning and achievement will be compromised and anger and resentment will become dominant features

8. 2. The need for self-determination and autonomy, which are significant features of a sense of ownership and resilience a. What kind of choices and decisions do we provide students and staff? b. Do our disciplinary practices promote self-discipline and self-control as well as nurturing a safe environment ?

9. 3. The need to feel competent: To identify, reinforce, and display each youngster’s “islands of competence”--We must adopt a strength-based model if we are to nurture motivation and a “resilient mindset” a. Do we provide students with an opportunity to contribute to and make a positive positive difference in their environment? b. Do we foster the attitude that mistakes are experiences from which to learn?