Why You Should Not Focus On Grades - Carol Dweck

arol Dweck's ground-breaking research on the growth mindset has revolutionized how we look at achievement, learning, and human potential.

Are your kids focused on what grade they will get in the next, or can they dream big? Can kids dream of the future or how they would like to contribute? asks Carol Dweck.

As a cornerstone of modern education, the growth mindset approach offers a paradigm shift that empowers individuals to embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, and see effort as a path to mastery.

For parents, understanding and fostering this mindset in their children can mean unlocking doors to resilience, adaptability, and deep-seated confidence.

In Dweck's famed talk, she shares insights into the mindset philosophy and the transformative effects it can have on young learners.

As we delve into what this means for modern parenting, let's uncover how her message can guide us to raise a generation of children driven by outcomes and the joy of lifelong learning.

Embracing Challenges with Enthusiasm

Dweck recounts an intriguing observation from her study where children exhibited different reactions to challenges.

While some expressed excitement and the belief that they loved it because the challenge could teach them something, others were disheartened, finding such obstacles challenging and daunting.

The former response of keen expectation and a thirst for knowledge embodies the essence of a growth mindset. These children view the challenge through a lens of opportunity, where failure isn't a negative but a chance to grow.

And herein lies the crux for parents: how can we instil in our children the same optimistic lens through which to view the inevitable stumbling blocks of life?

Not Yet: A Golden Phrase in the Path of Development

If you fail you are nowhere but if you are given the grade not yet you are on a learning curve. - Carol Dweck

One of Dweck's most compelling findings is the word 'yet' impact on children's learning journey. When given a grade or a score attached to "not yet," it reframes the entire concept of the standard.

It's not a permanent label but an acknowledgement of a work in progress—a future still to unfold, expand, and improve.

We teach them that their present standing is not definitive by embedding 'yet' in our interactions with children. It may not be mastered 'yet,' but with perseverance, it can be.

This subtle shift in language indirectly encourages a growth mindset, where the potential is seen as malleable and not fixed.

The Neurological Shifts: Brain Science Proving the Growth Mindset

Dweck's work is underpinned by neurological evidence that the brain can grow and change—what scientists call neuroplasticity.

When students are pushed to learn something challenging, they know that the neurons in their brains can make new, stronger connections and, over time, can become more brilliant.

The students in her studies who embraced this mindset showed physiological changes in their brain activity.

Schroder et al. further emphasized that children with a growth mindset tend to outperform those with a fixed mindset and are more resilient in the face of failures.

These findings by Moser et al. shed new light on the neural foundations of growth mindsets and their connection to adaptive responses to mistakes.
This revelation deepens the argument for embracing a growth mindset as a pedagogical philosophy and a fundamental truth of our biology.

It affirms that the effort we invest and how we approach our learning can rewire our cognitive patterns, leading to the development of more innovative and agile brains.

This revelation deepens the argument for embracing a growth mindset not only as a pedagogical philosophy but as a biological truth. It's an affirmation that the effort we put in and how we frame our learning can rewire our cognitive patterns, creating more intelligent, agile brains.

According to a study conducted by Moser, Schroder, Heater, Moran & Lee in 2011, when students were faced with an error, scientists measured their brain's electrical activity. The fixed mindset students showed hardly any activity on the left, as they tended to run from the error and not engage with it.

However, the students with the growth mindset showed deep engagement on the right, with their brains processing the error, learning from it, and correcting it.

The Power of Process: Praising the Unseen Work

Praising talents and intelligence makes kids vulnerable. - Carol Dweck

Dweck's insights reveal the detrimental effects of praising intelligence or talent in children. Those accolades often instil a 'fixed' mindset, where abilities are seen as inherent and unchangeable.

On the contrary, when parents or educators highlight the process—the effort, strategy, and focus—children's capacity for resilience and learning deepens.

For parents, the implication is clear: shift the spotlight from outcomes to the work itself. Praise the hours spent honing a skill, the strategies devised to overcome a challenging math problem, or the focus maintained during a difficult reading assignment.

This acknowledgement fortifies the belief that success is not a product of innate gifts but of hard work and dedication.

Fostering Resilience and Learning: A Parent's Mission in the 'Now'

As parents, we face a modern educational landscape where anaemic grades or setbacks can profoundly impact our children's sense of self and ability. How, then, can we, in the face of today's educational challenges, nurture the growth mindset that Dweck champions?

One powerful strategy is to model resilience ourselves. We demonstrate the mindset in action by talking openly about our own setbacks and how they are opportunities for growth.

Consistent conversations praising effort and progress over outcomes and reframing challenges as exciting learning opportunities can reshape children's perspectives.

Dweck highlights the importance of enabling educators to work on their students' mindsets, emphasizing that in many countries, groups of kids are showing low results that could be vastly improved by addressing their beliefs about learning and intelligence.

Dweck's talk serves as a poignant reminder of parents' decisive role as the initial architects of a child's mindset.

The implications for modern parenting are profound; encouraging an outlook that embraces challenge, values process, and understands the potential for change is to equip our children with tools that transcend the classroom and enrich their lives.

As we navigate the complexities and rapid advancements of the 21st century, the growth mindset becomes not just an educational buzzword but a necessary paradigm for personal and professional success.

By embracing Dweck's insights and applying them to our parenting, we become the catalysts for a generation that is not just educated but genuinely empowered. The message is clear: our children's futures are not yet written, and writing them starts with us today.

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