Taking a Risk

struggle. They believe that learning, at least in school, is not for them. The responsibility for changing the language and culture of the classroom falls on both students and teachers alike, but with these students, it’s up to the teacher to take the lead. According to Carol Dweck (2016) in her book Mindset:

Even when you think you’re not good at something you can still plunge into it wholeheartedly and stick to it. Actually, you sometimes plunge into something because you’re not good at it. This is a wonderful feature of growth mindset. (p. 53)

It takes time to change a mindset, but with patience, students will believe that they can achieve. The growth mindset is not just a switch that flips and is suddenly permanent for learners. All students slip into a fixed mindset from time to time. Finding the way out is the critical next step, and teachers help students take that step.

Taking a Risk

Language must support risk taking in the classroom, because there is always an element of risk when learning something new. Frederick Wilcox (Quoteland.com, n.d.) puts it this way, “Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.” Risk taking can be challenging for students, and there are usually moments of uncomfortable apprehension throughout a student’s school experience, but understanding that they will feel this way from time to time invites a play from a coach’s playbook.

Teachers and coaches alike want to get the most out of their pupils and when fear arises, the time comes to turn it into productive action. Language at these moments must reiterate that risk taking in the classroom is safe, which starts with conversations about learning and growth. These kinds of conversations help students develop confidence and know that it is not a question of if they will learn. Rather, learners are secure and know that learning will happen, and they have support during the process. For example, a student who has long struggled with writing is ready to turn in a first draft of an essay. The teacher has taken the time to get to know the student and is aware of the fear that accompanies this action. The student is afraid of judgment; he has had negative experiences in the past. When the teacher is aware of the situation, coaching and reassuring the student make all the difference. A verbal reminder that learning is ongoing, and this is just a first attempt with many to follow, can change the dynamic in a short amount of time. After all, “risk-taking students are those who love to learn for learning’s sake. . . . Any student can love to learn, given the right circumstances” (Chiang, 2017). Providing such circumstances—those that support risk taking and are supportive—is of utmost importance for teachers, and changing the language is an essential first step.