“Yet.”

It is such a small, but powerful word.

“I am not able to read… yet.”

“I have not made a three point shot in basketball… yet.”

Helping children adopt a growth mindset that includes the concept of “yet” allows them to shift to a more positive perspective and outlook on life, empowering them to reach their fullest potential.

What is a Growth Mindset?

Stated simply, a growth mindset is the belief that one’s brain can grow and can continue learning new things. It is the idea that one is not born intelligent, but instead becomes that way over time, with practice and effort.

The term growth mindset was coined by educational psychologist, Carol Dweck. She contrasts this idea with the concept of a fixed mindset. People with a fixed mindset believe individuals are born with knowledge and a specific set of skills; there are areas in which they excel and others within which they struggle.

Why is it Important to Foster a Growth Mindset in Children?

A growth mindset ignites a passion for learning. Children who have a growth mindset are more likely to be confident and courageous when faced with new challenges and to demonstrate resilience when they falter.

Students who believe they can grow their brains to become more intelligent have been shown to outperform classmates academically.

Helping children develop a growth mindset from a young age has been shown to help them:

• Take risks;
• Welcome new experiences;
• Enjoy learning and recognize its value;
• Remain positive in the face of adversity;
• Work hard;
• Learn from their mistakes.

In fact, research indicates that children with a growth mindset are happier, healthier, and higher achievers!

How to Help Children Develop a Growth Mindset

Explain the Concept of a Growth Mindset in a Concrete Way

In order for children to adopt a growth mindset, it is important that they first understand the concept. It may be helpful to introduce it in a concrete way, explaining that the brain is like a muscle. Compare the process of lifting weights and building arm muscles to the process of one’s brain growing bigger and stronger when it is exercised.

Acknowledge and Validate Effort, rather than Ability or Intelligence

It is critical that educators focus on the process, rather than the product. Recognize a child’s efforts, rather than their ability or intelligence. Provide feedback with statements such as “You worked really hard on that” or “That seemed challenging, but you really stuck with it!”

Infuse a Growth Mindset into Everyday Language

Make an effort to model what a growth mindset looks like and sounds like. Educators can sportscast internal dialogues when an experience is challenging, noting how they persevered and how they feel about their accomplishment. They might say something like, “It was really hard to finish that division problem, but I took one step at a time and finished it. I am really proud of myself.”

Especially for Elementary-aged students who have a deep interest in vocabulary, infusing vocabulary such as mindset, neurons, neuroplasticity, malleable, intelligence, and constructive feedback can help students better understand the concept of a growth mindset. By capturing a child’s attention through their love of language, guides can naturally encourage a growth mindset.

Conduct Individual Student Conferences

Student teacher conferences are helpful for a multitude of reasons. Just as they are an effective strategy for aiding in the writing process, these individual conferences can provide an opportunity for educators to talk with students about areas of growth, challenges the child has already overcome, and steps to achieve new goals.

Read Books About Growth Mindsets

There are so many children’s books about growth mindsets. Guides should have them available in their classroom library for students to read and should also read them aloud together as a class to help students become more familiar with the strategies necessary for developing a growth mindset.

Some examples of books introducing growth mindsets include:

• The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi; Illustrated by Lorena Álvarez
• Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: Stretch It, Shape It by JoAnn Deak, Illustrated by Sarah Ackerley
• Growth Mindset Book Series by Esther Pia Cordova
• Mistakes Are How I Learn: An Early Reader Rhyming Story Book for Children to Help with Perseverance and Diligence by Kiara Wilson
• I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids by Gabi Garcia, Illustrated by Charity Russell
• Pelican and Pelicant by Sarah Froeber, Illustrated by Kim Mosher
• Growth Mindset Ninja: A Children’s Book About the Power of Yet by Mary Nhin, Illustrated by Jelena Stupar
• The Power of Yet by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
• Y is for Yet: A Growth Mindset Alphabet by Shannon Anderson, Illustrated by Jake Souva
• I Believe I Can by Grace Byers, Illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo

Provide Students with Personal Examples of Overcoming Challenges

As Maria Montessori encouraged, it is incredibly powerful to be humble and vulnerable with children. Educators should share personal examples with their students of times when they overcame a challenge, made a mistake, or when they learned something new. Provide students with opportunities to share these experiences with their classmates at community meetings as well. Guides can also remind students of a time when they observed them experiencing a challenge with a task and how they watched them keep trying.

Educators can also lead by example, trying new or challenging things in front of students and maintaining a positive attitude during the learning process. This will help children be more willing to take risks, try something new, and persevere in the face of a challenge.

Believe in Each and Every Student

Research has shown that an adult’s mindset plays a powerful role in the development of children’s mindsets. Typically, students will experience the most growth in the presence of adults who have embraced a growth mindset.

Part of adopting a growth mindset includes possessing a strong belief that all students harness the potential to learn and experience success. Educators need to confront personal biases before beginning the process of supporting students in changing their mindsets. Despite teachers’ best efforts, individual biases and preconceived notions about various groups get projected onto students. Children will live up to a guide’s expectations of them, so they should do their best to keep them high.

About the Author

Heather White, EdS, is a Montessori coach and consultant, content creator, and educator for adult learners, as well as a moderator and manager for the Montessori at Home (0 – 3 years) Facebook group. Formerly, she was a Montessori teacher, in-home caregiver, Lower Elementary coordinator, and associate head of school. She also has experience as a school psychologist intern. She is AMS-credentialed (Early Childhood, Elementary I) and is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). Contact her at hpratt@stetson.edu.

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The opinions expressed in Montessori Life are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of AMS.