Students and adults who have a growth mindset believe it is within their nature and control to improve, change, grow, and progress with patience and hard work. And they tend to be more successful than those who assume that it is merely intelligence and skills that lead to success. Whether your child is homeschooled, an online learner, or attends a traditional school, you can teach them how to develop this new mindset to help them do better academically.
David Hochheiser defines the growth mindset theory as the belief “that all people, especially within the context of education, are learners with room for improvement.” He references Carol Dweck’s Mindset, which promotes the idea of individuals striving to grow beyond what they’ve accomplished today. In fact, Dweck contends that people who are taught a growth mindset are more motivated and productive in business, education, and sports.
Edudemic describes the growth mindset as one that “thrives on challenge and sees failure as an opportunity for growth. It creates a passion for learning instead of a hunger for approval.” Praise for intelligence inhibits learning because students believe that their capacity to learn is fixed. Conversely, students praised for their learning processes and growth performed better and reported their achievements more honestly.
In short, students with a fixed mindset might care more about looking smart than about learning, while students with a growth mindset internalize feedback that builds upon their knowledge and then work to learn and grow.