Thank you for all of your entries into the Growth Minded Educator Contest! The Growth Minded Educator of April is: Caresse Nguyen!

Congratulations to our winner, and thank you to all who participated!

Below is the winning entry to the contest question: "What is your favorite growth mindset moment or story from your classroom? We are looking for great quotes from students that show they are learning a growth mindset!":

"Returning to school should have a top spot on the top-ten list of human fears. All adult educators would agree that adult students' anxieties are high. Returning adult students have been out of school for a number of years, and many of them have had negative experiences with learning and school...

One of my students came to my classroom with a diploma already earned; however, she admitted that she didn't learn much in high school and was passed through. After learning about growth mindset and embracing it, she once told the class, "For the first time in my life, I am not afraid to come up to the white board and do a math problem. I am no longer afraid of making mistakes. This is huge for me." Other students tell me, "We are friends with math now." I remind them that math never changed, but it was their mindset that changed. We often discuss the power of the mindset and how a growth mindset can change the course of our lives. It's so exciting to watch students surprise themselves with all that they can learn and achieve."

About Caresse Nguyen

Currently I work at Castro Valley Adult and Career Education, SF Bay Area, and serve as Department Chair for the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program. I have had the privilege of teaching in numerous program areas such as ESL, Adults with Disabilities, Career and Technical Education, High School Diploma, and GED. I teach several classes in our Adult Basic Education program, which prepares students in learning the basic skills which are foundational for success in earning a GED or High School Diploma. I enjoy teaching math and seeing students light up as they "get it"! The best part of being an educator in an adult classroom is seeing students, who come in with fear and low self-esteem, make tremendous gains in learning and in their belief about their abilities. I have seen how this impacts their families, children, and careers. My husband and three children keep me motivated and inspired.