As we prepare to transition from 2024 to 2025, there are a couple of “buzz words” that stand out: growth mindset and neurodiversity. But what exactly do these words mean? Let’s break them down and explain. In this current blog post, we’ll dive into the concept of growth mindset; what it means, why it is important, and how it can set your child up for future success.
What is a Growth Mindset?
A growth mindset is a belief that an individual’s abilities and intelligence can be developed and improved through effort, learning, and persistence. From this perspective, challenges are seen as opportunities to grow and learn rather than obstacles to overcome. A growth mindset contrasts with a “fixed mindset”, which views abilities as innate and unchangeable–something you are born with or without. The concept of a growth mindset was popularized by Carol Dweck, a psychologist who described that children who believed their abilities could improve through hard work tended to achieve more than those who believed their skills were unchangeable.
Why is a Growth Mindset Important?
While the idea of a growth mindset makes sense, why is it important? A growth mindset has a number of advantages:
Boosts Resilience. Individuals who flex their growth mindset see failure not as a reflection of their abilities or themselves, but as a chance to improve and grow. This leads to great perseverance and helps bounce back from setbacks. It can help us focus on what we can learn from a situation. While we might still feel discouraged, it can help focus on what to do differently next time.
Encourages Lifelong Learning. When individuals believe they can improve through practice, they are more likely to take on challenges and keep learning, even throughout the course of their lifetimes. This love for learning can extend beyond academics and into other areas: social skills or personal development.
Improves Academic Achievement. Research shows that children who adopt a growth mindset perform better academically because they are more likely to persist when things get hard. They focus on the process rather than the outcome, developing problem solving skills that can lead to greater success. For individuals with learning or attention differences, this can be hugely beneficial!
Develops a Positive Attitude Toward Effort. When individuals understand that effort leads to progress, they start to value hard work. Instead of relying solely on natural talent, that they have or don’t, they can focus on the hard work that leads to improvement. This attitude can help a student take ownership of their learning journey and develop a strong work ethic.
Fosters a Sense of Self-Efficacy. A growth mindset instills the belief that we have control over our own successes. By working hard, overcoming challenges and recognizing their own progress toward their goals, individuals can build confidence in their ability to handle future difficulties.
As parents, we play a key role in helping our child develop a growth mindset. Here are some practical tips.
Praise Effort, Not Just Results. Rather than praising your child for getting the right answer, focus on the effort they put in to reach the solution. For example, you might say, “You worked hard on that math problem” or “You took a break and came back strong”. This reinforces the idea that effort leads to improvement.
Encourage Persistence. When your child faces a challenge, remind them that it is okay to struggle and that persistence is key. Consider sharing examples of people who succeeded after many attempts: such as Harriet Tubman who worked hard as a conductor of the underground railroad or Thomas Edison when inventing the lightbulb. Consider reading: She Persisted has stories of 13 women throughout history who persisted.
Normalize Mistakes. Make sure your child knows that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process. Teach them that every mistake is an opportunity to learn and grow. Consider reading: The Girl Who Made a Million Mistakes
Model a Growth Mindset: Children learn by example, so model a growth mindset in your own life. Share your challenges and how you’ve overcome them, whether it’s learning a new skill, solving a problem, or responding to a daily setback. For example, maybe while making cinnamon rolls, you spill the flour all over the counter (and the floor and your sweater). You might want to say some choice, colorful words or stomp away or cry (or all of the above). As an alternative, you could take a breath and say, “That did not go as planned” before cleaning up and continuing on. (This event may have happened in real life and may have included everyone pitching in together to help with the clean up and making of said cinnamon rolls).
Helpful Resources to Foster a Growth Mindset.
Now that you are considering or committed to developing a growth mindset, here are some resources to help you on this journey.
Mindset Works. Founded by Carol Dweck, this website offers research-back resources for fostering a growth mindset in children (https://www.mindsetworks.com).
The Power of Yet by Carol Dweck. Watch Carol Dweck explain the concept of a growth mindset in this simple yet powerful video. It’s a great resource to share with your child and can make a growth mindset more relatable (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-swZaKN2Ic).
ClassDojo. This popular app helps parents, teachers, and students connect and it includes a special focus on developing a growth mindset. It features a growth mindset series that teaches kids to embrace challenges. (https://www.classdojo.com).
The Growth Mindset University Podcast. For parents looking to dive deeper into the concept of a growth mindset, this podcast offers insights and interviews with experts on how to cultivate resilience and persistence. (https://www.growthmindsetuniversity.com)
BrainPOP. This educational platform offers videos and activities that teach kids about a growth mindset and how it applies to various aspects of their lives (https://www.brainpop.com).
A growth mindset has many positives, it helps your child develop resilience, confidence, and curiosity about challenges. By focusing on effort, embracing mistakes, and encouraging persistence, you are helping to lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning and growth.
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