Annie Brock - My Growth Mindset Journal: A Teachers Workbook to Reflect on Your Practice, Cultivate Your Mindset, Spark New Ideas and Inspire Students

MY GROWTH MINDSET JOURNAL A TEACHERS WORKBOOK TO
REFLECT ON YOUR PRACTICE, CULTIVATE YOUR MINDSET, SPARK NEW IDEAS AND INSPIRE STUDENTSANNIE BROCK AND HEATHER HUNDLEY Text copyright 2018 Annie Brock and Heather Hundley. Illustrations copyright 2018 Annie Brock. Design and concept copyright 2018 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Published in the United States by: ULYSSES PRESS P.O.

Box 3440 Berkeley, CA 94703 www.ulyssespress.com ISBN: 978-1-61243-856-6 Acquisitions editor: Casie Vogel Managing editor: Claire Chun Editor: Shayna Keyles Proofreader: Renee Rutledge Front cover design: Rebecca Lown Interior design and layout: Distributed by Publishers Group West CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Test scores and measures of achievement tell you where a student is, but they dont tell you where a student could end up. Carol Dweck Hello, fellow educators! We are so happy you have joined us on this growth-mindset journey. The Growth Mindset Journal is designed to get you thinking and writing about your mindset at school. Make no mistake: Honest self-reflection is not an easy undertaking. It is challenging work that forces us to peel back the layers of our everyday experiences and confront our habits, values, and beliefs with an open mind and an open heart. As teachers, we experience so many daily decisions and interactions that its easy to get caught up in the minutiae of the job, but when we take the time to look inward with a critical eye, we have the opportunity to see the bigger picture.

In her book, Mindset, Carol Dweck tells us, Becoming is better than being. This journal is to help you become. When we operate in the fixed mindset, we saddle ourselves with false limitations. We trick ourselves out of going for what we truly want by convincing ourselves we are incapable, less than, or not destined for greatness. When we operate in the growth mindset, we have a fundamental belief in our ability to change, grow, and achieve. We want you to embrace the growth mindset as a perpetual state of becoming.

If you allow yourself, you can always learn, grow, and take the path to a deeper understanding. The journey down that path begins with the first step of self-discovery. There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. Colin Powell There is no right way to interact with this journal. You might start from the beginning and work your way through, close your eyes and open to a random page each day, or pick it up once every few weeks when the mood to write strikes you.

Its not important how you engage in self-reflection; its only important that you do. There are a variety of topics, idea starters, question-and-response scenarios, doodle tasks, and journal prompts in these pages. Weve also included pages at the end of the journal that simply say My day at school , because sometimes you have something you need to get out that doesnt follow a prompt or guideline, and thats okay, too. Think of this journal as a favor you do for yourself each day. Sit in a quiet place with a favorite drinksome days might call for coffee, others for wineand reflect on your day. Put aside the stress, chaos, and noise, and take a moment to reflect on experiences you didnt have time to ponder when they occurred.

Be kind to yourself at your worst and grateful at your best. The more you write and reflect, the more you will see patterns emerge. You will see people who consistently lift you up. You will relish in routines you failed to notice before. You will make connections between your fixed mindset and what triggers it. You will come to a greater understanding about the habits, experiences, and people who help you be your favorite version of yourself.

The growth mindset, in its purest form, allows us to view challenges and obstacles not simply as things to get through, but things to learn from. Give yourself the gift of mindfulness; allow your observations to flourish into a web of new ideas. When we have a true understanding of our thoughts, words, and actions, they can propel us to heights previously unimagined. Use these pages to write your story; give yourself the gift of becoming. A man is but the product of his thoughts. GandhiHenry Ford said, Whether you think you can or cant, youre right. Gandhi Henry Ford said, Whether you think you can or cant, youre right.

Describe what this quote means to you.