What's JOY Got to Do With It?

As we welcome the arrival of spring, we are reminded of the beauty of new beginnings and the resilience of nature. Spring is a time of growth, renewal, and perseverance - qualities that are particularly relevant in these current times.

As we continue to navigate through challenges of life, often made more complex as a result of the pandemic, it is important to remember that perseverance and productive struggle are key to overcoming obstacles and achieving our goals. The struggles we face may seem daunting, but it is in the face of adversity that we find our strength and resilience.

Wishing you a productive and fulfilling spring season.

In this month's newsletter, we will explore themes of spring: growth, perseverance, and productive struggle, and how they can inspire us to embrace change and overcome challenges. We will share ways to cultivate these in the classroom, as well as how to leverage them in leadership in an effort to embrace the spirit of spring, and approach each day with determination, resilience, and the belief that we can overcome any challenge that comes our way.

The purpose of productive struggle is to help individuals develop a growth mindset and build resilience by embracing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth. Productive struggle is a process of engaging in challenging tasks that are just beyond one's current level of ability, and persisting through the difficulties to eventually achieve success.

When students engage in productive struggle, they are not only developing skills and knowledge, but also building capacity to to be problem solvers and resilient thinkers (VBCPS Graduate Profile), as well as learning to persevere through difficult situations. This is particularly important in today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, where the ability to adapt to new situations and challenges is critical for their success beyond high school.

Through productive struggle, students develop a sense of agency and confidence in their ability to tackle difficult tasks, and ultimately achieve our goals. The key to productive struggle is in a growth mindset which helps students view challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning, rather than as roadblocks to our success.

Teachers can help students engage in and appreciate productive struggle by creating a supportive learning environment that encourages students to take risks and learn from their mistakes. For ASCD’s Barbara Baldwin, productive struggle is the "sweet spot" in between scaffolding and support. Rather than immediately helping students at the first sign of trouble, Baldwin advocates that we should allow them to work through struggles independently before we offer assistance. “That may sound counterintuitive, since many of us assume that helping students learn means protecting them from negative feelings of frustration.” (Productive Struggle is a Learner’s Sweet Spot, 2018).

For students to become independent learners, they must learn to persist in the face of challenges using a growth mindset, a key skill within the SEL competency of self-awareness (VBCPS SEL Framework). When students are encouraged to view challenges as opportunities to grow and learn, they are more likely to engage in productive struggle, navigate challenges with resilience and determination and ultimately, persevere.

Dr. Cristina Compton, the Director of Program Development at Columbia University’s Center for the Professional Education of Teachers outlines look fors and listen fors to help identify if students are in the sweet spot of struggle that is productive.

When students are in a no struggle zone, it might look like and sound like:

• Finishing quickly and having nothing to do

• Statements like, “This is kid stuff,” or “This is super easy.”

When it comes to the destructive struggle zone, we might observe students who:

• Don’t get started on a task

• Chat, stare off into space, or other exhibit other off-task behaviors

• Communicate things like: “This is boring,” or “I don’t know what to do,” or even “I’m not doing this!”

In contrast, when students are in a zone of productive struggle, we are likely to see them:

• Work for a bit, maybe ask a question or two, and then ask for help

• Share statements like: “I think I get it, but can you help me with…

-from Using Data to Promote Productive Struggle

• Provide challenging tasks: Teachers can provide tasks that are just beyond their students' current level of ability. These tasks should be challenging enough to push students out of their comfort zones, but not so difficult that they feel overwhelmed or discouraged. This can help students develop a sense of confidence and a willingness to take risks. In the The Edutopia’s 2020 article “The Neuroscience Behind Productive Struggle”, Rishi Sriram shares research that shows that challenging tasks spur the production of myelin, a substance that increases the strength of brain signals

• Normalize mistakes: Teachers can create a classroom culture that normalizes mistakes and failure as a necessary part of the learning process. When students are encouraged to view mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow, they are more likely to engage in productive struggle and take risks.

• Encourage reflection: Teachers can encourage students to reflect on their learning and the process they used to complete a task. This can help students develop metacognitive skills, which enable them to think about their own thinking and learning. Through reflection, students can identify areas where they struggled and come up with strategies for improvement.

• Provide timely feedback: Teachers can provide feedback that is constructive and focused on growth. Feedback should be specific, timely, and encourage students to reflect on their learning. This can help students see their struggles as opportunities for growth and improvement.

Adapted from:

- How to Foster a Growth Mindset in the Classroom, American University School of Education, 2020

- What Is Productive Struggle in the Classroom?, HMH, 2022.

Leadership is not an easy task, and leaders must be able to navigate complex situations, manage diverse teams, and adapt to changing circumstances. Engaging in productive struggle can help leaders develop the skills and mindset necessary to handle these challenges with greater ease and confidence. Through productive struggle, leaders can learn to embrace failure as a necessary step in the learning process. They can develop problem-solving skills, which help them to identify and address issues in their teams and organizations. They can also develop a growth mindset, which enables them to view challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth and improvement.

Leaders who engage in productive struggle can model these qualities for their teams, inspiring them to take on challenges with a positive attitude and a sense of determination. When leaders are open about their struggles and the lessons they have learned, they create an environment where team members feel safe to take risks and learn from their mistakes.

An example of productive struggle in leadership could be a leader who is faced with a difficult decision that requires a new level of strategic thinking. The leader may not have all the information or experience necessary to make the decision with confidence, but they know that they must act in the best interest of the team or organization. Instead of avoiding the decision or relying solely on their intuition, the leader engages in productive struggle by seeking out advice and feedback from colleagues, researching best practices, and considering multiple perspectives. They may also take the time to reflect on their own biases and assumptions, and work to develop a deeper understanding of the situation.

Through this process of struggle, the leader gains new insights and perspectives that help them make a more informed decision. They also develop problem-solving skills and a growth mindset that can be applied to future challenges. In sharing their process with their team, the leader models the importance of productive struggle and demonstrates the value of taking a thoughtful, deliberate approach to decision-making. The team learns that it is okay to struggle and seek out help, and that the process of struggle can lead to better outcomes in the long run. By embracing the process of struggle, leaders can become more effective in their roles and create a culture of growth and resilience within their organizations.

In the professional learning resources section of the SEL Stockpile, VBCPS employees have access to many research-based strategies shared in the Panorama Playbook. VBCPS employees will need to click on the blue log-in bar to sign in with Google using their VBCPS log-in to access all the resources in the playbook.

One resource located in the Panorama Playbook that can help students and adults practice use a growth mindset is an activity called “Growth Circles.” This low-lift activity can help educators foster self-efficacy, build a growth mindset, and hone professional goal-setting skills while building their capacity to model these skills for students. Growth Circles can be adapted for use with secondary students as well. Growth Circles include a Goal Statement (something that you hope to be able to do or improve at), a “Can Do” circle (all the things you can do related to the goal), a “Not Yet” circle (all the things you cannot yet do related to the goal), and a Strategy Statement (one or two things that you can do in the short-term to expand or grow your Can-Do Circle). To view a facilitator’s guide for this activity, click here. More growth mindset activities can be found by accessing the full Panorama Playbook.

from " Practical Optimism in the Face of Challenges" beginning on page 67.

VBCPS Employees can access Developing Growth Mindsets in Virtual Reference Library

using their VBCPS log-in credentials.

Link to full book

from "Can Struggling Be Good for Students?" chapter beginning on page 22.

VBCPS Employees can access Making Sense of Math in Virtual Reference Library

using their VBCPS log-in credentials.

Link to full book

For more information, contact the Office of Professional Growth and Innovation of Virginia Beach City Public Schools at pgi@vbschools.com or 757.263.6972.