What is a Positive Mindset The secret to better grades?

PRESENTER Albert Calhoun, M.S. Assessment Specialist CIEPS Alabama State University Email: acalhoun@alasu.edu Phone: 334-229-8605

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Mindset is What? What is mindset? Merriam Webster Definition “a particular way of thinking : a person's attitude or set of opinions about something”. Mindset Document from Princeton “a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations”.

Previous View: We have all the Intelligence we will ever have According to Carol Dweck in 2010, fixed intelligence is measured by an IQ test. Lewis Terman was responsible for taking a translation of the Binet Scale of Intelligence done by Henry Goddard 5 years earlier and developing the “Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale”. Alfred Binet was a French psychologist whom was the most successful in Europe with measuring Intelligence. Goddard is responsible for translating Binet’s work here in America.

View Today: Mindset can change our Intelligence In a study conducted by Good, Rattan & Dweck in 2008, they concluded that highly intelligent people have a passion and perseverance for their craft. Additionally these individuals are dedicated to identifying and confronting their weaknesses. Specifically… Who cares what you are born with; What is important would be your “mindset”.

Our Brains are like a Muscle The more we exercise our brains, the stronger it gets and it works better too. Students have a tendency to think that their brain is fixed believing that talent and giftedness are permanent personal attributes that are responsible for success. This is not true. The key to remember. Every time you work hard and force yourself to learn something new our brain develops new connections. Eventually overtime we become smarter.

Mindset is what Counts Fixed Mindset: An individuals intelligence is a fixed trait (Dweck, 2008). Growth Mindset: Intelligence is a quality that can be changed and developed (Dweck, 2008).

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Developing a Growth Mindset Step #1: Learn, learn and learn. Step #2: Realize that hard work is the necessary key. Step #3: Be willing to face your setbacks.

Mindset Step #1: Learn, Learn, Learn Fixed Mindset: Look intelligent at all costs “See success and failure as a reflection of self worth” Goal in college for those with this mindset, “show others how good I am”. Growth Mindset: Learn, Learn, Learn “See success and failure separate from their self worth” Those with this mindset in college feel, “it more important to learn than to get good grades”.

Research on Mindset Grant and Dweck did a study in 2003: Fixed mindset predicted a students’ failure to recover from an initial poor grade. Growth mindset predicted a successful recovery.

Mindset Step #2: Accept Hard Work is Key Fixed Mindset: Believe that learning should come natural “When I have to work really hard in a subject, I don’t feel very smart” Growth Mindset: Learning requires a lot of effort and working hard “The harder I have to work at something, the more effort I put into something, the better I’ll be at it”

Mindset Step #3: Face Setbacks Fixed Mindset: Hide mistakes and conceal deficiencies, retreat, blame others, act superior Characteristically say: “I’d spend less time on this subject from now on” “I would try not to take this subject ever again” “I would try to cheat on the next test” Growth Mindset: Capitalize on mistakes and confront deficiencies “I would work harder in class from now on” “I would spend more time studying for the test”

Does Mindset Matter in Math Good, Rattan, and Dweck (2007) followed several hundred females through their calculus course to understand how mindsets influenced their sense that they belonged in math, their desire to pursue math courses in the future, and their grades in math. The women who held a growth mindset reported that although, negative stereotypes about women and math were widespread in their math environment, they continued to feel that they belonged in math, they intended to pursue math courses in the future, and they continued to earn high grades. However, when women held a fixed mindset, negative stereotypes affected them more.

What Matters when it comes to Mindset Focus on effort, struggle, persistence despite setbacks Choose difficult tasks Focus on Strategies Reflect on different strategies that work and don’t work Focus on Learning and improving Seek challenges Work hard

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