A ‘growth mindset’ perspective in the classroom shifts how students perceive challenging situations. In addition to helping students learn to adapt and persevere in the face of adversity, a growth mindset fosters the development of a strong sense of confidence and self-esteem.

What is Growth Mindset?
For adults and children alike, adopting a growth mindset often involves, at least at a basic level, changing the way we perceive obstacles through a slight tweak in vocabulary. “I can’t do this” can become “I can’t do this yet” or “This is just too hard” becomes “This is just going to take some time and effort”.

In general, a growth mindset teaches students that their skills and talents can be developed through hard work, practice, strategy, and input from others. Conversely, a ‘fixed mindset’ is a belief that talents are innate and tends to focus on preconceived notions of oneself or others.

A growth mindset shifts the perspective on challenging situations by teaching students to focus more on the process rather than the outcome or product, such as recognizing that there is more than one way to solve a problem or achieve a goal. A growth mindset in the classroom helps students proactively learn from their mistakes.

What’s more, as parents or teachers, it’s important that we also keep our vocabulary in check. Instead of saying, “You’re great/You’re so smart!”, try something like, “Wow, it looks like you worked really hard on this!” This kind of communication shift allows students an opportunity to self-validate rather than leaning on an adult or teacher to validate their actions. If students learn to self-validate, they can develop their own opinions and ideas and be open to others’ feedback.

How to Foster a Growth Mindset
Watching your child or student actively struggle seems counterintuitive—and it’s natural to want to jump right in and help—but if the situation is reframed consistently enough, in the long run the child will learn that he/she is able to solve an academic or social problem themselves. As adults, however, we need to lead by example. Rather than trying to put up a front that we are always in control of everything and never have struggles, it’s more beneficial to share with your students when you are in the middle of doing something challenging. You might say something like, “I’m really having a hard time figuring out this new classroom projection system, but I’ll keep trying until I get it. The more I practice, the better I’ll get at it.”

This teaches students the power of ‘not yet’—the concept that it’s not that they’re not good at something; it’s just that they haven’t mastered it yet.

Tools for Kids
There are plenty of online resources teachers and parents can turn to for ideas on how to foster a growth mindset, such as books, classroom curriculums, child-centered workbooks or YouTube videos.

Developing a growth mindset in young children may take time, but the process of developing a growth mindset (and all the teachable moments that take place in between) should be the focus, as should the journey and not the destination.