growth-mindset-theory - Haygrove School (PDF)

Who developed the Growth Mindset theory and what is it? Well, the idea comes from world renowned academic scholar Carol Dweck. Carol Dweck is one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of motivation. She focuses on why people succeed and how to foster this idea of success in schools. In her research on motivation and success (achievement) Dweck introduced the idea of Mindset. Mindsets are beliefs about yourself and your basic qualities such as your intelligence, your talents and your personality. People with a Fixed Mindset believe that their traits are just given so people in this mindset worry about how adequate or inadequate they are instead of developing them. They believe their talent alone creates success – without effort and they are reluctant to take on challenges. People with a Growth Mindset, on the other hand, see their traits are just the starting point and that these can be developed by dedication, hard work and effort. This view creates resilience and a love of learning. Virtually all great people have had these qualities. When we encourage a Growth Mindset in students then they become enthusiastic learners. A Growth Mindset means they believe their intelligence can be developed which has a positive effect on their motivation and consequently on their achievement. Carol Dweck’s research shows that we produce confident learners when we praise students for the process they engage in and not when we tell them they are bright, smart or talented. For example, Fixed Mindset students will opt for easy work because when they achieve the outcome it will reaffirm they are good at the task. Effort is also seen as threatening for intelligence students with Fixed Mindset because they think if you are having to work hard then you cannot be bright. For the Growth Mindset student, on the other hand, effort is the experience of learning how to do something for the first time – trying hard and being challenged. Check out this clip- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh0OS4MrN3E