What is growth mindset?

In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success — without effort.

They’re wrong.

In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work  — brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Our greatest scientists, sportspeople, politicians and academics have all had these qualities.

Some key aspects of Growth Mindset at MOSPS

• We remember it’s always OK to make mistakes – we learn from them

• We never give up! We try a different approach, or use a different strategy

• We learn from each other – you guys often make the best teachers!

• We don’t compare ourselves with others, but we do learn from others

• We challenge ourselves – which really helps us make progress

• We take risks – we don’t limit ourselves by taking the easy option

• We join in as much as possible – and we learn much more by being involved

• We remember that mastering something new feels so much better than doing something you can already do

• We remember that the brain is making new connections all the time – the only thing you need to know is that you can learn anything!

The Learning Challenge

By giving the children challenges we hope that they will recognise that they are working within a process of growing their brains.

By this we mean that they will struggle and therefore develop the attitudes needed to find solutions, persevere and hopefully develop the characteristics of effective learning. The children are learning it is ok to wobble, it is ok to make mistakes and it is ok to ask for help, or guidance.

Later on this term we will be setting all of our pupils - and our staff -  a Learning Challenge to make this process explicit to them as a shared experience.

We'll let you know how it goes!