Developing a Growth
Mindset
From this Lesson You Will Learn:
• Intelligence can be developed
• The brain is pliable and capable of changing
• Doing challenging work is the best way to make
the brain stronger and smarter
What is Mindset?
• What is mindset?
• A mental attitude that determines how you will
interpret and respond to situations.
Mindset Quiz- Agree or Not
1. My intelligence is something very basic about me that I can’t really change.
2. When I don’t understand something I like to slow down and try to figure it out.
3. I am intimidated by academic challenges.
4. I have been told by others that I am smart.
5. Learning is fun.
6. I often feel unmotivated to learn.
7. When I don’t do well in a subject I think that I must not be very good at that
particular subject.
8. When I perform poorly academically I do not get discouraged.
9. When I don’t understand something, I get very frustrated and want to give up.
10. I shouldn’t have to work as hard in subjects that I am naturally good at.
Quiz adapted from “The Curse of the ‘Smart’ Student” at [Link].
What’s Your Mindset?
• Give yourself 4 points each time you answered AGREE to these questions:
• 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10
• Subtract two points for each time you answered AGREE to these questions:
• 2, 5, 8
• If you scored:
less than 5, you have a growth mindset.
between 5-10, you have a growth mindset
• with some fixed ideas.
between 11-15, you have a mostly fixed
• mindset.
above 15, you have a solidly fixed mindset.
YESTERDAY’S THEORY: WE ARE
BORN WITH INTELLIGENCE
• Alfred Binet Invented the first useable IQ test
• Yesterday’s Theory- No matter how much you
learn or how hard you work your intelligence
stays the same!
TODAY’S THEORY:
MINDSET MATTERS
•IN OTHER WORDS...It’s not what you are
born with that matters; it’s your mindset that
matters.
•Growth Mindset: Intelligence is a quality
that can be changed and developed.
THE BRAIN IS MALLEABLE
(pliable, able to change)
• The brain is like a muscle that gets stronger and works
better the more it is exercised.
• Too often students believe the brain is static, leading them to
think talent and giftedness are permanent, unchanging personal
attributes that automatically bring later success.
• Every time you work hard, stretch yourself and learn
something new, your brain forms new connections, and
over time you actually become smarter.
STEPS TO DEVELOPING
A GROWTH MINDSET
•Step #1: Learn, learn, learn
•Step #2 Realize hard work is key
•Step #3 Face setbacks
When You
Make A Bad
Grade
• A fixed mindset predicts students’ failure to recover from
an initial poor grade. Students with a fixed mindset may
think that they are just “dumb” and quit trying.
• A growth mindset predicts successful recovery. Students
with a growth mindset will accept that failure can help them
learn from their mistakes. They will keep trying.
Facing Setbacks
• Fixed Mindset: Hide mistakes and conceal weaknesses,
retreat, blame others, act superior
• “I’ll spend less time on this subject from now on”
• “I will try not to take this subject ever again”
• “I will try to cheat on the next test”
• ✔Growth Mindset:
• Learn from mistakes and confront weaknesses
• “I will work harder in class from now on”
• “I will spend more time studying for the test”
REALIZING
HARD WORK IS KEY
• Fixed Mindset: Learning should come naturally
“When I have to work really hard in a subject, I don’t feel very
smart.”
• Growth Mindset: Putting a lot of effort into learning and
working hard is key
• “The harder I have to work at something, the more effort I put
into something, the better I’ll be at it.”
To Develop a Growth Mindset
• Focus on effort and persistence despite setbacks
• Choose difficult tasks
• Focus on strategies and reflect on different strategies
that work and don’t work
• Focus on learning and improving
• Seek challenges
• Work hard
