Summary
If you think you’re doomed to be “bad” or “so-so” at math or sports or art, think again. You just haven't mastered them yet! The truth is, our abilities change over time. The neurons in our brain process information and form pathways between what we already know and new ideas or skills, which helps us learn. The pathways get stronger the more we practice a new skill—and weaker the less we do. You can help yourself face a new challenge by adopting the right attitude. Give up a fixed mindset, and instead embrace a growth mindset: the belief that you can learn. It can be hard work—learning takes time, and is rarely a straight path. Making mistakes is frustrating, but is simply part of the process! To stay motivated, try paying attention to your progress, or even tracking it. Happily, now is a great time to learn new skills, since kids’ brains are especially dense with neurons. Press “play,” because you don’t know all there is to know about growth mindset… yet!
Viewer safety
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Growth Mindset:
- What is one new thing you learned about growth mindset?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining growth mindset.
- Draw or give one example of your own.