Growth Mindsets

 

Talbot Primary School has been developing Growth Mindsets with our staff and pupils for more than three years. This is the belief that people’s potential is enormous and we all have the capacity to achieve incredible things; however, those with Growth Mindsets also accept that this will not always be an easy or quick journey. We need to be prepared to work hard and work smartly. It is summed up in the phrase “effort and strategies equal success.” By contrast, a Fixed Mindset is the belief that people can do some things well (innate talent), but could never succeed at something else; therefore, they would tend to avoid the opportunities where they felt less confident.

  

Introduction to Growth Mindsets presentation

Learning Characteristics: “How to develop a Growth Mindset”

To support a Growth Mindset approach to learning, Talbot Primary School teaches specific learning characteristics. We want pupils and staff to develop the fundamental learning habits of effort, courage, focus, independence, perseverance and resilience. These ideas are represented by our learning heroes, which were created by pupils from every year group, and are now displayed across school. They are:

  • Hardworking Hedgehog
  • Courage Ambulance
  • Focus Fox
  • Independent Anchor
  • Perseverance Pen
  • Resili-Rubik Cube

 

Learning Journeys: “Important learning takes time”

School has adopted the image of a maze to represent the learning process. The School Council chose it, because they wanted people to understand that learning can be tricky, and sometimes you can feel a bit lost before you finally find your way to the end. Adults, friends or tools, like maps, can also help you solve a maze more easily; this too is like learning where listening carefully to a teacher, working with a friend or using a resource will make the learning easier. The School Council also felt that all children knew what a maze was and had probably experienced one in real life, which makes it relatable.

 

Don’t put a ceiling on ambition: “The Power of Yet”

Growth Mindset expert, Caroline Dweck, explains how aspirations can be raised with a single word – “yet”. Click here to watch her explanation of this approach.