Growth Mindset
What is it?
People used to think that our intelligence was fixed – meaning we were either smart or we weren’t. Scientists have proven again and again that simply is not true. Our brain acts like a muscle – the more we use it, the stronger (and smarter) it becomes!
What does a growth mindset look like?
A person with a growth mindset may do these things:
- Embrace challenges
- Give their best effort
- Learn from feedback
- Become inspired by other’s success
- Believe their intelligence can change if they work hard
Ways to encourage a growth mindset at home…
- Talk about your child’s day by asking questions like “What did you learn that was difficult today?”
- Praise the process! Instead of saying “you’re so smart!”, praise effort, goal setting, persistence, or being creative. Say something like “Wow! You must have worked really hard on this!”
- Encourage Failure by letting them know failure happens all the time and it is okay! Each time you fail and try again, your brain is growing stronger!
- Remind your child that when things are difficult, their brain grows by persisting through the challenge. Each time you learn something new, your brain makes new connections!
- Teach them the power of “yet”! Instead of saying “I can’t do this” or “This is too hard”, they should say “I can’t do this yet, but I will keep trying!”
- Model these behaviors yourself!