SUPPORTING GROWTH

“Prepare your child for the road, not the road for the child”

Jonathan Haidt & Greg Lukianoff

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Fixed Mindset

“You believe your talents and abilities are set in stone. You must prove yourself over and over, trying to look smart and talented at all costs.”

Carol Dweck, Mindset, 2006

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“You know that talents can be developed and that great abilities are built over time. You believe that your qualities can be cultivated through your efforts.”

Carol Dweck, Mindset, 2006

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Growth Mindset

Discussion Question

What is an area in which you once had low ability

but can now perform quite well?

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How were you able to make this change?

Children’s self-beliefs about their abilities and the degree of control they have significantly impact their motivation and accomplishment

Indicators of Mindset

Academic Report:

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“The quality of his work is high, he just needs to work on the quantity”

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“Andrew is a pleasant member of the class. His work would benefit

from him being less anxious.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flkjMuaKYQU

Continuum of Mindset

Fixed Growth

Areas of ability:

• Maths
• Music
• Art
• Language
• Sport…

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Indicators of Mindset:

• Skills
• Challenge
• Effort
• Feedback
• Setback
• Other’s success

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• Language you use
• Success
• Failure
• Modelling
• Your mindset

Fostering a Growth Mindset

The Power of Feedback�

The purpose of effective feedback is to help your child learn and grow

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Impact of Praise

Mueller & Dweck, 1998

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400

Students

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10 Question

IQ Test

Effort

92% harder option

Intelligence

67% easier option

Impact of Praise

Mueller & Dweck, 1998

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Effort

• Worked harder
• Worked for longer
• Enjoyed it more

Intelligence

• Became frustrated easily
• Gave up early

Impact of Praise

Mueller & Dweck, 1998

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Effort

Intelligence

- 20%

+ 30%

Not All Praise Is The Same�

Person praise

• “You are so smart”, “You are a natural”…
• Global assessment based on specific behaviours
• Can promote FIXED mindset

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Process praise

• “You worked so hard to learn this”…
• Focuses on effort and strategy
• Can promote GROWTH mindset

“If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. That way, their children don’t have to be slaves to praise. They will have a lifelong way to build and repair their own confidence.” Carol Dweck

Messages About Failure

Dweck, 2006

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What would you do if you were Elizabeth’s parents?

• Tell Elizabeth you thought she was the best
• Tell her she was robbed of a ribbon that was hers
• Reassure her that gymnastics is not that important
• Tell her she has the ability and will win next time
• Tell her she didn’t deserve to win

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Comfort Zone

Comfort zone

Panic zone

Discomfort zone

(Learning)

Haimovitz & Dweck, 2016

Parent’s beliefs about failure

Parent’s response to child’s failure

Child’s mindset

“Failure is demotivating. It hurts learning and growth”

“Failure is motivating. It helps performance and productivity”

Focus on child proving their ability through performance

Focus on improving and the process of learning

Fixed mindset

Growth mindset

Model a Growth Mindset

• When you struggle or face a setback, focus on your potential to improve

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• Highlight that learning is difficult and struggling is normal
• Point out your own growth and development

CAN’T… YET…

Do people with a growth mindset believe that anyone can be anything?

NO!

A person’s potential is not unlimited but it is unknown

Summary

Learning can be challenging and requires effort

Teach your children how to learn from mistakes

Feedback helps us to improve

Praise the process more than the person

Potential is not unlimited but it is unknown