About a decade ago, I read a book called The Innovator’s Mindset by George Couros, which introduced me to the concept of a growth mindset (coined by Carol Dweck). I remember that, at that time, I was the head of a languages department at a private school in Bogotá. When I read the concept, something clicked. It’s hard to explain it. It was an “aha” moment that would later determine a different academic and professional path I decided to walk. I fell in love with this idea of teaching people something that could make their lives better, but on a personal level. I have always believed flipped learning makes academic life better, too. So, I started that path by wanting to learn everything about mindset. The problem was that there was so little available. I read Carol Dweck’s book, her papers, and then every book (or at least a whole lot of them) that mentioned growth mindset. I wanted so badly to take a course, but there was nothing available. I remember embarking on a study (with the two coauthors of this guide) in which I designed my first growth mindset course for public school teachers (read about the study here). Let me tell you, it was a challenge. I didn’t know where to start, but I had all these books and papers I had read, so that was my starting point. Why am I telling you this story? Because this post is about a free, open-source guide about the growth mindset for educators that I wish I had my hands on ten years ago!
There is always that looming question: How can we teach people about mindset in a meaningful way? Well, together with my colleagues, Paula García and Isabel Tejada, we created a guide that aims to help answer that question. The guide is called The Growth Mindset Revolution, and it was designed as an open resource for educators like me, you, and anyone who wants to teach about growth mindset and is not sure how to go about it.
How This Guide Came to Life
The Growth Mindset Revolution: A Guide for Educators was created through a collaborative effort between educators and institutions committed to expanding access to educational resources. The project was developed through a collaboration between Universidad de los Andes in Colombia, Bard College in the United States, and the Open Society University Network (OSUN). Through this partnership, the guide became part of the OSUN Open Educational Resources collection, which hosts teaching tools and materials designed to be freely available to educators around the world. Yes, you read that correctly. This guide is open source. This means anyone can download it, use it in their classrooms, adapt the activities, and share it with colleagues. We believe that knowledge grows when it is shared, and that educational resources should be accessible to anyone. We intended to create a resource that supports teachers who want to introduce mindset concepts in a practical and reflective way. So, please share it!
What You Will Find in the Guide
The manual includes different types of resources that educators can explore with their students.
Inside the guide, you will find:
- Explanations of growth and fixed mindsets
- Activities designed to spark reflection in students
- Ideas that teachers can adapt to different learning environments
- Questions that invite students to think about their own beliefs about learning, effort, and challenges
Although the guide is meant for educators to use with their students, it also invites teachers to reflect on their own mindsets. After all, the beliefs we hold about learning and ability shape the learning environments we create.
A Multimedia Learning Experience
When we were imagining what this guide would look like, we wanted it to feel real and applicable. We wanted something more than a traditional manual.
For that reason, the guide is based on the work the three of us have done in the online course we have co-taught together for 5 years, along with our other teaching experiences in workshops and our individual courses.
The guide includes embedded multimedia resources, such as:
🎧 A podcast series where we discuss ideas related to mindset and learning based on our own teaching experiences.
📺 A YouTube video series that explains the concepts presented in the guide.
📝 Downloadable resources and ideas on how to teach the different concepts.
Learn how to teach about mindsets as you read, listen, and watch videos!
An Invitation to Explore
If you are an educator interested in helping students develop a healthier relationship with learning, effort, and mistakes, I invite you to explore this guide. You might find ideas to start conversations in your classroom, design activities, or reflect on your own beliefs about learning. If you are not an educator, I have no doubt you will find some gems in this guide as well.
You can access the guide here.
I hope this guide sparks reflection, curiosity, and meaningful conversations about learning.
Please feel free to share this blog post or the guide directly, so that it can reach a wider audience.
Thanks for reading! 💜