Flexible Mindsets in Schools

Flexible Mindsets in Schools abandons painstaking evolution in favour of a bold, transformative revolution. It blends research and easily implementable practice to drive solutions that give learners and educators the freedom to become self-directed: to unleash questioning, problem-solving and creativity. This key text explores how to blend existing and new practices and unlock the potential of student agency as the pathway towards resilience and adaptation. The Flexible Mindsets Model fuses three components that rely on each other to drive self-directed learning: metacognition, "I CAN" mindset messages and executive function processes. This book presents a roadmap for how to create an environment and culture where learners are aware of what works when, feel safe to take learning-related risks, believe that they are capable and have the tools they need to learn. Flexible Mindsets in Schools will give educators hope that there is a way to revolutionise education to meet the needs of students during these uncertain times by taking small, manageable steps.

Julie Dunstan is a developmental psychologist and the Founding Director of reFLEXions®, an initiative designed to develop Flexible Mindsets for self-directed learning. Susannah Cole is an executive function coach and Managing Director of reFLEXions®.

Opening: Why Channel Brainpower for the 3C's? SECTION I. FLEXIBLE MINDSETS: WHERE DO WE BEGIN? Chapter 1. What is a Flexible Mindset? The Journey of Self-directed Learning Chapter 2. What is the Mechanism for Flexible Mindsets? Productive Puzzling and Curiosity SECTION II. PRODUCTIVE PUZZLING CONDITIONS FOR TRANSFORMING MINDSETS Chapter 3. How do Fixed Mentalities Close the Window for Learning? Chapter 4. Building Trusting Relationships to Open the Window for Learning (Condition 1) Chapter 5. The Superstructure of Productive Puzzling (Conditions 2, 3, 4 and 5) SECTION III. PRODUCTIVE PUZZLING IN ACTION: HOW DO WE TARGET THE 3C's? Chapter 6. Critical Thinking: Does it make sense? Chapter 7. Complex Problem-Solving: What else can we try? Chapter 8. Creativity: What are the Possibilities? SECTION IV. FLEXIBLE MINDSETS FOR EQUITABLE EDUCATION: HOW CAN WE USE THE 3C's FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL LEARNERS? Chapter 9. Equitable Classrooms for Teaching the 3C's in the Context of Uncertainty Chapter 10. System Disruption for Equitable Education Glossary Appendix A: The Flexible Mindsets Spiral of Reflective Learning Appendix B: Metacognitive Insights Survey (MIS) Appendix C: Flexible Learning Activation Checklist (FLAC)