Fixed mindset is a belief that your intelligence, talent, or character are fixed: don’t change.
Growth mindset is a belief that those traits can be changed and improved. Depending on which mindset you have, your way to deal with challenges and failings are clearly different. For example, let’s say you have a math test and get a bad grade from the test. If you have a fixed mindset, you would think math is not your subject and turn you off from the subject. Or you might study hard and bring up the grade of math because for you to go to a good college, you still need a certain level of grade but you would decide not to pursue any careers related to math. But if you have a growth mindset, what would you do when you have a bad grade at math. You would study longer time or get a help from friends who are good at math or teachers. You will bring up the grade. After that you would become more confident because you know that you can do whatever you want to do with your efforts.
Now looking back at my life, I saw around me a lot of people with fixed mindset but not many people with growth mindset. Why is that?
Because the system is geared to promote fixed mindset.
There were not so many opportunities for learning. It was just constant evaluation.
You had tests and got scores and were informed how well you did or what your rank was at class and moved to the next topic quickly. There were not real feedback to improve your math skills. The actual given feedback were that the teachers told you why you got the scores. There were no time to understand why teachers’ answers were right and why your answers were wrong. Sometimes you just solved the problems different way. But there were no time nor freedom to consider the difference and you didn’t get score for the problem. Now you got focused on the grades not leaning and tried to memorize the teacher’s way. Learning and understanding what your were doing was not important. You gave up the subject or just tolerated and tried to finish it as soon as possible. This way you and your parents have been geared to.
I imagined about what the ideal classroom would be like. what ideal me or ideal parents would be like toward education.
I take a test but there are the marks only indicating my answer is right or wrong but no score. During the next class, I ask teacher why my answer is wrong. Or I visit a tutor and ask questions. I understand what is wrong of my idea. I take another test with similar problems with same concepts and I see that I have mastered the topic. Sometimes I struggle with certain topic while I am doing homework. Parents encourage to search internet or visit a helping center at the school after school. You are still solving the problems related the topic because you feel you need more practices even though your friends have started next topic. You are not worried about being behind. Your teacher and parents have said that in math speed is not important. Thinking deep is more important and you would catch up soon. You are happy about you own the process of learning and feel confident more than ever.
Is it impossible that we make this ideal environment for young people?
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