The Teaching Compass
A reflection tool for educators to explore their own mindset.
This tool was created so you can pause and think honestly about how you see yourself as an educator. It’s grounded in psychologist Carol Dweck’s research: a fixed mindset sees ability as something set in place, while a growth mindset sees it as something that keeps developing with effort and time. Across ten everyday situations, like making a mistake, receiving feedback, or facing a difficult class, you’ll see where you currently stand between the two. This isn’t a test, just a space for reflection. We all carry both mindsets, and this is a chance to notice where each one shows up for you.
This is also part of ongoing research on teacher mindsets, and your anonymous answers contribute to our knowledge base.
Your mindset in ten situations
Below are ten everyday situations. For each one, you’ll find a general description, followed by five statements arranged along a path, from more fixed to more growth. Read through all five before choosing, and pick the one that feels most true to how you actually respond today, not how you wish you responded.
This framework is based on the work of Anderson (2017), Dweck (2016), GarcÃa, Tejada, and RamÃrez (2023), and RamÃrez (2024).
A Snapshot of Your Mindset Today
How to read your compass
The shape above is called a spider chart, with one point for each situation. Each point is labeled 1 to 5, matching the statement you chose, from 1 (more fixed) to 5 (more growth). Points closer to the center lean toward a fixed view; points reaching outward lean toward growth. Together, they show where you stand today, all at once.
Below, you’ll find each situation again, along with the response you chose. The word beside it (Fixed-leaning, Mixed, or Growth-leaning) shows where your answer landed on that scale. Neither end is a grade; it’s just a point of reference.
Each situation also carries a reflection question, matched to your response. As you go over them, we invite you to jot a few notes, sit quietly with the ones that speak to you, or talk them over with a colleague you trust.
Questions to sit with
A few details, if you’d like
One more thing
This part is optional. If you’re willing, share a little more about where you are right now. What you write helps us understand trends across educators’ responses. Please don’t include real names or details that could identify you, your students, or your colleagues.