Here at The Little Education House, we feel that setting achievable expectations and goals throughout the year will help your Little Learner to feel proud of their achievements and develop their Growth Mindset approach to embracing new challenges.
Guide them to make realistic, achievable and personal goals for them e.g. Time themselves brushing their teeth to ensure that they brush their teeth for the full 2 minutes or remember to make their bed before leaving for school. Just like adults, if they are over faced by this new resolution then it will not happen, or they will become overwhelmed by it.
Developing a Growth Mindset creates the foundations that your child will need to cope with the ups and downs in life. It will build their resilience and set them up to reach their full potential in a healthy way. With a growth mindset (versus a fixed mindset) your child will understand that they can learn from their mistakes and that intelligence is malleable and improvable. They will start to enjoy challenges and mistakes and understand that if they put in the effort then the rewards will follow.
What can I do as a parent or carer?
As a parent or carer, you can encourage a Growth Mindset in your household. Start by reading ‘Mindset’ by Carol Dweck, the Growth Mindset founder and guru. Dr Dweck states that “when students believe they can get smarter, they understand that effort makes them stronger.” What a brilliant attitude for children to have.
Creating a Growth Mindset environment can be done through subtle changes and adaptations in wording.
See some examples below - rather than saying X you could say Y:
‘I am not good at this’ you could say ‘let me try a different strategy’
‘I will never be able to do that’ you could say ‘I am going to learn to do that’
‘My friend can do it, but I can’t’ you could say ‘I will learn from them’
‘I made a terrible mistake’ you could say ‘Mistakes help me and my brain to learn and grow’
‘Plan A didn’t work’ you could say ‘It is a good thing the alphabet has 25 more letters!’
So, whilst adapting phrases that you may use, also remember to model this behaviour yourself too in order to create a family environment filled with Growth Mindset.
Recommended reading to promote positive mindset and behaviour
‘How To Thrive By Building Resilience’ by Belen Del Amo Perez de Lara
‘Mindset’ by Dr Carol Dweck
‘The Book You Wished Your Parents Had Read (and your children will be glad that you did)’ by Philippa Perry.
And here’s a quote to start your growth mindset journey…
“Nothing is IMPOSSIBLE. The word itself says I’M POSSIBLE”