THE POWER OF MISTAKES AND STRUGGLE - FOSTERING A GROWTH MINDSET FOR LEARNING

Carol Dweck’s research over these last two decades highlights the importance of making mistakes as we struggle with intriguing and challenging problems in our learning. Learners with a growth mindset – a personal approach to learning and life that can be taught and developed – relish opportunities to grapple with challenges, to review and re-try when mistakes are made, to bring innovative and creative approaches to problem-solving.

This extract from ‘Mathematical Mindsets’ (2016, Jo Boaler, Stanford Maths Professor) is one brief example of contemporary research and writing in this area: 

‘Every time a student makes a mistake they grow a synapse.’  This quote from Dweck focuses on the significance of mistakes and struggle for brain development – for learners of all ages, but especially for younger learners. Widespread research over the last two decades has reinforced the message that students’ brains react with much more electrical activity when they make mistakes than when their answers are correct. Importantly, this activity is even greater for individuals with a growth mindset than for individuals with a fixed mindset.’

Learners with a growth mindset have a greater awareness of errors than those with a fixed mindset, so they are more likely to go back and correct errors. All learners respond with a brain spark – a synapse – when they make mistakes. Having a growth mindset means that the brain is more likely to spark again, showing awareness that a mistake has been made.

As teachers and parents, our efforts to guide and lead growth mindset development, along with equipping young learners to view mistakes as key learning opportunities and times to persevere and persist, are high on the list of the more important things we can do in preparing them for the limitless opportunities that the future holds for them.

DEVELOPING A GROWTH MINDSET - CAROL DWECK

Things you can do at home to foster a Growth Mindset

1. Pay attention and verbally praise kids for skills that don’t sound predetermined: hard work, persistence, rising to a challenge, learning from mistakes, etc.. rather than being “smart”, “brilliant” or “gifted”.
2. Be a growth mindset role model. Be honest: how often do you say “I can’t (cook / sing / balance my bank account)” or “I’m terrible at (sports / spelling / public speaking)”. Make sure you’re sending the right message – maybe even take on something new!
3. Encourage your child to forget taking the easy route and instead embrace challenges. A sheet full of questions he/she already knows the answers to won’t “grow the brain” like one deeper problem to solve (even if he/she doesn’t get the correct answer).
4. Remember growth mindset isn’t just academic; it applies to many areas of life (athletic, musical, social). Having trouble getting the basketball into the net? Keep making mistakes on a guitar chord? Tried to initiate play with someone but it didn’t go well? Discuss the next step for improvement.
5. Discourage envy of peers, and talk to your child about what he or she can learn from others who appear more successful. While skills may come more easily to some, most often there’s a (possibly unseen) element of practice, persistence, and hard work which leads to achievement.

Embracing a growth mindset isn’t always easy, but can have a huge impact on your child…and perhaps on you, too!