Video summary
Ethan has cerebral palsy, a medical condition that affects his movement and coordination. He's also an adaptive surfer and is training to go to the world adaptive championships in California. In this short film Ethan shares his experiences of using a growth mindset to learn new things.
Teacher Notes
You can keep your brain growing by continuing to learn new skills.
This is called neuroplasticity.
The more you practise something, the stronger the connections in the brain become.
When you learn something new, it can also help to give your wellbeing a boost.
Mastering a new skill can help you to feel motivated and positive.
Using the film
This is one of five filmed interviews about wellbeing and developing a growth mindset.
They can be shown in any order and are designed to encourage students to think about their own wellbeing, and how they can learn to build good habits to support their mental health and develop a positive attitude.
Classroom Ideas
Students are learning every day at school in the classroom, but what other sorts of learning do they do?
Encourage students to have discussions about what they learn from their hobbies or the activities they do outside school.
Explore the idea of neuroplasticity and explain how the brain changes when people learn new things.
Encourage them to reflect on skills and abilities they have developed that were hard to begin with.
For example, how was it the first time they rode a bike or tried to write their name? What helped them to improve?
Ask your students to write about the things they would like to learn to do but haven鈥檛 mastered yet. What are the small steps they can take to keep working towards these goals?
Dan - Connect with others. video
Dan has Asperger Syndrome, also known as Asperger's, and sometimes finds it difficult to connect with people. In this short film he shares his experiences of learning magic, using his growth mindset, and using magic tricks to help him connect with other people.
Kristana - Be active. video
In this short film Kristana explains how weightlifting has helped her to feel better about herself, develop confidence in school and overcome challenges.
Mjd - Give to others video
In this short film Mjd explains how he used a growth mindset to learn English, and how he 'gives to others鈥 by translating for his classmates and helping them learn.
Rachel - Take notice. video
In this short film Rachel shares how she takes notice of the issues that are happening around her and how she tries to make a positive change.