Embracing a Growth Mindset

Students in Sarah Murray’s 9th grade literacy support class at Kearny Digital Media and Design are reflecting on the importance of the Habits of Mind in their everyday experiences. Once a week during their warm up, she asks students to think about a Habit of Mind and to deeply consider how it is reflected in their academic and social experiences. This week they focused on the idea of taking responsible risks. She led students through a reflection about ideas such as the value of stepping outside of their comfort zone to take a responsible risk, how they might benefit from that risk, how they have pushed themselves to take those risks thus far in their high school experience, and the difference between taking a risk and taking a “responsible” risk. This kind of metacognitive thinking empowers students to be more mindful of their learning and to participate more actively in their educational experiences.