Growth Mindset
This term we are introducing pupils to the idea of having a Growth Mindset.
This is an approach to school and lifelong learning that we would like to encourage at home as well as at school.
What is Growth Mindset?
We used to think that our intelligence was fixed – meaning we were either smart or we weren’t. Scientists have proven that is simply not true. Our brain acts like a muscle, the more we use it the stronger (smarter) it becomes.
What does a Growth Mindset look like?
A person with a growth mindset may do these things-
- Embrace challenges
- Learn from feedback
- Give their best effort
- Never give up
- Become inspired by other people’s success
The brain can grow!
We want to help the children develop a growth mindset outlook in all they do. You can support this by reminding your child that their intelligence is not fixed. Remind them that when things are difficult their brain grows if they persist through the challenge. Each time they learn something new their brain is making new connections.
It is really good to praise effort and praise learning, rather than praising them for being clever or being brilliant.
A Few Mind Shifting Tips for Cultivating a Growth Mindset at Home
Help children get curious about mistakes. Help them reframe a mistake as new information or as a step in the process of learning. In addition, help them incorporate self-correction in their own learning process.
Help children talk back to negative self-talk with a growth mindset voice (i.e. give them language),
- I am willing to learn new skills to improve, and I know it will hard at times.
- I get better and better with practice, this is hard, but will get easier.
Avoid labels and give growth-mindset praise
- Don’t label yourself in ways that model a “fixed mindset” (e.g., I’m a terrible cook….I was never good at maths.”)
- Praise and value effort, practice, self-correction, and persistence.
- Don’t shelter your child from a failed task. Ask “What can you learn from this experience? What could you try differently the next time?”
If you want to find out more information about Growth Mindset, a good websites to start with is