Talkin' talent
Schools are rapidly adopting the growth mindset philosophy. Do you have questions as to what it is, and as to how it can be beneficial for your child both now and in the future? Stanford University developmental and social psychology professor Carol Dweck developed the idea of a “growth mindset” for students. Her concept engenders the belief that students can grow their talents through hard work, attempting multiple strategies, and learning from “failures” to improve.
developing this tool
Children with a growth mindset believe their talents can be developed through hard work, collaboration with others, and via critical thinking to employ the best tactics to accomplish a goal. Excitingly, a growth mindset can be developed through practice. Research shows that children who develop a growth mindset achieve more. With a growth mindset, children can worry less about looking smart. Instead, they can put more energy into learning, overcoming, and achieving. For children to grow academically, however, they require more than a positive attitude and praise from teachers and parents; outcomes and data still matter.
Attitude + outcome
With that said, unproductive effort is not going to help the child grow academically. Holding each child accountable for their learning and progression is key. And if this progress cannot be documented, the child must consult with others and develop a plan to work toward fulfilling both short and long-term goals.
Of course, setbacks can be expected, but the learner must continue building new strategies by incorporating information from each earlier attempt. It’s hard work, but students with a growth mindset gain deeper understanding of the concepts and processes for putting them into practice. Most importantly though, it gives them a richer sense of who they are and what they can overcome
And Remember
Talent can be developed through hard work! With a growth mindset, students can worry less about looking smart, and instead focus on learning from mistakes. Children with a growth mindset can achieve more!