Growth Mindset

Growth Mindset

People who think their talents can be explored and developed through work and logical thinking and planning have a growth mindset. Generally they tend to achieve more than those with a more fixed mindset. Although hard work and persistence can help you achieve, it all comes down to the underlying belief that you are in control of your own destiny. 

For those with a fixed mindset their focus is to look clever and appear organised and talented when they don't actually think about the work and the effort needed for the work. In a fixed mindset, effort is a bad thing (if you make effort it's a sign you don't have ability). Study shows that praising children's intelligence puts them in a fixed mindset. This communicates that they have reached praise level, and there is nothing beyond that... no more learning needed. Praise phrases like.. "you must be really smart " praises the intelligence. Whereas phrases like "you must have tried really hard" praises the process. Praising intelligence can cause loss of confidence. Praising confidence causes performance to flourish.

This concept of fixed mindset and growth mindset is all very new to me although I've learned so much already. Carol Dweck made some great points, also she is a very good speaker. She was very 'to the point' and particularly informative. I definitely agree with the points she made about the way teachers and parents praise their children has an impact on their educational mindset.