Wiley Wednesday
Teaching and Learning
Developing a Growth Mindset in Students
Mindsets are beliefs you have about yourself and your most basic qualities. Think about your intelligence, your talents, and your personality. Are these qualities simply fixed traits or are they things you can foster throughout your life?
In a fixed mindset, people believe that our character, intelligence, and creative ability are static givens which we can’t change in any meaningful way. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. People with a growth mindset, on the other hand, see their qualities as things that can be developed through dedication and effort.They tend to take on challenges and learn from them, therefore increasing their abilities and achievement.
At Wiley we believe in instilling a growth mindset in our students and teaching them the power of yet. Saying “not yet” to our students shows them that even if they have difficulties overcoming something now, the time will come when they will succeed if they continue to work hard and tackle the obstacle from different angles. The use of “yet” expresses that there is a learning curve, and points to the process, not the outcome.
How Can You Promote a Growth Mindset at Home
Research shows that parents can have a powerful impact on their childrens’ mindsets. The language you use and the actions you take show your children what you expect. Giving process praise, talking about the brain, and accepting mistakes as learning opportunities are all practices you can put into practice to promote a growth mindset.
To help you get started, below you will find some questions to ask your child each day as well as a link to other growth mindset parent tips.