I have been a big believer in growth mindset. I strongly believe that you can fill your mind with positive thoughts, do the hard work to develop better habits, and create the outcomes you desire. You can achieve your goals - reach new heights. Be your very best self.
In 2006, Carol Dweck released a ground breaking book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, which gave credence to the need to develop a more fluid system of beliefs about the connection between potential and achievement. The concept of developing “grit” soon followed, as mindset was simply not enough on its own. Developing a growth mindset in the classroom can be a powerful tool to help students reach their fullest potential. It can help students understand that their intelligence and abilities can be developed and improved with effort and practice. That’s the charm of the growth mindset research. Gifted teachers everywhere rejoiced. We had seen our gifted learners avoid struggle and challenge, preferring to maintain an easier path due to their ability to learn things quickly. Developing a growth mindset and grit became a goal for gifted classrooms.
Many a student has learned about their “Fantastic Elastic Brain” - learning about the various parts and functions of their brain. The book, My Fantastic Elastic Brain, by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D., is a classroom favorite and can be found at your local bookstore. My classroom was filled with images and quotes meant to inspire growth and belief in yourself. Discussions of famous failures helped students see past their own - sometimes false - understandings about success. A gifted student who has the foresight to seek out opportunities to challenge their own limits and perceptions will invariably discover more about themselves and the world around them. I was encouraged that Ms. Dweck used the reference to race car driving and how the more successful drivers are able to stay in “the zone.” I reminded my students that not every Heisman trophy winner was 1st string or came from an elite high school sports program. Grit was something to be developed. Attention and focus. Acceptance of failure. Learning and growing from mistakes. Developing resiliency.
Resiliency is the ability to recover quickly from suffering and stress. It is a key factor in developing a successful mindset and overall well-being. Research has shown that people who have a high level of resiliency are better able to cope with life's challenges and hardships. Yet another skill to be developed.
In the world of gifted education, we fully embraced these concepts and have worked to guide our students to understand that potential - without effort - doesn’t always win the race. We have taught lessons and provided strategies to “Bounce Back” and develop a more resilient character- helping them walk through doors of opportunity that may not have been previously present. Our efforts have shown success, I believe. Our gifted students have risen to the challenge of challenging themselves. We have praised their effort, their grit and resiliency., and they are better for it.
Mostly……
I wonder about those gifted students who try, fail, recover, try again, fail again, recover again? Do you see the pattern? How are we helping students deal with failure - really? Sometimes, the door just doesn’t open - no matter what your positive attitude tries to tell you. I am thinking about a specific student who - despite their best efforts - was rejected by every major college to which they applied. (Don’t worry, they found their path eventually. But it wasn’t pretty or joyful or even something they enjoyed sharing.) I have had students paralyzed to discover how brilliant they could be. Some never discovered their true giftedness, simply because they were afraid to grow, create, challenge – and yes, admit defeat. This is where it gets tricky.
I believe that we must spend effort in teaching students about failure. Not fabricated failure. Real failure. When is it ok to walk away and how do you actually handle letting go of a dream? The response to failure can be life changing for a neurodivergent individual. I have seen many gifted individuals begin to doubt themselves, get angry, and fall into perfectionism or avoidance altogether. The very thing that we want to develop - grit and resiliency - become a trap to freedom. We can do better.
So, let’s celebrate growth. Let’s celebrate the struggle and the process. But let’s not forget about the important lessons that failure can provide. Let’s teach our gifted learners how to recognize the need to shift course and stop knocking on a door that may never open. When they are with us in our classrooms, we can better help them navigate their emotions and determine new and exciting possibilities. Let’s develop their resilience and grit. But let’s not let them become trapped in unnecessary pain and unrealistic expectations simply because of their giftedness; instead, let’s help them capitalize on their strengths by developing the skills necessary to walk towards the fork in the road and confidently forge a new path when needed.