Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck

Summary

This inspiring script discusses the transformative power of 'yet' in education, illustrating how a growth mindset can foster resilience and learning. It contrasts fixed mindsets with growth mindsets, showing how the latter embraces challenges and sees failure as a step towards success. The speaker advocates for praising effort over talent, using games like 'Brain Points' to reward learning processes, and teaching students that intelligence can be developed. Success stories highlight how growth mindsets can lead to educational equality, inspiring all to live in environments that promote continuous improvement.

Takeaways

• 📚 The power of 'yet' is a concept introduced in the context of education, where students are given the grade 'not yet' instead of failing, implying ongoing learning and potential for future success.
• 🧠 'Not yet' is associated with a growth mindset, where individuals believe their abilities can be developed through effort and learning, as opposed to a fixed mindset where abilities are seen as static.
• 👧🏼 In a study, children with a growth mindset responded positively to challenges, seeing them as opportunities to learn and grow, unlike those with a fixed mindset who saw failure as a reflection of their inherent intelligence.
• 💡 The 'tyranny of now' refers to the mindset where individuals are overly focused on immediate success and struggle with the concept of ongoing development and improvement.
• 🧠 Brain imaging studies show that those with a growth mindset are more active in processing errors, learning from them, and correcting them, compared to those with a fixed mindset.
• 👶 How we raise children is crucial; they should be encouraged to dream big and contribute to society, not just to achieve high grades or test scores.
• 🏆 The current educational and reward systems may be fostering a generation that seeks immediate rewards and struggles without them, as noted by employers.
• 👍 Praising children for their process, such as hard work and perseverance, rather than innate talent, fosters a growth mindset and resilience.
• 🎮 A math game called 'Brain Points' was created to reward the learning process, leading to more sustained learning and perseverance compared to games that only reward correct answers.
• 🌟 Using the words 'yet' and 'not yet' after setbacks can boost confidence and persistence in students, highlighting the potential for future success.
• 🔄 Teaching students that pushing out of their comfort zone and persisting through difficulty can make them smarter has been shown to significantly improve grades, especially for struggling students.
• 🌐 Creating growth mindset environments can lead to equality in education, as seen in cases where students from disadvantaged backgrounds have achieved high academic success.

Q & A

What is the significance of the word 'yet' in the context of the transcript?

The word 'yet' is significant as it represents a growth mindset, suggesting that students are not failures but are on a learning curve and have the potential to improve with effort and time.

What is the 'growth mindset' as described in the transcript?

A 'growth mindset' is a belief that one's abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. It's the understanding that intelligence and talent can be grown, rather than being fixed traits.

How does the transcript differentiate between students with a growth mindset and those with a fixed mindset?

Students with a growth mindset react positively to challenges and see them as opportunities to learn and grow. In contrast, students with a fixed mindset view challenges as threats to their self-worth and may resort to negative behaviors like cheating or avoiding difficulties.

What is the 'tyranny of now' mentioned in the transcript?

The 'tyranny of now' refers to the mindset where individuals are overly focused on immediate outcomes and fail to see the potential for future growth and improvement.

How do the brain processes errors differently in individuals with a fixed mindset versus a growth mindset, according to the transcript?

In the transcript, it's explained that in individuals with a growth mindset, the brain is highly active when processing errors, showing a deep engagement in learning and correcting mistakes. In contrast, a fixed mindset brain shows little to no activity when processing errors, indicating a lack of learning from mistakes.

What is the 'Brain Points' math game, and how does it differ from typical math games?

The 'Brain Points' math game is a unique educational tool created in collaboration with game scientists. Unlike typical math games that reward correct answers, 'Brain Points' rewards the learning process, focusing on effort, strategy, and progress, thereby fostering a growth mindset.

How does praising kids for their process rather than their talent impact their mindset according to the transcript?

Praising kids for their process, such as hard work, strategies, focus, and perseverance, helps them develop a growth mindset. It teaches them the value of challenge-seeking and resilience. Praising talent or intelligence, on the other hand, can make them feel vulnerable and less likely to embrace challenges.

What is the impact of teaching students that their brain can form new connections when they learn something difficult, as mentioned in the transcript?

Teaching students that their brain can form new, stronger connections when they learn something difficult and stick with it can lead to a significant increase in their grades and academic performance, especially for struggling students.

Can the transcript's principles be applied to improve educational equality?

Yes, the transcript suggests that by creating growth mindset environments steeped in 'yet,' educators can achieve educational equality, even among groups of students who have historically shown poor performance.

What examples are given in the transcript to illustrate the transformational power of a growth mindset in education?

The transcript provides examples of teachers who have significantly improved the performance of their students in challenging environments, such as a kindergarten class in Harlem and an elementary school on a Native American reservation, by fostering a growth mindset.

What is the final message of the transcript regarding the importance of a growth mindset for all individuals?

The final message is a call to action for creating environments that foster a growth mindset for everyone, emphasizing that the ability to grow basic human skills is a fundamental human right, and we should strive to live in environments filled with 'yet,' allowing for continuous growth and development.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Embracing the 'Growth Mindset' and the Power of 'Yet'

The speaker introduces the concept of a 'growth mindset' and the significance of the word 'yet' in learning. They recount their experience in a Chicago high school where students received 'not yet' grades instead of failing, which motivated them to continue learning. The speaker contrasts this with a 'fixed mindset' and describes studies showing how children with a growth mindset embrace challenges and see effort as a path to developing their abilities. In contrast, children with a fixed mindset may resort to negative behaviors after failure. The speaker also discusses the impact of mindset on brain activity, highlighting how a growth mindset leads to deeper learning from mistakes. The importance of praising effort over talent is emphasized, as well as the idea of building a bridge to 'yet' through wise praise and rewarding learning processes, as demonstrated by the 'Brain Points' math game. The speaker concludes by encouraging a shift in focus from immediate achievements to dreaming big and contributing to society.

05:06

🌟 Achieving Equality Through Growth Mindset Education

This paragraph delves into the transformative power of a growth mindset in education, particularly for traditionally underperforming groups. The speaker shares success stories of educators who have fostered growth mindset environments, leading to remarkable achievements in test scores. A kindergarten class in Harlem and a fourth-grade class in the South Bronx are highlighted, showing significant improvements under the guidance of a teacher with a growth mindset approach. Another example is a Stanford graduate who positively impacted a Native American reservation's elementary school, turning it from the bottom to the top of the district in reading and readiness. The speaker emphasizes that learning a growth mindset changes the perception of effort and difficulty, turning them from indicators of inadequacy to opportunities for growth. The paragraph concludes with a personal account from a thirteen-year-old who applied growth mindset principles to improve various aspects of life, advocating for the importance of nurturing environments that support growth for all.

Keywords

💡Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that one's abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and effort. In the video, the concept is central to the theme, emphasizing that children with this mindset view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles. The script mentions how praising the process, such as hard work and perseverance, can foster a growth mindset, as opposed to praising talent or intelligence which can lead to vulnerability.

💡Fixed Mindset

A fixed mindset is the belief that one's abilities are static and cannot be changed. The video contrasts this with a growth mindset, illustrating that children with a fixed mindset may see failure as a reflection of their core intelligence and may respond to challenges in negative ways, such as by cheating or avoiding difficulties. The script uses the term to highlight the negative consequences of viewing abilities as unchangeable.

💡Challenge

In the context of the video, a challenge refers to a difficult task or problem that requires effort and persistence to overcome. The script discusses how children with a growth mindset embrace challenges as a means to develop their abilities, whereas those with a fixed mindset may find challenges tragic and catastrophic, leading to avoidance or negative coping mechanisms.

💡Resilience

Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties or to adjust easily to change. The video emphasizes that praising children for their process, such as their effort and strategies, can help them learn resilience. It is a key component of a growth mindset, as it allows individuals to bounce back from setbacks and continue pursuing their goals.

💡Equality

Equality in the video refers to the potential for all students to achieve academic success regardless of their backgrounds when they are in an environment that fosters a growth mindset. The script provides examples of educators creating such environments and achieving remarkable results with groups of students who were previously underperforming, thus challenging the notion of inevitable poor performance.

💡Tyranny of Now

The term 'tyranny of now' in the script refers to the pressure or mindset that focuses solely on immediate outcomes, such as test scores or grades, rather than on long-term growth and learning. This mindset can lead to negative behaviors, such as cheating or seeking external validation, instead of focusing on personal development.

💡Brain Points

Brain Points is a math game mentioned in the script that was designed to reward the learning process rather than just correct answers. It is an example of how rewarding effort, strategy, and progress can lead to more sustained learning and perseverance, aligning with the principles of a growth mindset.

💡Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience. The script explains that teaching students about neuroplasticity can help them understand that their intelligence can grow with effort and learning. This knowledge can motivate them to push out of their comfort zones and persist in the face of difficulty.

💡Praise Wisely

Praising wisely is the practice of recognizing and rewarding effort, strategies, and perseverance rather than innate talent or intelligence. The video script suggests that this approach can help children develop a growth mindset and learn the value of the learning process over the outcome.

💡Learning Curve

A learning curve in the video refers to the process of acquiring new skills or knowledge, which typically involves a period of struggle followed by improvement. The script highlights the importance of embracing the learning curve and viewing it as a positive path to growth, especially when praising children for their efforts.

💡Not Yet

The term 'not yet' is used in the video to convey a sense of ongoing progress and potential for future success. It contrasts with the idea of failure and is used to encourage a growth mindset by suggesting that current challenges are temporary and part of the learning process. The script describes how this perspective can change the way students approach setbacks and difficulties.

Highlights

The power of 'yet' is introduced as a concept that provides a path into the future for students who do not pass a test.

Students in Chicago received the grade 'not yet' instead of failing, promoting a learning curve.

Children with a 'growth mindset' embrace challenges and see their abilities as something that can grow through hard work.

Children with a 'fixed mindset' view failure as a devastating test of their core intelligence.

Fixed mindset children may resort to cheating or finding someone who did worse to cope with failure.

Neuroscientific studies show that a growth mindset leads to deeper processing of errors and learning from them.

The importance of raising children with a focus on growth and 'yet' rather than just on grades and test scores.

Employers report a generation of workers who need constant rewards, possibly due to an overemphasis on grades.

Praising children for their process, such as hard work and perseverance, fosters a growth mindset.

Praising talent or intelligence can make children vulnerable and less likely to embrace challenges.

The creation of the 'Brain Points' math game, which rewards process and learning rather than just correct answers.

Using 'yet' and 'not yet' after setbacks can increase confidence and persistence in students.

Teaching students that effort and learning can make them smarter can significantly improve their grades.

Growth mindset interventions have shown success in improving the performance of struggling students.

Creating growth mindset environments can lead to equality in education, even for groups that historically underperform.

Examples of educators transforming struggling schools into high-performing ones through a growth mindset approach.

A thirteen-year-old boy's personal account of improving his life after adopting a growth mindset.

The call for environments that foster growth for all, emphasizing 'yet' as a fundamental human right.

Transcripts

Thank you.

Today I want to tell you about the power of "yet."

I learned in High School in Chicago where students had to pass eighty four unity to

graduate and if they didn't pass they got the grade "not yet."

I thought, isn't that wonderful?

Because if you fail you're nowhere but if you get the grade "not yet" you're on a learning

curve.

"Not yet" gave them a path into the future.

And "not yet" also helped me understand a critical experience early in my career.

To figure out how kids cope with challenge, I gave ten year olds some problems that were

a little too difficult for them.

Some of them reacted in a shockingly positive way.

They said things like, "I love a challenge!"

or "I was hoping this would be informative!"

They understood that their abilities could grow through their hard work.

They had what I would call a "growth mindset."

But for other children it was tragic, catastrophic from their more fixed mindset perspective

their core intelligence had been tested and devastated.

Instead of the power of "yet" they were gripped by the "tyranny of now."

So what did they do next?

In one study, after a failure on a test, they said they'd cheat next time instead of study

more.

In another study they found someone who did worse than they did so they could feel better.

And in many studies we found they run from difficulty.

Let's look at how that looks in the brain.

Moser and his colleagues measured from the brain as kids encountered errors.

Processing the error shows up in red.

If you look at the fixed mindset brain on the left nothing is happening.

But if you look at the growth mind-set on the right it's on fire with "yet!"

They're processing the error deeply learning from it and correcting it.

So, how are we raising our kids?

Are we raising them for a growth now or for "yet?"

Are they focused on the next "A" or test score instead of dreaming big?

Instead of thinking about what they want to be and how they want to contribute to society?

And if they are too focused on "A's" and test scores, are they going to carry this with

them into the future?

Maybe.

Because many employers are coming to me and saying, "we've already created a generation

of young workers who can't get through the day without a reward."

So, what can we do?

How can we build that bridge to "yet?"

First, we can praise wisely.

Our research shows that when we praise kids for the process they engage in for their hard

work, their strategies, their focus, their perseverance - they learn that challenge seeking.

They learn that resilience.

Praising talent, praising intelligence makes them vulnerable.

There are other ways of rewarding "yet."

We teamed up with game scientist at the University of Washington to create a math game: Brain

points.

The typical math game rewards right answers, right now.

But not Brain Points.

We rewarded process and the learning curve so effort, strategy and progress.

The Brain Points game created more sustained learning and perseverance than the standard

game.

And just the words "yet" and "not yet" after a student has a set back we're finding creates

greater confidence and greater persistence.

We also can change students mind-sets directly.

In one study, we taught students that every time they pushed out of their comfort zone

to learn something really really hard and they stuck to it the neurons in their brain

could form new, stronger connections and over time they could become smarter.

Those who learned this lesson showed a sharp increase in their grades.

Those who did not showed a decrease.

We have done this with thousands of students now across the country with similar results.

Especially for struggling students.

So let's talk about equality.

In our country there are groups of kids who chronically show poor performance and many

people think that's inevitable.

But when educators create growth mind-set environments steeped in "yet" equality can

happen".

Let me give you a few small examples.

One teacher took her Harlem kindergarten class, many of whom could not hold a pencil for the

first month, threw daily tantrums, she took them to the 95th percentile on the National

Achievement Test.

That same teacher took a fourth grade class in the South Bronx - way behind - she took

them to the top of New York State on the state math test.

That teacher is a Stanford grad and she's here today.

And another Stanford grad, Phd student, now a professor, went back to her Native American

reservation in the state of Washington.

She transformed the elementary school in terms of a growth mind-set.

That school had always been at the bottom of the district - at the bottom of the state!

Within a year to a year and a half, the kindergarteners and first graders were at the top of the district

in reading and reading-readiness.

That district contained affluent sections of Seattle so the reservation kids outdid

the Microsoft kids.

And they did it because learning a growth mindset transformed the meaning of effort

and difficulty.

It used to mean they were dumb and now it means they have a chance to get smarter.

Difficulty just meant "not yet."

Last year I got a letter from a thirteen year old boy.

He said, "Dear Professor Dweck, I read your book.

I liked the fact that it was based on sound scientific research.

That's why I decided to test out your growth mindset principles in three areas of my life.

As a result, I'm earning higher grades, I have a better relationship with my parents,

I have a better relationship with the other kids at school.

I realize I've wasted most of my life."

Let's not waste any more lives because the more we know that basic human abilities can

be grown, the more it becomes a basic human right for kids - all kids, all adults - to

live in environments that create that growth.

To live in environments filled - overflowing - with "yet."

Thank you.