Senior Curriculum

How a growth mindset will support me in my studies

Students will have just or be about to complete their first assessment for Unit 1 subjects. These assessments provide a great growth opportunity for students as they reflect on their study habits over the first number of weeks of Term 1, were they completing work in class, asking their teacher clarifying questions, completing home learning, were their revision techniques effective?

This year provides students with a fantastic opportunity to reflect on their learning behaviours and habits and refine them as necessary. The ability to utilise a growth mindset can be extremely powerful in supporting student learning and progress. A growth mindset allows us to see learning opportunities in our mistakes; enables us to continue to learn and improve and acknowledges that we are not at a fixed level of intelligence or capability for learning. A fixed mindset may have a student focus only on what went ‘wrong’ and not how they can learn from the opportunity for next time. 

As student receive feedback on their summative assessments, they are encouraged to look at these to see how they can use them as a springboard forward. What can I do to improve? Do I need to change the way I study at home? Do I need to spend more time reading/rereading the question? Do I need to add examples to demonstrate my understanding, could I add more detail?.  Whilst the topics or emphasis will change in learning and assessment throughout the year, the reflections and shifts in behaviour along the way are what can help to shape and refine student learning practices. 

An article on Growth Vs Fixed Minsets