Our lineup of online events are open to all, as we aim to highlight the benefits of Waldorf education. For more on all happenings at The Denver Waldorf School, please refer to our school calendar.
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Parent Education: Nurturing a Growth Mindset in Children
September 23, 2022 @ 8:45 am - 9:45 am
How to Shift from Fixed Mindset to Growth Mindset
Are there areas in your child’s life where they are not motivated or inspired, give up easily, stay away from challenges, want to be perfect, and sometimes even lie about their performance? For some of our children, it might be music; for others, it might be academics or sports or having to talk to peers in school or on the playground. If so, those are areas where a child has a fixed mindset. Join us for a presentation led by Denver Waldorf School Counselor Madhuri Deshmukh and Student Support Direct Andrea Weid on shifting from fixed mindset to growth mindset.
Date: Friday, September 23rd, 2022
Time: 8:45-9:45am; Join us for Coffee in the Courtyard starting at 8am
Location: DWS Music Room
Please note childcare is not provided.
What You’ll Learn
This workshop focuses on understanding a growth mindset and how we can teach our kids to accept mistakes, encounter challenges, and problem-solve. Specifically, you’ll learn:
- The five core needs of children and teens as they grow toward healthy sexual maturity, and the five corresponding nurturing roles for families and school
- The misplaced anxieties that keep adults from recognizing what is truly age-appropriate for kids to know
- How to look behind children’s eyes, see what they see, and discover what they’re really wondering about
- How to reduce discomfort and embarrassment—your own and your child’s
- Research that demonstrates how vital early and ongoing conversations about sexuality are to health and well beings
- Creating authentic partnerships between families and schools around sexuality education
What is Growth Mindset
The growth mindset is a theory invented by Stanford professor Carol Dweck, Ph.D., in early 2000. It is a belief that we can learn and develop abilities. People with a growth mindset recognize the value of accepting challenges and learning from mistakes. They see that despite their natural ability, they can improve their skills with effort and perseverance. On the contrary, people with a fixed mindset believe that you are either born with talent/abilities or not, and nothing can alter it; you cannot develop or enhance abilities. A child with a fixed mindset often thinks they cannot be successful because they are not good at something. For example; Fixed mindset: “I am not good at numbers, so I will never learn my math facts!” vs. Growth mindset: “If I practice every night for 20 minutes, I will learn my multiplication facts!”
Firstly, we all need to celebrate mistakes. When children make mistakes, it is essential to help them see it as an opportunity for Growth. Remember, it is not uncommon for all of us to have a fixed mindset about some areas of our lives and a growth mindset about others. It does not only apply to academic success —we can have a growth mindset about relationships or even social problems. Furthermore, we can all change our attitudes and grow our abilities and skills.
About Madhuri Deshmukh
Madhuri Deshmukh is a school counselor at Denver Waldorf School. She graduated from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, earning her Master’s in Counseling Psychology – School Counseling and Mental Health. During the last three years, she worked as a school counselor in Douglas County School District. Before her previous job as a school counselor, she served as a counseling intern for almost two years in an alternative, Positive Behavioral Intervention Support (PBIS) research school in Pennsylvania. She served students with emotional difficulties and special educational needs on Tier III level emotional and behavioral support. She also comes from the extensive experience of her work with children with trauma, neglect, and abuse. In addition to her work at The Denver Waldorf School, she is a clinical intern with a nonprofit organization that offers mental health services to underserved families and children. She grew up in India and is close to her family, home, and culture. Madhuri likes to volunteer for various causes, hang out with friends, shop, travel, and explore new places and cultures in her free time. She is passionate about mental health and is grateful to have the opportunity to work with children.
About The Denver Waldorf School
The Denver Waldorf School is an urban pre-K through 12 independent school in Colorado. Founded in 1974 on Rudolf Steiner’s humanitarian curriculum, DWS believes education should foster what it is to be human, cultivate lifelong curiosity, and inspire a love for the world. We are currently enrolling for in-person learning:
Want to learn more about us? Learn more about our in-person and virtual events, read our blog, or take a listen to our podcast.
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