Fixed and Growth Mindsets 1 INTRODUCTION 50 Presentations for Post 16 Students 2 nd Edition Michael Senior

Thinking shapes behaviour The way we think about ability shapes attitudes towards: Revision Homework Independent study Attendance & punctuality Concentration in class Organisation Internal & external examinations Social skills Relationships Sport Leadership

Two types of thinking about ABILITY Ability is FIXED – you have or you don’t Ability GROWS with effort - practise makes you more able

Research into fixed & growth mindsets Carol Dweck – Professor of Psychology, Stanford University Former Yale graduate Taught at Harvard University Spent many years researching MOTIVATION and how it relates to our notions of ability – is it fixed or does ability get better with effort - growth ?

FIXED MINDSET LIVE A WORLD WHERE: Personality is fixed – sociable or not Intelligence is fixed – smart or not Leadership ability is fixed – talented or not Sporting ability is fixed – got the physical skills/physique or not Because these are not in your control – spend a lot of time seeking feedback that you have the ‘fixed gifts’ e.g. popular, high grades, share price high, winning races Avoid risk at all cost - situations where you might get feedback that you don’t have the ‘fixed gift’ anymore Obsessed with avoiding making mistakes and failing. Why?

GROWTH MINDSET LIVE A WORLD WHERE: Personality develops – become more or less sociable Intelligence grows – harder you work, more able you become Leadership ability develops with experience – training can be key Sporting ability develops – even Olympians admit they persevered more than most – were not the best at the beginning Because these traits are in your control – spend a lot of time getting advice about how to develop Risk helps expose weakness - situations where you might learn more Making mistakes and failing are a vital part of the learning process. Why?

Effort? A growth mindset puts in effort. Fixed mindset avoids effort. WHY?

Effort? A growth mindset puts in effort…pays off Fixed mindset avoids effort…prefers effortless success. ‘Proves’ the fixed talent is there.

RESEARCH 1 4 Year-olds Carol Dweck Asked 4 year-olds if they would like to redo a difficult jigsaw that they had been unable to solve. Fixed mindset group – said “No” Growth mindset group – said “Yes, please”. They kept choosing difficult ones until the figured them out.

RESEARCH 2 University students Carol Dweck… Asked students, not proficient at speaking English, starting at University of Hong Kong (taught in English), if they would like English lessons. Measured their mindset using a questionnaire. Fixed mindset – did not sign up – expose weakness Growth mindset – signed up – ability can improve

MINDSETS AFFECT OUR MINDSET AFFECTS… effort Which of the following will effort have most impact? Revision Homework Independent study Attendance Punctuality Concentration in class Organisation Internal & external examinations Social skills Relationships Sport Leadership