Payne Parent

Education:

Growth Mindset

Today’s Objectives

• Share Carol Dweck’s research on

Growth Mindset

• Reflect on personal mindset and its

impact

• Identify strategies to foster a growth

mindset within your child

Intelligence

What does intelligence

mean to you?

Carol Dweck and

Mindset Theory • Carol Dweck has conducted research over the

last 35 years with children and young adults.

• She is particularly interested in how pupils

view themselves as learners.

• Their self-theory is likely to have a major

effect on their self belief, motivation to learn

and resilience.

• Her theory is simple yet profound.

• Her research is world renowned and adopted

by parents, teachers, business leaders,

relationship experts and sports coaches. 4

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Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset

I want to make sure I succeed.

I believe my abilities are “fixed”.

Success = proving I’m smart or talented.

Failure means I’m not talented or good

enough.

I’m interested in outcomes.

I avoid challenges.

I thrive in safety – feeling smart or

talented.

My interest is kept by good results.

I find blame or excuses for mistakes and

setbacks.

I feel good enough …

... when I don’t make mistakes.

… when it’s perfect or when I win.

... When I can do it and others can’t.

I want to make sure I stretch and learn.

I believe my abilities can improve with

effort.

Success = stretching to learn something

new.

Failure is when I’m not growing.

I’m interested in the process, regardless

of the outcome.

I seek challenges.

I thrive when challenged or stretched.

My interest is kept by challenges.

I learn from mistakes and setbacks.

I feel good enough …

... when I try hard.

... when I start to figure it out.

... when I work hard and do something I

couldn’t do before.

Mindset Examples

Personal Reflection

Which mindset do you believe to

be closest to yours?

Your children?

Which mindset to you model?

Fixed Mindset in Children

• Research shows more girls have a fixed mindset than boys in math

• ‘Higher ability’ pupils often have a fixed mindset; having always received praise for being ‘smart’, they won’t take on further challenges for fear of losing that ‘smart’ label

• ‘Lower ability’ pupils with a fixed mindset perceive themselves as ‘not smart’ and only ever capable of tackling ‘easy’ tasks

• These children see ‘failure’ as something to be avoided, so stay firmly in their comfort zone

How are mindsets created?

Messages Children Hear

You say

“You learned that so quickly!

You’re so clever!” Child hears

If I don’t learn something

quickly, I’m not clever.

Messages Children Hear

You say

“Look at that drawing! Is he the

next Picasso or what?”

Child hears

I shouldn’t try drawing anything

hard or they’ll see I’m not.

Messages Children Hear

You say

“You are brilliant! You got an A

without studying.”

Child hears

I’d better stop studying or they

won’t think I’m brilliant.

INSTEAD OF … TRY THINKING…

I’m not good at this

I give up

It’s good enough

I can’t make this any better

This is too hard

I made a mistake

I just can’t do this

Plan A didn’t work

My friend can do it

What am I missing?

I’ll use a different strategy

Is this really my best work?

I can always improve

This may take some time

Mistakes help me to learn

I am going to train my brain

There’s always Plan B

I will learn from them

Fostering a Growth Mindset

Tell me more …

Be curious. Show an interest. Ask questions.

– Tell me about it.

– Show me more.

– How did you do that?

– How did you figure that out?

– How many ways did you try before it turned out

the way you wanted?

– Are you pleased with it?

– What do you think will happen if …

Praise the Process

• Well done – you’re learning to …

• Good – it’s making you think – that’s how your brain is growing!

• Every time you practice, you’re making the connections in your brain stronger.

• Have another go. Maybe this time you could..

• You’ve worked hard on this and you’ve succeeded because of…..x,y,z (success criteria)

• That picture has so many beautiful colours. Tell me about them.

Giving Feedback

The Power of Praise

Carol Dweck

A Study on Praise and

Mindsets

Additional Resources

• Websites – https://www.mindsetkit.org/topics/about-growth-

mindset/what-is-growth-mindset

– https://www.youcubed.org/

• Videos – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN34FNbOKXc

(The Power of Belief – Mindset and Success)

– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqo4c-FlFGE

(How to Praise Children)

– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVhUdhZxbGI

(How to Help Every Child Fulfill Their Potential)

Additional Resources

• Books

– Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.

– Mindsets for Parents by Mary Cay Ricci and

Margaret Lee

– Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak

– Everyone can Learn to Ride a Bicycle by

Chris Raschka

– The Dot by Peter Reynolds

– The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark

Pett and Gary Rubinstein

Feeling Overwhelmed?

Thank You!