When Challenges Become an Opportunity for Growth
Written by Mr. Alex Castro, Principal
“Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance.” ~ Samuel Johnson, English Writer
Do you remember when the simplest tasks were the ones you could mindlessly complete? For instance, walking into a store and not feeling the pressure of having to wear a mask. Now, you have to go back to your car and get that mask if you forgot it on your way in. Our new normal, as a result of living during a pandemic, brings new considerations for what was once a simple task or routine. Those considerations are specifically tied to the safety of self and others. As adults, we’re able to separate these moments from past experiences and see the whole picture, yet we require our children to adhere to the same mindset in the midst of developmental stages that may contradict the very ‘reasonable’ reactions that we have as adults. I’d like to take a moment to look at where a typical middle school student is in their development.
Reflecting on my own experience as a middle school student, I vividly remember an awkward, gangling young man who would worry about what others thought of him. It lent itself to a lot of insecurities that were accompanied by negative thoughts about myself and my abilities. So essentially, I was a normal teenager. I had a hard time separating what I thought from the reality of what was happening. Everything was exasperated to new heights because, in the midst of the hormonal changes that my body was going through, my brain was also changing. I was entering the phase of development of formalized thinking, or the formal operational stage.
Whether in the classroom, recess or times of worship together, students are encouraged to consider the newness or change around them or challenges that face them as opportunities for growth and maturation as young people who love God.
The formal operational stage begins at approximately age twelve and lasts into adulthood. As adolescents enter this stage, they gain the ability to think in an abstract manner by manipulating ideas in their head, without any dependence on concrete manipulation (1). In short, adolescents are separating what is fact and what is fiction on their own. They are beginning to formalize what they know to be true based upon what is in front of them and not merely what they have been told. They are better able to think critically. They can think through problems that normally children would need the assistance of an adult. The issue comes when the adolescent is not properly guided. It is important to think of this stage as we interact with our moment and how a pandemic can stunt growth...if we let it.
In comes the theory of growth mindset to combat this stunting of growth. Growth mindset holds that an individual will put forth more effort, and thus lead to higher achievement, if they believe that their brain is more malleable (2), or that it can be shaped and grown. During the course of the impact that COVID-19 has presented, we find ourselves in a place as a nation looking forward to the unseen impact this historical moment will have on the future. This is where theories like growth mindset come into play.
At the Academy we incorporate the growth mindset into our K-12 curriculum. Students learn that in challenging moments, there is opportunity to grow. The book of James teaches us that we should even count such trials as joy (James 1:2-3). So then, the question is, “why?” Why encourage our students to embrace failure and struggle? The answer is simple. If we can teach our students to have strong emotion management skills and see their trial as an opportunity for growth, they are better prepared to face difficult situations and grow in endurance with clarity and understanding that they are exactly what scripture tells us in James...mature and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:4). If I could go back and talk to that young man I was in Jr High, I’d tell him to embrace the struggle, lean on the Lord, and know that through that struggle you’re building your endurance and find the joy in your growth.
(1) McLeod, S. A. (2010, December 14). Formal operational stage. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/formal-operational.html
(2) Decades of Scientific Research that Started a Growth Mindset Revolution. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/
