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Hello fellow parents,
Many of you may already be familiar with the term growth mindset. It has become increasingly discussed within the education system, and for a good reason. One way of thinking about this type of thought process is to contrast it with a fixed mindset. While neuroscientists used to believe our brains were more or less hardwired with little ability to change (outside of the natural biological aging process), we now know that this is not the case. More recently, neuroscientists have begun referring to the brain as having neuroplasticity, meaning it is much more malleable than previously thought. Why is this important? Well, in the realm of learning, this has significant implications.
For one thing, we no longer need to place unnecessary limitations on students by streaming them in their early years into different classes based on perceived ability. This early streaming process can negatively impact the self-confidence of children who begin to see themselves as 'dumb,' limiting their true learning potential. If we employ a growth mindset, we can help children better understand that learning is a process and that they can continually improve. This mindset helps them avoid unhelpful self-critical dialogue and enables them to develop stronger self-confidence.
While there are many resources on the benefits of instilling a growth mindset, I wanted to share a few simple ones you can use for the little ones in your lives. I have also included the page below within the first pages of each of our books.
Please practice some of these words of encouragement if you haven't been doing so already. This support will help your children understand that their brains are ever-changing and that with practice, they can continually improve, regardless of the skills they are developing.
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