WELLBEING

Mindset

This week level 3 & 4 students have been focusing on how our attitude and mindset impacts our success and achievements. Mindset plays a major role in motivation, resilience and achievement. The way we think about ourselves and our abilities shapes our lives. Mindset impacts how we feel.

A fixed mindset means you believe intelligence, talent and personal qualities are innate and unchangeable. Those with a fixed mindset tend to think that if they aren’t good at something they’ll never be good at it. Therefore, success and improvement can be limited as they tend to give up easily. They tend to ignore feedback, avoid things that are “too hard,” feel threatened by others’ success and see effort as a waste of time.

A growth mindset means you believe that intelligence, talent and personal qualities can be developed with practice and effort. They understand that not knowing or not being good at something isn’t anything to be ashamed about and generally feel more comfortable with themselves and where they are at, knowing that failings are only temporary. They may not necessarily be the next Einstein, but they can always get better.

People with a growth mindset are more likely to:

• See feedback as an opportunity to learn and a source of information, rather than criticism
• Apply more effort to learn, as they understand the benifits
• Embrace and accept challenges with a positive attitude
• See challenges as opportunities
• See failure as temporary
• Believe effort leads to success (as opposed to being born with it)
• Have improved self-esteem
• Be more successful in general
• Try new things
• Learn from mistakes

Some tips to help your child develop and maintain a growth mindset: 

-Simply help them change their mindset – if they say “I’m not good at something,” respond with “you’re not good at xyz YET. But you can improve.” Model this yourself when doing something that you aren’t particularly good at.

-Teach that failure is ok and a good thing. In the process of putting in effort, they will find out what works and doesn’t work. Use the mantra “mistakes help us grow.”

-Let them struggle! Be careful not to do everything for them if it’s tricky. Encourage their efforts and give some guidance if needed. When they fail help them work out what they learned from it and that they can always try again. Praise the process and efforts, not just the outcome.

-Actively find examples that demonstrate a positive mindset – eg ask your child to think of something they once couldn’t do? Point out successful sportspeople or famous people. How did they become successful? No one is born that way.

-Help them with their fears – when they express fears about something ask them how they can get though it? Brainstorm, and work out a plan to work through it. Celebrate small successes along the way to support the process.

Nicki Chalmers

Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator.