The results from a recent study showed four year olds already displaying signs of the two types of mindsets
Georgina Blaskey investigates the new teaching theory being adopted by forward-thinking schools across the country
How many times a day do you praise your child" ?Well done, you brushed your teeth!?, ?You ate up all your cereal, you?re a great eater!?, ?You drew a lovely picture ? watch out Monet, there?s a new artist in town!?
For many years, parents have been told to praise their children?s achievements unconditionally in order to boost their confidence and self-esteem. But research shows that frequently praising your child could, in fact, be having the opposite effect.Why" Because it leads to a fixed idea of what they can do ? and, just as importantly, what they can?t. This is called a fixed mindset ? a personal belief system that your capabilities are carved in stone. The opposite is a growth mindset, the belief that intelligence can be learned and developed, challenges can be embraced, problems can be overcome and effort is the pathway to mastery. A research study by Carol Dweck, a professor of developmental psychology at Stanford University and author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, offered a group of four year olds a choice: they could either redo an easy jigsaw puzzle or try a harder one. ?Even these young children conformed to the characteristics of one of the two mindsets,? explains Carol. ?Those with a ?fixed? mentality opted for the fa...