Developing a growth mindset

Previously it was thought that ‘We are born with intelligence.’ which suggests a fixed mindset as intelligence is a fixed trait. However recent studies have discovered ‘It’s not what you are born with that matters; it’s your mindset that matters.’ This is where the idea of growth mindset was born.

We can continually develop our capacity to learn in new and challenging circumstances throughout our life. Our brains are muscles that get stronger and work better the more they are exercised. Every time you work hard, stretch yourself and learn something new your brain forms new connections and over time you actually become smarter. A growth mindset enables young people to face difficulties calmly, confidently, and creatively and so be better prepared to be lifelong learners.

 Selside School’s 4 characteristics to develop a growth mindset

To help our children to learn how to learn, research suggest that there are several broad characteristics that we need to develop in order to develop a positive growth mindset and become successful learners; Resilience, Reflectiveness, Resourcefulness, and Teamwork.