Why it's important for Northbridge students to have a growth mindset

Why it's important for Northbridge students to have a growth mindset At the start of the year at a school like Northbridge International School Cambodia, it is important to emphasise with students the importance of a growth mindset in mathematics.

At the start of the year at a school like Northbridge International School Cambodia, it is important to emphasise with students the importance of a growth mindset in mathematics. 

Students exhibiting a fixed mindset tend to give up more easily, whereas students who demonstrate resilience and perseverance when faced with hard work are said to have a growth mindset. 

The two mindsets are associated with different achievement pathways, with growth mindset being shown to lead to higher success rates in mathematics.

Growth mindset maths is an approach to mathematical learning that we use as teachers. It follows the belief that students’ mindsets are more important than their initial ability in determining the successes they will have with their progress in mathematical understanding.

Research repeatedly shows that students with growth mindsets will be better mathematicians than those with fixed mindsets.

Pupils with a growth mindset:

• believe that talents can be developed and
  great abilities can be built over time

• view mistakes as an opportunity to develop

• are resilient

• believe that effort creates success

• think about how they learn

 

Pupils with a fixed mindset:

• believe that talent alone creates success

• are reluctant to take on challenges

• prefer to stay in their comfort zone 

• are fearful of making mistakes

• think it is important to 'look smart' in front of
  others

• believe that talents and abilities are set in stone, you
  either have them or you don't.

 

Please support us in promoting growth mindsets with your children at home. You can do this by praising effort over outcome, encouraging risk-taking in their learning and helping them to see mistakes as learning opportunities rather than setbacks.

Have conversations with them using language such as “what did you learn today” and “what did you try hard at today?”, while also encouraging their self-talk to sound like “mistakes help me learn better” or “I can always improve, so I’ll keep trying!”.