We used to think our intelligence was fixed and we were either smart or we weren’t. Scientists have proven that is not true. Our brain acts like a muscle, the more we use it, the stronger and smarter it becomes.
What is a fixed mindset?
A fixed mindset is the belief that a person is born with their talent and intelligence and it cannot be improved or changed.
Children with a fixed mindset are more likely to:
avoid challenges and avoid trying new things
fear failure
give up easily
ignore or reject feedback
become threatened by other people’s success
afraid of looking like they don’t know
How can parents encourage a growth mindset in their child?
Help your child to solve problems, but don’t solve problems for them. We sometimes react to our children's problems and solve them for them, but try to approach each problem as an opportunity for your child to develop critical thinking skills. The more problems they are able to solve on their own, the more flexible and adaptable their thinking will become.
Praise the process and encourage effort and perseverance. Instead of saying “You’re so smart!”, praise your child’s effort, creativity or persistence. “I can see you really worked hard on this!”
Help your child develop and work toward goals. “If I practice my spelling for 10 minutes a night, I will learn these new words.”
Provide opportunities for your child to be challenged and remind your child that each time they persist through a challenge, their brain is making new connections. Play games that progress through levels and require reasoning skills such as ShapeOmetry, Chocolate Fix, Brick by Brick, Rush Hour and Math Dice, Jr. Try word games like Scrabble, Boggle or Bananagrams where children can see their progress and notice improvement.
Give specific feedback. "I noticed how you used your spelling resources while writing that paragraph. That was good thinking!”
Help your child view mistakes as learning opportunities (reflect and redirect) “I noticed how you have difficulty lining up your numbers when multiplying. How can knowing that is difficult for you help you in math class?"
What is a growth mindset?
A growth mindset is a belief that a person’s abilities and intelligence can be developed through practice, hard work, dedication, and motivation.
Children with a growth mindset are more likely to:
learn from their mistakes
be motivated to give their best effort
embrace challenges and take risks
learn from feedback
be inspired by others
believe their intelligence can change if they work hard
How can we develop a growth mindset for ourselves?
Do you have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset? Does it depend on different areas of your life? Having a growth mindset is not just for children, we can all benefit from working toward this mindset!
Don’t just react to problems; solve them!
Take on things that challenge you.
Set goals for yourself AND work toward them.
Give 100% effort 100% of the time.
Ask questions when you don’t understand something.
Ask for feedback.
Don’t get discouraged by mistakes. No matter how old you are, your brain is still forming new connections!
************COMING SOON*********** Negative self-talk can often hinder a child's ability to persevere through a challenge. Check back soon to see how to help children choose their thoughts when things become challenging.
"IF YOU'VE NEVER FAILED, YOU'VE NEVER TRIED ANYTHING NEW." ALBERT EINSTEIN