Let's continue our conversation RE: nurturing growth mindset!
Here is tip #2:
2. Make mistakes a normal part of learning.
As musicians, most of us are perfectionists. This is one of the reasons why we are able to spends hours on end in practice rooms, repeating a same phrase over and over again until it is "perfect." Unfortunately, sometimes the desire to be "perfect" can be hindering our growth, making us avoid mistakes in public by not challenging ourselves. When I make a mistake, I admit it immediately and openly: "That's my fault, I'll do better." After I correct myself, I make a comment like "ok, that was clearer, right?", acknowledging my own improvement. I'm not doing this to congratulate myself. (Ok, maybe a little bit..) Instead, I'm trying to model how to acknowledge a mistake, make an adjustment, and recognize our own progress. It's important to show students that we can hold ourselves accountable without beating ourselves up over every little mistake.
When the students are struggling, it's important to not rescue them immediately or interpret their mistake as lack of talent. It's more helpful if you can help identify what they can learn from it. Some of the questions you could ask are: "what is so difficult about this passage? how can we practice it?" or "How can we do differently next time?"
We're not here to pretend mistakes feel good but to demonstrate that you can learn A LOT from mistakes. By modeling this behavior, we can send a message that mistakes aren't something to be ashamed of or afraid of. They're a normal part of learning, and you can have the most meaningful growth during this process.
