The power of a growth mindset on grades and overall well being.

I’m not a maths person.

I wasn’t born with a maths brain.

I will never get this.

Culturally, we have reached a point where far too many people believe that mathematical ability is innate. Some lucky few are born with it and maths just “clicks for them”, while others are not, and may as well give up.

This belief is false, and wrong on so many levels. Based on research, it is clear that this is not how the human brain works, and this kind of thinking has a negative impact on achievement in maths. Therefore by changing the way we think we can improve our grades, while also improving our overall wellbeing.

There are two types of mindsets, fixed and growth. The fixed mindset is when a person believes that learning ability or capacity is fixed, and cannot be changed. While in contrast the growth mindset is the thought that ability and intelligence can improve and develop with good teaching and practice. Even though people start at different levels, everyone can grow and improve. This is supported by research on brain development, showing that it continues to change over one's whole life.

There have been many large scale studies that show a link between growth mindset and increased academic performance. One of those was a 2018 study of over 600,000 students in 78 countries. This study from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), showed that students with a growth mindset did better than students with a fixed mindset in subjects like maths, reading, and science. It also linked growth mindset with higher student wellbeing. A similar study of over 160,000 students in Chile conducted by Stanford university researchers Susana Claro, David Paunesku and Carol Dweck found the same trend.

So we can see that students who believe they can improve their academic and maths ability are more likely to do well. They are more likely to be resilient, adaptable, and have more self confidence.

If you do happen to have a fixed mindset, this does not guarantee poor grades, in fact Dweck said

“Students who have a fixed mindset but who are well prepared and do not encounter difficulty can do just fine. However, when they encounter challenges or obstacles they may then be at a disadvantage.”

Here lies the true benefit of a growth mindset. Everyone will eventually reach a point in their mathematical learning where it gets hard. But students with a growth mindset are much better equipped to move past this challenge, to persevere, and embrace the struggle. To view mistakes as learning opportunities, to just keep going.

So for those of you that relate a little too closely to the fixed mindset, this is something that needs to change. Here are a few tips to move towards a growth mindset.

1. Realise your own mindset. Awareness of a problem is always the best start to fixing it.

2. Look at your own improvements. Find something that you improved in, and ask yourself. Why is it easier now? How did I get this change?

3. Use the power of ‘YET’. Recognise that the weaknesses we may have, are simply strengths and skills we have not developed yet.

4. Make mistakes. Everyone is going to make a mistake at some point. So embrace them, and use them as an opportunity to learn, and grow.

5. Be kind to yourself. Think positively. Anything you tell yourself, imagine you are talking to a child. You don't deserve negative energy.