Sophomores were recently introduced to the “Power of Yet” and the concept of growth mindset during a counseling lesson during gym periods in the end of March led by Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Grausz. This presentation covered executive functioning skills and gave students the opportunity to reflect on study habits, self-control, and time management. They started by showing a quick TED-Talk about “The Power of Yet” which explained how you can accomplish so much more by simply saying, “I can not do this yet.” Then, Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Grausz led an activity called “Yeti or Not-Yeti” which had students move to different sides of the room to represent what they would do in specific situations and helped them determine if they were ready or not ready yet.

The counselors decided to present about this area of discussion because they find its a place many students tend to struggle in. They all meet with students who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty staying organized, but they realize there are probably many others who need advice who just haven’t asked for it yet. “We wanted to take a more proactive approach to addressing a student need that is common within our school,” says Mrs. Stanley.

Besides this presentation, the Oakton staff tries to encourage students during academic or personal hardships, and the school has many resources to support overwhelmed students(If you need help, reach out to a counselor). Mrs. Stanley says, “We hope to have the message of “The Power of Yet” displayed more prominently throughout the school next year,” which continues the theme of improvement both personally and as a school community.

This presentation brought awareness to the importance of growth mindset. This reformed way of thinking can “allow yourself an opportunity to overcome things that have been difficult in the past,” says Mrs. Stanley. Recognizing that you can make progress can significantly help you succeed. However, “it will not happen on its own,” explains Mrs. Stanley, you will need to commit to changing your mindset. However, it is worth a shot; fixed mindsets limit your ability to progress. It’s important to remember that there is no limit to what you can learn or do, so you can always be continuing to learn and build upon previous skills.

The best way to start implementing a growth mindset into your daily life is to reconsider your thinking and add “yet” into negative or fixed thoughts. Although it will not happen immediately, incorporating “yet” into your life will bring results; with practice, comes progress.

Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Grausz loved presenting about this and were glad to hear all of the feedback the students provided; they will use this to further the effectiveness of their presentations in the future. If you are feeling overwhelmed in this fourth-quarter final stretch, you should consider changing your mindset because the possibilities truly are endless.