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!