Growth Mindset Training for Teacher: Method of Changing the Teacher's Mindset

Abstract

Background. The academic success of students in schools is significantly shaped by their mental attitudes, especially when they face challenging situations that demand substantial effort and resilience. The influence of teachers' attitudes, or mindsets, plays a crucial role within the educational environment, as these directly impact students' own mindsets and subsequently their approach to learning. Specifically, the concept of a 'growth mindset' – which is the belief that one's abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and perseverance – has been shown to transform how individuals perceive their capabilities and respond to failures. Objectives. In light of this, a specific study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of 'Growth Mindset Training' targeted at teachers. This training aimed to cultivate a growth mindset among educators, hypothesizing that a shift in teacher attitudes would, in turn, positively affect their students. Materials and methods. To assess the impact of the training, researchers utilized a growth mindset scale to measure the mindsets of 19 participating teachers, comprising 11 women and 8 men, both before and after they underwent the training program. Results. The findings from this study were quantitatively robust, with a T-statistic of -3.529 and a significance level of less than .005, indicating a statistically significant improvement in the teachers' growth mindsets post-training. Additionally, the analysis of mean scores from the pretest and posttest further confirmed an upward trend, suggesting that the mindset of the teachers had indeed shifted towards a more growth-oriented perspective. Conclusions. Thus, Growth Mindset Training emerged as a potent intervention tool, not merely altering teachers' perceptions but potentially setting a foundation for enhancing the overall educational experience by fostering a culture of perseverance and continuous improvement in schools.

Keywords

• educational psychology
• teacher development
• mindset transformation
• student achievement