6. Prime MinisterPrime Minister
Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill
REPEATEDREPEATED aa
grade duringgrade during
elementary schoolelementary school
He was placed in theHe was placed in the
LOWESTLOWEST division ofdivision of
thethe LOWESTLOWEST classclass
8. WriterWriter
Leo TolstoyLeo Tolstoy droppeddropped
out of collegeout of college
He was described asHe was described as
both “both “UNABLEUNABLE andand
unwilling tounwilling to LEARNLEARN""
9. Role modelsRole models
……..Einstein'sEinstein's teacher said that he wasteacher said that he was
‘academically subnormal‘academically subnormal’’
……..Michael Jordan'sMichael Jordan's coach said that hecoach said that he
wasn’t more talented than other peoplewasn’t more talented than other people……
……....Walt DisneyWalt Disney was told that he lackedwas told that he lacked
‘creative imagination’‘creative imagination’
10. ‘‘People are made, not born’People are made, not born’
The ‘growth mindset’The ‘growth mindset’
12. MindsetMindset
Related to your belief about abilityRelated to your belief about ability
Creates a whole mental world for youCreates a whole mental world for you
to live into live in
FixedFixed mindset – ability cannot changemindset – ability cannot change
GrowthGrowth mindset – ability can changemindset – ability can change
(grow)(grow)
13. Set of 6 studies of childrenSet of 6 studies of children
Praised forPraised for efforteffort Praised forPraised for abilityability
goalsgoals 90% of the group90% of the group
created learningcreated learning
goalsgoals
66% of the group66% of the group
createdcreated
performance goalsperformance goals
enjoymentenjoyment continuedcontinued decreaseddecreased
persistencepersistence continuedcontinued decreaseddecreased
performanceperformance improvedimproved declineddeclined
lied about scoreslied about scores one individualone individual 40%40%
16. Goals:Goals: performanceperformance
Those with aThose with a FIXED MINDSETFIXED MINDSET tend to createtend to create
PERFORMANCEPERFORMANCE goals.goals.
They believe that a person’sThey believe that a person’s POTENTIALPOTENTIAL cancan
bebe MEASUREDMEASURED.. They aim to receiveThey aim to receive
validation from others.validation from others.
Receiving low marks mean that they are notReceiving low marks mean that they are not
smart.smart.
Both success and failure causeBoth success and failure cause ANXIETY.ANXIETY.
17. Goals:Goals: learninglearning
Those with a growth mindset tend to createThose with a growth mindset tend to create
LEARNINGLEARNING goals.goals.
The goal isThe goal is MASTERYMASTERY andand COMPETENCE.COMPETENCE.
Scores and marks reflect how people are doingScores and marks reflect how people are doing
NOWNOW and do not measure a person’s potential.and do not measure a person’s potential.
Creating goals for learning has shown toCreating goals for learning has shown to
INCREASE PERFORMANCEINCREASE PERFORMANCE and enjoymentand enjoyment
and decrease negative emotion.and decrease negative emotion.
19. Response:Response: helplesshelpless
When faced with failure or challenge, people with aWhen faced with failure or challenge, people with a
FIXED mindset:FIXED mindset:
do not pay attention to learning informationdo not pay attention to learning information
get depressed, becomeget depressed, become de-energisedde-energised and loseand lose
self-esteemself-esteem
denigrate their intelligence: ‘I am stupid’, they’lldenigrate their intelligence: ‘I am stupid’, they’ll
thinkthink
under-represent past successes and over-under-represent past successes and over-
represent failures (pessimism)represent failures (pessimism)
explain the cause of events as something stableexplain the cause of events as something stable
about them.about them.
20. Response:Response: masterymastery
Pay attention to learning information, and so doPay attention to learning information, and so do
better on future tests.better on future tests.
Focus on what they are learning, rather thanFocus on what they are learning, rather than
focusing on how they feel.focusing on how they feel.
Try out new ways of doing things.Try out new ways of doing things.
Use self-motivating statements such as ‘ theUse self-motivating statements such as ‘ the
harder it gets the harder I try’.harder it gets the harder I try’.
When faced with tests which are impossible toWhen faced with tests which are impossible to
pass they will factor in other reasons and notpass they will factor in other reasons and not
blame their intellect i.e. this test was beyond myblame their intellect i.e. this test was beyond my
ability for now.ability for now.
22. EffortEffort
Those with aThose with a fixed mindsetfixed mindset
view effort as aview effort as a reflectionreflection ofof
low intelligencelow intelligence..
Hard work means ‘I don’tHard work means ‘I don’t
get it’, ‘I’m unintelligentget it’, ‘I’m unintelligent
Effort = lack of abilityEffort = lack of ability
Those with aThose with a growthgrowth
mindset see effort as amindset see effort as a
necessary part ofnecessary part of successsuccess..
TheyThey try hardertry harder when facedwhen faced
with a setback.with a setback.
Effort = success.Effort = success.
They use effort toThey use effort to
overcomeovercome difficulty.difficulty.
23. EffortEffort
People were asked about intelligence and howPeople were asked about intelligence and how
much they thought it was down to effort and howmuch they thought it was down to effort and how
much they thought it was about abilitymuch they thought it was about ability
Intelligence=______% effort _______% abilityIntelligence=______% effort _______% ability
Fixed = 35% effort vs. 65% abilityFixed = 35% effort vs. 65% ability
Growth = 65% effort vs. 35% abilityGrowth = 65% effort vs. 35% ability
26. Strategies:Strategies: growth mindsetgrowth mindset
People adopting a growth mindset tend toPeople adopting a growth mindset tend to
generate other, and new, ways to do things.generate other, and new, ways to do things.
If one route doesn’t work they will try others.If one route doesn’t work they will try others.
They will think ‘outside of the box’ to solveThey will think ‘outside of the box’ to solve
problems because they believe that they ‘can’.problems because they believe that they ‘can’.
27. Strategies:Strategies: fixed mindsetfixed mindset
Carol Dweck has found that students with a fixedCarol Dweck has found that students with a fixed
mindset keep using the wrong strategy whenmindset keep using the wrong strategy when
faced with a problem.faced with a problem.
Then they disengage from the problem.Then they disengage from the problem.
Finally, they give up.Finally, they give up.
28. PraisePraise
People are very sensitive to the messages theyPeople are very sensitive to the messages they
receive about themselves.receive about themselves.
The way we interact with young people canThe way we interact with young people can
foster either a growth or a fixed mindset.foster either a growth or a fixed mindset.
Praise for effort v. praise for ability.Praise for effort v. praise for ability.
30. Praising for ability (e.g. talent orPraising for ability (e.g. talent or
intelligence)intelligence)
Can change a young person’s mindset fromCan change a young person’s mindset from
growth to fixed.growth to fixed.
Encourages young people to createEncourages young people to create
performance goalsperformance goals and display aand display a helplesshelpless
responseresponse when faced with challenges.when faced with challenges.
Encourages young people toEncourages young people to lielie about scores.about scores.
UnderminesUndermines motivation and willingness to takemotivation and willingness to take
risks.risks.
32. Praise for effortPraise for effort
Encourages people to adopt a growthEncourages people to adopt a growth
mindset.mindset.
Encourages people to create learning goalsEncourages people to create learning goals
and display a mastery response when facedand display a mastery response when faced
with setback.with setback.
Increases motivation and success.Increases motivation and success.
34. Good feedback is importantGood feedback is important
Constructive criticism is necessary if we wantConstructive criticism is necessary if we want
people to develop and learn.people to develop and learn.
Praise is not a villain – praising for the effort andPraise is not a villain – praising for the effort and
the process will help the person become morethe process will help the person become more
motivated and ultimately more resilient.motivated and ultimately more resilient.
37. The body in the brainThe body in the brain
A homunculus is used toA homunculus is used to
describe the relativedescribe the relative
amount of space our bodyamount of space our body
parts occupy in the brain.parts occupy in the brain.
In a model of motorIn a model of motor
functions, some parts arefunctions, some parts are
much bigger because wemuch bigger because we
use them much more, oruse them much more, or
with more accuracy.with more accuracy.
38. The more we use a partThe more we use a part
of our body, the moreof our body, the more
space our brain needs tospace our brain needs to
control or interpret it.control or interpret it.
In fact, by learning theIn fact, by learning the
brain may have tobrain may have to
change the space it useschange the space it uses
to account for newto account for new
abilities.abilities.
The body in the brainThe body in the brain
39. People who play musicPeople who play music
have been found to havehave been found to have
auditory centres that areauditory centres that are
BIGGER than normal.BIGGER than normal.
The ‘sound’ area of theirThe ‘sound’ area of their
brain grew throughbrain grew through
practising their music.practising their music.
40. Evidence from neuroscienceEvidence from neuroscience
Rats in a rich environment have heavier brains,Rats in a rich environment have heavier brains,
by 10%, than those in a boring environment.by 10%, than those in a boring environment.
Taxi drivers have bigger areas which deal withTaxi drivers have bigger areas which deal with
3D space – the hippocampus - than non-taxi3D space – the hippocampus - than non-taxi
drivers.drivers.
Musicians have a larger auditory cortex.Musicians have a larger auditory cortex.
41. All of the areas of the brainAll of the areas of the brain
……like sound, communication, problem-solving…like sound, communication, problem-solving…
are made of cells calledare made of cells called
NEURONSNEURONS
They transmit information all around the brain.They transmit information all around the brain.
42. Neurons pass informationNeurons pass information
through CONNECTIONSthrough CONNECTIONS
with other neurons atwith other neurons at
SYNAPSESSYNAPSES
43. Learning helps our neurons GROW.Learning helps our neurons GROW.
The more we learn, the more connections theyThe more we learn, the more connections they
make.make.
44. People with large auditory areas in their brain grewPeople with large auditory areas in their brain grew
lots more neuron connections in the sound arealots more neuron connections in the sound area
through lots and lots of practice.through lots and lots of practice.
45. Final proof? Babies aren’tFinal proof? Babies aren’t
stupid! They grow connections.stupid! They grow connections.
The brain must develop
billions of connections:
every green dot is a junction
between one nerve and
another
46. Lasting changeLasting change
Dweck suggests that we need to present youngDweck suggests that we need to present young
people with information on the brain and its hugepeople with information on the brain and its huge
potential. Including how the brain learns.potential. Including how the brain learns.
Praise for strategies, effort and processes ratherPraise for strategies, effort and processes rather
than for intelligence or ability.than for intelligence or ability.
Positive stories provide people with role models ofPositive stories provide people with role models of
those individuals who have succeeded because ofthose individuals who have succeeded because of
a growth mindset.a growth mindset.
Writing about your growth mindset experiences, inWriting about your growth mindset experiences, in
order to convince others, will deepen your ownorder to convince others, will deepen your own
growth mindset.growth mindset.
47. SummarySummary
A growth mindset helps people to be motivatedA growth mindset helps people to be motivated
and to succeed.and to succeed.
A growth mindset can be learnt.A growth mindset can be learnt.
We can foster a growth mindset in others by theWe can foster a growth mindset in others by the
type of feedback we give and by teaching themtype of feedback we give and by teaching them
about the brain’s huge potential.about the brain’s huge potential.
Role models give people evidence of the growthRole models give people evidence of the growth
mindset in action.mindset in action.
