Building an Ensemble of Growth

In this article, Tran shares his experience creating an ensemble of growth and developing students with a greater growth mindset. Acknowledging that the idea of a growth mindset comes from the work of Carol Dweck, the researcher shares the difference between a “fixed” and a “growth” mindset. A fixed mindset is a belief that abilities and intelligence cannot be significantly developed, and a growth mindset is a belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed with effort, learning, and dedication. Dweck shares that “students with a growth mindset have better intrinsic motivation, self-esteem, and perseverance. To achieve this sense of growth, Tran’s five steps are:

1. Prove it. Where’s the evidence?

2. Create goals to grow toward.

3. Put in the work.

4. Evaluate execution and provide feedback.

5. Self-assessment: Where am I, and where do I want to be?

Prove it. Where’s the evidence? Tran shares that he begins the school year with a lesson on the human brain and how our brains learn. While students may wonder how this connects to an ensemble rehearsal, he thinks, “If you walk the same path every day for thirty days, you start to create a track, and each day the walk becomes easier.” This is how our body works when we begin a new activity.” The evidence shown here is that understanding our brain and how our body learns is crucial to building an environment of growth.

Create goals to grow toward. Tran recommends crafting goals using the S.M.A.R.T acronym. S.M.A.R.T stands for specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time-bound. This acronym gives a clear objective and is easily assessed for achievement.

Put in the work. This is the moment to work on your craft and goals and find ways of differentiating your instruction.

Evaluate execution and provide feedback. For Tran, this is the moment where feedback can either hinder or facilitate growth. Feedback is the way students adjust to achieve proper execution. Finding multiple ways of explaining an idea allows numerous avenues for students to understand the feedback provided.

Self-assessment: Where am I, and where do I want to be? The final step is a review of the completed task. This can be from a simple show of the hands of understanding to a written self-reflection. Three simple questions to consider progress are:

1. Where am I?

2. Where do I want to be?

3. What do I need to do to get there?

A growth mindset in an ensemble setting is essential for fostering continuous improvement, resilience, and a collaborative environment. It motivates students to engage deeply in their learning, view feedback constructively, and persist through challenges. This mindset encourages a positive attitude towards effort and progress, leading to enhanced vocal and performance skills. By valuing the process of learning and emphasizing that abilities can be developed through dedication and heard work, a growth mindset helps create a uspportive and motivated ensemble, ultimately improving overall performance quality.