Mindset Matters
When MVCSD staff
met on August 18th we were introduced to the concept of “mindset”.
Founder of Train Ugly, Trevor Ragan, spoke about a fixed vs. growth mindset.
Today, we’re going to dig a little deeper into the idea of "mindset" and how parents and
families can use the idea of a growth mindset at home.
According to
Carol Dweck, author of Mindset- The New
Psychology of Success, mindset is the idea that brains and talent without
hard work do not bring success. In fact, praising others for their intelligence
does not foster work ethic, self-esteem, and accomplishment. Instead, praising
only intelligence can set students up to put in little effort, steer clear of
difficult tasks, and it creates fear of failure. Dweck’s research suggests that
teachers and caregivers need to praise hard work and perseverance over
intelligence in order to foster a growth mindset in learners.
Carol
Dweck’s research has found that students with a fixed mindset believe that as a
result of their natural ability, everything should come easily to them. In a
research article published in 2010, Dweck writes that setbacks can cause fixed
mindset students to become defensive and discouraged. On the flip side,
students with a growth mindset view challenges as opportunities to grow and get
better.
Creating a
culture of growth mindset can happen in the home just as easily as it does in
the classroom. As a parent, do you ever get stuck and find yourself asking your
child the same questions day after day?
“How was your day?”
“Do you have any homework?”
“Who did you play with at recess?”
“What did you learn today?”
Let’s try some new questions on for size:
Now that you
have an idea of what questions to ask, let’s talk about praise. According
to Mary Cay Ricci, author of Mindsets in
the Classroom, one way that parents can really help their children is by
carefully choosing the words that are used when they praise them. Try to praise
your child’s effort rather than accomplishment. Below are a few examples of
what that sounds like:
Do Not Say
|
Do Say
|
You are
really athletic!
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You really
worked hard and pay attention when you are on the field!
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You are so
smart!
|
You work
hard in school and it shows!
|
Your
drawing is wonderful; you are my little artist!
|
I can see
you have been practicing your drawing; what a great improvement!
|
You always
get good grades; that makes me happy!
|
When you
put forth effort, it really shows in your grades. You should be so proud of
yourself. We are proud of you!
|
You are a
great athlete. You could be the next Michael Phelps.
|
Keep
practicing, and you will see great results!
|
(Adapted from Mindsets in the Classroom)
Having a
growth mindset takes time and practice. For more information on mindset, below you will find additional resources:
Websites:
- Train Ugly Mindset Hub: http://trainugly.com/mindset/.
- Mindset Online: http://mindsetonline.com/
Videos:
- The Power of Believe- Mindset and Success https://youtu.be/pN34FNbOKXc
- Ned Neuron: https://youtu.be/g7FdMi03CzIlist=PLKKNIP_pxNuUiiButng92rvaSCKPfLpwv
Books:
- The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
- Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak (children’s book)
- The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires (children’s book)
- The girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein (children’s book)
