Growth Mindset

Between two students, one with the motivation to persevere after a mistake and one who refuses to try when an assignment “looks hard,” which do you think is more likely to achieve academically?

Even without any other information, it is clear that the first student - the one with a growth mindset - is better equipped to keep striving for success. Students with a growth mindset believe that they can learn to complete tasks, solve complex problems, or grow their intelligence, rather than assuming they “can” or “cannot” do something based on their current abilities.

In contrast,fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence and talents are static, leading students to believe that their potential for success is based on whether they currently possess the required abilities. These students are often tempted to give up when things get hard - they may run from challenges, see mistakes as failures, or approach success differently to their classmates with a growth mindset.

By implementing simple activities and providing opportunities for students to develop the skills necessary to meet challenges head-on, we can help students find confidence in their academic journey and create an environment that promotes growth mindset.

I have developed this lesson to use with both tutors and students; young people and adults. I have found the issues raised and shared with each other are quite thought provoking and provide a good insight for the tutor about their learners; how students perceive threats and challenges and how to work with those identified challenges.