Establishing A Growth Mindset In The Beginning String Program Using“ Strings Karate” To Motivate All Students
Establishing A Growth Mindset In The Beginning String Program Using“ Strings Karate” To Motivate All Students
Sarah Donatelli East Brunswick Public Schools sarahdonatelli @ gmail. com
Picture a class of beginning instrumental music students during the first few months of school: students are bursting with excitement to practice and to show off what they’ ve learned. They just can’ t wait to play“ Hot Cross Buns” for family and friends. The end of the year may be a different story when students realize playing an instrument takes hard work, dedication, and practice. Lower performing students start to lose motivation as they compare their playing to others. Sound familiar?
As the school year progresses, we start to see a wider difference in playing levels and abilities. One of the challenges I’ ve grappled with is how to maintain the same level of enthusiasm in all students throughout the year. The following is a reflection from the 2015-2016 school year, which describes how the“ strings karate” concept can be utilized to motivate students throughout the year.
Growth Mindset
Carol Dweck, psychologist and a leading researcher in the field of motivation, frames the human mindset in two ways. Those with a“ fixed mindset” are only concerned with the results of their efforts. They believe,“ If you fail- or if you’ re not the best- it’ s all been wasted”( Dweck, 2006, p. 48). A“ fixed mindset” may lead a student to believe that no matter how much they try to improve, they are born with a fixed amount of talent. Or, conversely, that because they are so talented, any effort to improve would be a waste of time. By contrast,“ The growth mindset allows people to value what they’ re doing regardless of outcome. They’ re tackling problems, charting new courses, working on important issues”( Dweck, 2006, p. 48). Students with a“ growth mindset” may not make all-state ensembles or earn first chair, but they savor every minute they are making music. They realize their efforts will help them grow as musicians. Most
importantly, the“ growth mindset” is likely to promote intrinsic motivation to practice.
Strings Karate
It was only during this past school year when I first realized the potential“ strings karate” had for promoting a“ growth mindset” among students. In prior years, I felt students were simply practicing for the performance, or to earn the next belt. This led me to question my own teaching practices: Was I starting to“ teach to the test?” How was this system helping my students to develop consistent practice habits? Was it encouraging them to be lifelong musicians, or to be musicians who simply practice before a performance?
When a student is extrinsically motivated to earn a belt, practicing is likely to end once the performance is finished. I wanted to keep the excitement of earning a belt, while demonstrating to students the power of practice. So, I kept“ strings karate,” but added one extra step for those students who hoped to earn a“ black belt”.
Strings Karate has eight belts total( each a different color), with the black belt being the ultimate goal. Students attempting to earn a black belt were expected to take part in a“ black belt ceremony”. These ceremonies took place during the first few minutes of class when students felt they were ready to perform. Before playing, students answered the following questions:
1. What new skills did you learn by earning the black belt? 2. How did you practice this song at home? 3. How has earning all the belts made you a better musician?
Observations
By answering these questions prior to the black belt ceremony, students developed the intuition to know when they were ready to participate. After reflecting on these questions, many students would admit:“ I may need another week of practice to earn the belt.” In most cases, another week was all it took. It was a relief to have students discover this on their own. Students who participated in a black belt ceremony felt proud of their accomplishment. They took complete ownership of their learning. These ceremonies also motivated other students to participate in future ceremonies.
Black belt ceremonies are an example of an authentic assessment demonstrating students’ performance abilities and their understanding of how and why we practice. The students’ achievement in earning a black belt is not experienced through the final product alone. Instead, students are led to understand how they arrived at that product, and how they’ ve become better musicians along the way.
A“ growth mindset” shows us that devoting time to thoughtful and purposeful practice will help to achieve successful performance. Black belt ceremonies like these can be adapted for any incremental learning program. When we arm students with a“ growth mindset” and give them the autonomy to decide when they are ready to perform, they develop habits that are conducive to discipline and focus. Such traits will aid them in their growth as musicians and as persistent learners in all subject areas.
I would like to thank my professor, Lindsay Weiss and my colleagues at Teachers College, Columbia University for their inspiration behind this article.
References:
Dweck, C. S.( 2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House.
TEMPO 50 OCTOBER 2016