Gregory Walton talks about “belonging uncertainty” which is “a persistent doubt students can feel about whether ‘people like me’ can belong in a school setting”. This can be a major block to developing or maintaining a Growth Mindset.
One way to work with this underlying anxiety is, according to Katie Finley, to “design classroom activities that involve cooperative - rather than competitive or individualistic - work. Research suggests that students are more motivated and successful when working in groups. Students feel a sense of responsibility to the group to try their best, and thus will experience the positive feedback loop of effort and success, encouraging the development of a growth mindset.”
More info/sources:
- Walton, Gregory. “NCEE Blog.” IES, 3 Jan. 2022, http://ies.ed.gov/blogs/ncee/post/is-believing-in-yourself-enough-growth-mindset-and-social-belonging-interventions-for-postsecondary-students
- Finley, Katie. “4 Ways to Encourage a Growth Mindset in the Classroom - EdSurge News.” EdSurge, EdSurge, 27 Dec. 2018, www.edsurge.com/news/2014-10-24-4-ways-to-encourage-a-growth-mindset-in-the-classroom
Video - Designing Supportive Learning Environments (2½ mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRrnFLrwNYU&t=36s