Growth Mindset

Strategies
“I’m not good at this.”
“I’ll never be that smart”
“I’m not smart enough.”
“I made a mistake.”
“ I don’t get it”
“I’ll never understand math.”
This is what they call a fixed mindset.

Learners with a fixed mindset believe they’re:

 ‘smart’ or ‘dumb’,

 talented at something: painting, music or football, or not.

They often believe the world is made of some gifted people, whom
the rest admire from the sidelines.
Learners with a growth mindset appreciate that
anyone can build themselves into anything
they want to be.

They recognise that people aren’t ‘smart’ or ‘dumb’, that there are no
talented geniuses; only hard-working people who have chosen to
take their abilities to the next level.
Case Study – Stanford University

This group children were told that every time they learn
something new their brain forms new connections, and that
over time their intellectual abilities can be developed.

Learners who believed their intelligence could be developed (a

growth mindset) outperformed those who believed their
intelligence was fixed (a fixed mindset).

How can we change those with a fixed mindset?

1.Praise , but be mindful to praise the right way
“You’re so smart.”
Praising children’s intelligence may boost their confidence for a brief moment, but
it only gives them a fixed view of intelligence.

This can make them afraid of challenges and lose confidence when tasks
become hard. The result is plummeting performance in the face of difficulty

“You must have worked really hard for this test, and your dedication is
reflected in your grade.”

Research shows that praising the process—children’s effort or strategies—creates

eagerness for challenges, persistence in the face of difficulty, and enhanced
performance
By emphasising effort, we
give children something they
can control.

They come to see themselves

as in control of their success
The POWER of YET….

The phrases are a constant reminder

that deep understanding takes time.
The learners need to be reminded that
they need the gift of time to ask more
questions, work with peers or teachers,
or consult additional resources to
master the material.
The word YET lead to strategies, and
the words gives hope.
Here are some more tips that can help you promote a growth mindset with kids:

1. Help the learners understand that the brain works like a muscle,
that can only grow through hard work, determination, and lots of practice.

2. Don’t tell learners they are smart, gifted, or talented.

This implies that they were born with the knowledge, and does not encourage effort
and growth.

3. Let children know when they demonstrate a growth mindset.

4. Praise the process.

It’s effort, hard work and practice that allow children to achieve their true potential.
5. Don’t praise the results.
Test scores and rigid ways of measuring learning
and knowledge limit the growth that would
otherwise be tapped.

6. Embrace failures and missteps.

Children sometimes learn the most when they fail.
Let them know that mistakes are a big part of the
learning process. The harder the problem, the
more satisfying it is to find the solution.

.
7. Encourage participation and collaborative
group learning.
Learner learn best when they are immersed in a topic
and allowed to discuss and advance with their peers.

8. Encourage competency-based learning.

Get the learners excited about subject matter by
explaining why it is important and how it will help
them in the future.

The goal should never be to get the ‘correct’ answer,

but to understand the topic at a fundamental, deep
level, and want to learn more.
As teachers we need to assist them
to ownership of their learning

 I can’t do it yet, but I will

 I’m the boss of my mind, and I can tell it what to do
 My brain is a muscle, and mistakes are like lifting weights
 Winning doesn’t matter. Learning does.
 The more I try, the more my brain grows
 There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.