Fostering a Growth Mindset: Nurturing Resilient Learners

Format

Individual Presentation

Presenters

Jamie R. Brunson, Gordon Odyssey Academy - Fairfield County School DistrictFollow
Sandi Gratic, Gordon Odyssey Academy - Fairfield County School DistrictFollow

First Presenter's Institution

Gordon Odyssey Academy - Fairfield County School District

First Presenter’s Email Address

jbrunson@fairfield1.org

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Jamie R. Brunson is a 23-year veteran in the field of education, and he currently serves as Proud Principal of Fairfield Middle School. Jamie has served as the Assistant Principal of Instruction at Fairfield Central High School, Winnsboro, SC, Director of Guidance and Assistant Head Football Coach at Lower Richland High School, Hopkins, SC, where he was named the 2010-2011 Teacher of the Year. The Cameron, SC native is an alumnus of South Carolina State University, where he obtained a B.S. in Mathematics Education, an M.Ed. in Counselor Education, and an Ed. S. in Educational Administration. Mr. Brunson has a passion for mentoring the youth, especially African-American males. He has a desire to help to guide young men into becoming good men who are productive contributors in society. He is a member of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators, South Carolina Alliance of Black School Educators, South Carolina Education Association, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Phi Mu Alpha SINFONIA, Tau Beta Sigma (Honorary), Prince Hall Free & Accepted Masons, Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Noble Mystic Shrine, and The 100 Black Men of Greater Columbia. He is married to the former Teesa Johnson of Bamberg, SC, and they have one daughter, Kennedy. They are members of Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Cameron, SC, where Jamie serves as a Deacon, Chair of the Financial Committee and Director of all choirs.

Second Presenter's Institution

Gordon Odyssey Academy - Fairfield County School District

Second Presenter’s Email Address

sgratic@fairfield1.org

Second Presenter's Brief Biography

Sandi Gratic is a 20 year veteran in the field of social work. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English - Clemson University and a Master of Social Work - University of South Carolina. She has worked in Fairfield County School District since 2010.

Submitter

I am submitting this proposal as one of the presenter(s)

Location

Ballroom D

Strand #1

Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership

Strand #2

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Relevance

Attendees will:

• Gain insights into the fundamental principles of a growth mindset and its impact on students' academic success, motivation, and overall well-being.
• Explore the relationship between a growth mindset and resilience, understanding how these two elements work together to empower students to overcome challenges.
• Discover effective approaches for guiding students through learning from failure, setting realistic goals, and creating an environment that nurtures resilience.
• Leave with actionable insights and practical takeaways that can be immediately applied in your teaching practice, fostering a growth mindset and resilience in your students.

Brief Program Description

Embark on a transformative journey with this engaging presentation, "Fostering a Growth Mindset: Nurturing Resilient Learners." In this session, we will dive into the concept of a growth mindset and provide educators with practical tools and strategies to cultivate resilience and perseverance in their students.

Highlights of the Presentation:

1. **Understanding the Essence of Growth Mindset:**

2. **Connecting Growth Mindset with Resilience:**

3. **Research-Backed Benefits:**

4. **Strategies to Develop Resilience:**

5. **Building a Supportive Classroom Culture:**

6. **Real-Life Success Stories:**

7. **Interactive Discussions and Q&A:**

8. **Takeaways and Actionable Insights:**

9. **Empower Yourself, Empower Your Students:**

Summary

Embark on a transformative journey with this engaging presentation, "Fostering a Growth Mindset: Nurturing Resilient Learners." This session dives deep into the concept of a growth mindset and equips educators with practical tools and strategies to cultivate resilience and perseverance in their students.

The presentation begins by providing a thorough understanding of what a growth mindset is and how it contrasts with a fixed mindset. Participants will explore the foundational principles of growth mindset theory, gaining insight into how this mindset fosters a belief in the potential for growth and development. The session then delves into the intrinsic link between fostering a growth mindset and building resilience in students, highlighting how this approach helps them view challenges as opportunities for learning rather than as insurmountable obstacles.

Participants will discover extensive research supporting the positive impact of a growth mindset on academic success, personal development, and overall well-being. They will learn effective strategies to help students develop resilience, enabling them to handle challenges and setbacks constructively. Practical approaches such as praising effort rather than innate ability, encouraging a love for learning, and teaching students to embrace failure as part of the learning process will be discussed.

The presentation also emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive classroom culture that aligns with growth mindset principles and encourages continuous improvement. Attendees will hear inspiring real-life success stories of individuals and schools that have successfully implemented growth mindset practices, providing tangible evidence of the approach's effectiveness.

Interactive discussions and Q&A sessions will be included to deepen understanding and share experiences, ensuring participants can apply these concepts in their own contexts. By the end of the session, participants will leave with actionable insights and practical tools to immediately implement in educational settings. This knowledge will empower educators to foster a growth mindset, ultimately empowering their students to thrive academically and in life.

Evidence

Carol Dweck: "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" (2006), outlines her research findings on how a growth mindset positively impacts motivation, achievement, and resilience.

Yeager and Dweck (2012): This research highlighted how teaching adolescents a growth mindset can reduce stress and increase resilience during the transition to high school.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.

Yeager, D. S., & Dweck, C. S. (2012). "Mindsets that promote resilience: When students believe that personal characteristics can be developed." Educational Psychologist, 47(4), 302-314.

The Growth Mindset Coach: A Teacher's Month-by-Month Handbook for Empowering Students to Achieve by Annie Brock and Heather Hundley

Learning Objective 1

Understand and differentiate between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, including their respective impacts on personal and academic performance.

Learning Objective 2

Identify practical strategies and interventions to cultivate a growth mindset in themselves and others, promoting resilience and a positive approach to challenges.

Learning Objective 3

Apply growth mindset principles in real-world scenarios to enhance motivation, learning, and achievement in both educational and professional settings.

Keyword Descriptors

growth mindset, fixed mindset, Carol Dweck, resilience, academic achievement, motivation, personal development, mindset interventions, learning strategies

Presentation Year

2025

Start Date

3-3-2025 2:45 PM

Recommended Citation

Brunson, Jamie R. and Gratic, Sandi, "Fostering a Growth Mindset: Nurturing Resilient Learners" (2025). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 20.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2025/2025/20