How to Encourage an Innovative Mindset

The Importance of Helping Students Develop a Growth Mindset in the Classroom

Despite spending significantly more than other countries on education, according to the most recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, the United States placed 36^th in mathematics and 13^th in reading proficiency scores out of 79 countries and regions around the world. As these scores have not significantly changed since the PISA was first administered in 2000, it’s become clear that we cannot spend our way to improved student outcomes.

Instead, research suggests that educators should focus on helping students develop an innovative mindset — an outlook that encourages curiosity and embraces challenging situations. This white paper explores how lasting change requires a shift in mindset and describes how small shifts in children’s perceptions of themselves can have a profound impact on their academic performance.

Highlights of this paper include:

• An analysis of psychologist Carol Dweck’s groundbreaking work on the difference between “fixed mindsets” and “growth mindsets.”
• The reason why praising the outcome of a student’s work can have negative consequences.
• Tips on how to foster innovation within the classroom.