Our ‘mindset’ can be the way we approach a challenge or task, how we think and feel about our ability, and how we behave due to the beliefs we hold.
The research of Stanford University professor, Carol Dweck, suggests we all tend to lean towards one of two mindsets, and this can affect our capacity to learn.
People with a fixed mindset believe that we’re born with an innate level of natural ability and intelligence – nothing we do can make us smarter or better at something if it isn’t in our nature.
In contrast, people with a growth mindset believe our level of success is determined by factors such as effort, application and skills development.
Unsurprisingly, people with a growth mindset tend to have a much higher ability to develop their own skills and abilities over time, as well as being much more confident and resilient when faced with difficult situations.
That’s why we believe creating a growth mindset culture in Scotland is so important. We achieve this mainly through Mindset in Education, a professional learning programme for teaching professionals. We give teachers and educational leaders support, skills and knowledge to apply and embed a growth mindset culture in their schools and learning communities.
We support hundreds of schools in Scotland with growth mindset learning.
Our professional learning programmes improve staff knowledge and confidence, encourage good pedagogy and help pupils become more resilient and persistent in learning.
We have also seen some indicators that growth mindset can help raise attainment and close the attainment related poverty gap. We have three professional learning programmes specifically designed for education practitioners and leaders: 1. Applied Growth Mindset 2. Limitless Learning 3. Mindset in Early Years
We are working closely with thousands of teaching professionals across North Lanarkshire, Dundee, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire and Aberdeen, as well as the South West and Northern Alliance regional improvement collaboratives, to deliver these programmes.
Over the years we have also built up an extensive collection of research and exploration into the impact of growth mindset in schools. Our growth mindset library contains more than a quarter of a million words of growth mindset research conducted by over 100 Scottish teachers. Check it out at www.growthmindset.scot.
