“I guess I’m stupid. I just can’t learn this stuff.”
As a librarian, I’ve heard sentiments like this expressed many times by people trying to learn something new to them. My gut response is, of course, “You’re NOT stupid, and you CAN learn this.” But I’m immediately tuned in to what’s hiding behind their self-deprecating statement: fear, frustration, discouragement, shame, desperation, embarrassment, resignation.
What’s more, I know that their mental block will be the hardest obstacle they’ll have to overcome. As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.”
In her book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” Carol Dweck calls this “I’m stupid” mentality a fixed mindset. She cites experiments that explored the outcomes of praising children’s intelligence. “Praise… really does give them a boost, a special glow – but only for the moment. The minute they hit a snag, their confidence goes out the window and their motivation hits rock bottom. If success means they’re smart, then failure means they’re dumb. That’s the fixed mindset.”
Instead, Dweck says, we should focus on a growth mindset, which is characterized by “the passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well.”
Many people believe that the learning process is a linear upward progression. You keep getting better and better until you get the gold star, right? Well, no. On the contrary, a normal learning curve looks like many of the country roads around Botetourt – winding and looping, with ups and downs and plateaus.
Rest assured that your local librarians understand that learning isn’t easy. It’s scary and joyous, frustrating and exhilarating by turns. We should know, because we must stay in constant learning mode in order to help our patrons on their own learning journeys.
We’re not just librarians; we’re teachers, tour guides, counselors and cheerleaders. Perhaps more than anyone else, we know that despite that feeling of isolation, you’re not alone – because we see everyone else struggling too. We respect your dignity, guard your privacy and recognize your innate value as a human being and fellow community member. Our focus is on helping you reach your goals, whether that’s finding the right book, pointing you to a free online class or walking you through technology skills.
The public library has been called “the People’s University.” We work to ensure that everyone in the community has access to learning resources for free. Try taking an online course in almost anything with Universal Class. Search for the right books, audiobooks or other materials at RVL.info. Look for in-person workshops in our calendar of events at BOCOLibraries.info. Ask a librarian for guidance to find the right learning tools for your situation.
The next time you hit a bump in your learning journey, say this aloud: “How interesting!” Then go the library. We’ll help you find more tools to tackle the challenge, and we’ll stand firmly in your corner and cheer you on.
Yes, you can!
~ Julie Phillips
Botetourt County Library Director
