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An Overview about Growth mindset in children

What is ‘Growth Mindset’?

A lot of people believe that qualities and talents like intelligence, memory, reasoning, emotional and mental resilience are inborn. This view propagates the idea that an individual is what he or she is born with and cannot consciously increase their talents or change their innate qualities. This can be called a ‘fixed mindset’. 

The opposite view is the ‘growth mindset’. According to this mindset, an individual is constantly changing and growing, in all aspects. This means that intelligence or talents can be developed consciously and are not necessarily inborn. This philosophy also puts forth the view that failure is the foundation for such growth and thus each setback in life must be part of the growth journey. A growth mindset is characterised by an enthusiasm to accept challenges and use them in one’s passion for learning. 

 

Why is a growth mindset important?

Adopting a growth mindset has numerous benefits. Having a fixed mindset can make a person negative and self-critical. It can set boundaries on their growth and causes people to limit themselves for no reason. On the other hand, a growth mindset is forward-looking. It allows individuals to perceive every event in their life, good or bad, as an opportunity for personal and professional growth. 

This means that those who have a growth mindset are never stagnant or stuck, they are constantly evolving and reaching their fullest potential. 

 

Apart from these benefits, a growth mindset also alters a person on a deeper level, allowing them to live their lives more happily. 

People who are determined to learn from failures are more mentally and emotionally resilient. Individuals with a passion for learning throughout their lives are more positive and optimistic, and therefore derive more happiness out of even ordinary situations. A growth mindset is the foundation for tackling any difficulty in life well, and also for enjoying small pleasures that life offers us. 

 

Growth mindset activities for children

 

What are growth mindset activities?

It is a well-known fact that it is easier to mould and change a thought process in children than it is in adults. As we grow older, we become more rigid in our thinking and adopting a completely different mindset can be quite challenging. This is why a growth mindset must be inculcated in children from a young age itself. This mindset can help children get in the habit of positive thinking and will benefit them for the rest of their lives. 

 

A growth mindset can be inculcated in children through a number of fun activities that will appeal to them. Here are some growth mindset activities that can help children adopt a growth mindset:

 

  1. Posters – An important part of the growth mindset is to set achievable goals for oneself in order to ensure that one is constantly growing. For children, this is especially true since childhood is a phase when they can learn a maximum number of skills and new talents. Having posters with motivational quotes that inspire them to keep going and learning from their failures, can be a great way to get them used to having a growth mindset. 
  2. Mantras – Studies have shown that repetition of words and phrases can subconsciously shape our thinking to a large extent. While encouraging children to adopt a growth mindset, you can pen down some short but powerful mantras or chants that they can repeat everyday to remind themselves that there is always space for learning. These mantras can also come in handy when they face challenges and are tempted to give up. 
  3. Strengths silhouette – This is a fun and artistic activity that is meant to uplift the child and make him or her feel capable and confident. Ask your child to create  their silhouette using a photograph. Then, this silhouette can be filled with words and phrases that describe their strengths. The strengths silhouette will remind them that they are more than strong enough to take on any obstacle in life. 
  4. Worksheets – Worksheets can help inculcate a growth mindset more consciously. Give out worksheets with different situations on them and then ask the children to fill in how they would respond to the situations. These worksheets will not only encourage them to think with a growth mindset but will also let you get an idea of how they think. 
  5. Changing phrases – This is another fun, group activity that can help children consciously change their mindsets. In this activity, children are given phrases that show a fixed mindset. They are then asked to change the phrases to make them more in line with a growth mindset. This will train them to change their perspective and frame situations in life in a more positive way. 

Why Vidyanchal School?

At Vidyanchal High School, we are guided by the growth mindset, right from the top management to each and every student in our school. We believe that failure is an essential part of life and only through challenges can strength of character be built. 

Furthermore, we fully encourage students to keep learning and growing in every avenue because growth has no limits, except one’s imposed by our own minds. Our teachers and faculty are fully committed to encouraging our students to adopt this forward-thinking mindset that is sure to benefit them throughout their lives.