By: Jesse Martindale, Assistant Teacher; Maggie Bello, Chief Academic Officer; Lesley Riddick, Special Education Teacher; and Erika Delgado, Spanish Teacher

In 167 AD the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius drafted a now notorious text on what could easily be described as a promotional piece for the growth mindset. Among this piece entitled, The Meditations, he wrote, “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” Aurelius believed that when one accepts an obstacle instead of avoiding it then they position themselves to benefit in a far more meaningful way. This seemingly simple concept is increasingly relevant in modern times. It’s known as the growth mindset and many are adopting it in schools and educational communities across the world, and with good reason. The psychological research supporting the growth mindset is advancing, but even more exciting are the results in classrooms when it is put into action. At Two Rivers Public Charter school we act intentionally in order to cultivate a growth mindset in our students.