#BenefitMindset Schools Challenge — Examples and Prompts
Here you will find three examples of the Benefit Mindset applied at school.
Before taking part in the #BenefitMindset Schools Challenge you might:
- Read through the examples in groups or individually,
- Take turns sharing reflections in a group or journalling thoughts,
- Respond to the prompts to frame your creative activity.
—
Example one: Student Leadership and Public Speaking
It’s the end of the year, and the principal asks a student to give a whole school address at the final school assembly.
Fixed Mindset
The student is afraid of public speaking, and says “thank you”, but I can’t do it.
Growth Mindset
The student sees it as a learning opportunity to practice and improve their skills. The student recognises that with enough effort and preparation they will be able to perform. They know that failure is the pathway to learning, so regardless of what happens, they will move a little closer to their potential.
Benefit Mindset
The student sees it not only as a learning opportunity, but also as a leadership opportunity. They recognise the need to be vulnerable, in spite of fear, and push ahead because there is an opportunity to make a difference. An opportunity to talk about the things that matter, and learn how to be a voice for all the students. Just like Joshua Iosefo did at his school in New Zealand:
—
Example two: Students Making Inclusive Schools
At the start of the school year a deaf boy moves to a new community and is enrolled at a school near his home.
Fixed Mindset
The other students feel sorry for the boy and the challenges he is facing. They shy away from helping him in class because they don’t really believe it would be possible for him to be a successful student.
Growth Mindset
The students are passionate about learning and are happy to help the boy when they can. They share learning resources and along with teachers, try to make sure he has everything he needs so that with consistent hard work, he will be able to reach his potential in each subject.
Benefit Mindset
The students feel a sense of responsibility and recognise an opportunity to improve the school’s capacity to support the boy. Drawing on their passion for language, they ask the school to introduce sign language classes. With drive and enthusiasm from the student body, the classes fill right up. Everyone in the school community benefits from the new skill set and the enjoyment they receive from learning with a purpose.
—
Example three: Sustainability and Science in the Community
The school makes some sustainability upgrades to an area of the school grounds, that includes new energy and water systems, and a school garden.
Fixed Mindset
The students see the upgrades as an inconvenience. If the grounds were functional before, why upgrade them?
Growth Mindset
The students are eager to learn how the upgrades work in the school so that they can improve their knowledge of sustainability and design. In maths they learn about measuring energy and water efficiency and in science they learn about the local ecology.
Benefit Mindset
The students see the upgrades as an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the school and local community. They learn about why sustainability is important for their future and use their diverse strengths to work together on school improvement projects that spread the benefit of the upgrades to the whole community.
—
#Challenge Prompts:
- Which is your favourite example? Why?
- Can you think of a time when anything like this happened around your school? What did you do?
- Why is the way we approach challenges important?
- How do you think our mindset can change the way we approach challenges?
- What will you do next time something like this happens around your school?
- What could you create now to show others how you might do that?
—
Want to get in touch or read more about the Benefit Mindset? Visit us at www.benefitmindset.com.
