Carol Dweck Revisits The Growth Mindset Summary

In Carol Dweck’s,”Carol Dweck Revisits the ‘Growth Mindset’,” she reviews her idea of how changing students mindsets and effort allows them to become better strategists and to also take new approaches in advancing their learning abilities. By understanding fixed mindsets, success based on your own abilities, and a growth Mindset, success based on learning through failure, teachers can better accommodate students’ learning abilities and allow them to all learn through a growth mindset.

In the article Dweck states, “We found that students’ mindsets-how they perceive their abilities-played a key role in their motivation.” If students changed their mindsets thier perception of learning can change. If students believe that they cannot do something, learning wise, this can greatly affect them. They will have less motivation and confidence when faced with real life situations which require them to apply these concepts. By changing mindsets early on students can not only enhance their perception of learning but it can prepare them for future challenges.

When approaching students about changing their mindsets Dweck conveys that the one of the biggest misunderstanding about doing so is effort.

In fixed mindsets, effort is often thought of fruitless or not good enough, while growth shapes and determines their attitude of learning. It is necessary for student to have effort to want to learn, and that the teachers let them know it is good to put forth that effort. However, students need the learning offences of their teachers to actually learn from their mistakes. It is like what Dweck says, “let’s talk about what you’ve tried, and what you can try next.” This guides the students into the direction of a growth mindset while also highlighting what they need to learn through positive

reinforcement.
The learning environment of a student can greatly affect their ability to learn. Students should be taught in a setting in which they won’t be intimidated to make mistakes. A concept of fixed mindset is to look smart and not seem dumb. This can diminish the students ability to learn from their mistakes in a classroom setting, therefore, they don’t have confidence to come forward with an issue. Thus asserting theses same issues in other classrooms and opposing these students to apply or conform into a growth mindset. When students experiences a mistake with a growth mindset they can greatly alleviate the negative stigma against speaking up about something they don’t understand because they thrive to learn from it.
Dweck wants teachers to take these concepts and apply them to their everyday teaching methods. She believes that everyone has both fixed and growth mindsets and that if you watch out for what makes you have a fixed mindset you can avoid and manipulate it to expand growth mindset. By revisiting these concepts she has clearly stated and showed which areas need improvement.