7 Benefits of Promoting a Growth Mindset in Students

The world we live in today no longer has space for mediocrity. You’re either A or B, but you can’t be in-between. As a teacher, it now goes back to you in paving your students’ future. Normally, there is a lot more to offer students beyond the curriculum, commonly later on seen in the way they address life issues, relate with others, or advance career-wise. 

In the psychology of education, there is what we call a “growth mindset”. The term was originally coined by Carol Dweck, a psychologist, professor, and researcher at Stanford University. That was in her 2006 book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success”. Carol Dweck explains that people exhibit a growth mindset when they believe inherent traits or abilities do not limit them. But, they can learn, grow, and even improve.  

That’s quite different from what a fixed mindset says. With a fixed mindset, one believes that their capabilities or intelligence can’t be improved or changed, or in other words, fixed. In simple terms, they are captives of their own beliefs. Such students or professionals may find it difficult to deal with the different aspects of life later on. We all must agree that fostering a growth mindset in students through our education systems can help us produce quality professionals for tomorrow. They will be more understanding, and ready for change and challenges. More to this, explore the additional benefits of a growth mindset here.

The 7 Leading Benefits of a Growth Mindset in Students 

1. Promotes Better Learning Habits 

A fixed growth mindset is a barrier to learning and that’s why teachers must foster a growth mindset in students. With a growth mindset, students get to understand that their intelligence isn’t fixed and that they can do better or explore beyond their capabilities. They also learn that their efforts and contributions in class are valuable besides their intelligence.

Research by ScienceDirect indicates that students with a growth mindset showed more interest in effective revision and learning strategies. Students with a growth mindset can easily deal with classroom stress and anxiety or even motivate themselves. So by fostering a growth mindset, you encourage students to find solutions that help them learn better or develop their interest in learning. Additionally, help change students with a fixed mindset in order to create an all-inclusive classroom.         

2. Encourages Creativity & Innovation  

If we say that the modern world has space for the best school performers then we are wrong. A majority of world leaders and moguls barely made it to school or even dropped out at one point. The tendency of teachers to praise intelligence is one of the key killers of self-realization. Not all students can produce the best doctors or sportsmen, however, they can all be who they can be in order to make the world a better place. Instead, help students believe that the world has space for them and that they only have to put in the effort or work things out differently. With this, we can help students develop a growth mindset that provides room for creativity and innovation.    

3. Creates People Willing to Take on Challenges 

Students are future professionals and it’s the teachers’ responsibility to help them realize that the world isn’t a bed of roses. Teachers fostering a growth mindset in classrooms can help students manage and overcome future challenges. A growth mindset can also help students think big regardless of the prevailing circumstances. More so, it helps them explore beyond personal abilities or seek self-improvement tactics that can make them globally reliable in the future. The biggest hindrance to self-growth is fearing challenges, yet when we accept their existence and set out a map to tackle them, it develops our personalities. 

4. Promotes a Healthy Competition

Competition isn’t always bad, but people with a growth mindset view it as a chance to prove that they can do better or achieve greater targets. Healthy competition in the education sector, whether in physical or virtual classrooms is linked to greater self-esteem and social skills. As a teacher, you can promote healthy competition by encouraging students to compete between themselves in order to do better. It generally fosters a belief that anyone can win or make a difference anywhere.  

5. Improves Flexibility

The modern world is characterized by great diversity, technological advancement, and globalization. People with a fixed mindset believe that individual traits can not change and indirectly, this impacts the way they relate with others or manage tasks in their professional lives. By promoting a growth mindset in students, you can help them become resilient and choose persistence over quitting. Generally, students learn that change is part of life and inevitable. With this, they seek opportunities out of their comfort zone.   

 6. Career Success 

Many surveys and reports indicate a need for the latest digital skillsets. Precisely, a majority of job seekers must have a certain level of digital skillsets to make it by 2030. If educators are prepping students for the future, helping them set specific and measurable SMART Goals can lead to greater achievements career-wise. Moreover, there will be increased morale, self-motivation, and trust in the workplace. 

7. Promotes Emotional & Mental Health  

Students who embrace a growth mindset tend to welcome and deal with challenges suitably, likewise in professional life. Different studies have shown that a growth mindset can help people navigate stress and can also lead to an increased level of well-being. Findings on the other hand also indicate that students with a growth mindset had a lower score on “mental health issues” and “stress due to life events”. Therefore, fostering a growth mindset can help students advance in their student and professional lives. 

To encapsulate, a growth mindset offers greater benefits to students and employees on a large scale. We live in a world that never guarantees to achieve things on a silver platter. Yet, there are many things today that drain energy either in the professional or personal life. As a teacher, help your students know the competitiveness of today’s world by fostering a growth mindset in them. 

How do you promote a growth mindset in your students? Share in the comments.

About The Author: “Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.” Wayne Dyer’s thoughts are well suited to Kiara Miller. She has been working as a content marketing professional at ‘The Speakingnerd’. Her passion for writing is also visible in the innovative joys of material she provides to her readers.

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