- Christine Gross-Loh interviews Dweck after the initial success of her research when it becomes clear that parents and educators have misunderstood or misapplied her ideas. Use a quote or two from the interview to explain the “false growth mindset.”
Dweck describes the false mindset trend as “a misunderstanding of the ideas core message. Leading educators to believe that it was simpler than it was. ” Meaning that teachers were giving out empty praise thinking it was helping a growth mindset when it was not affecting the outcome at all.
- In our first homework assignment, you were asked to describe a fixed mindset moment of your own. In the interview, Dweck goes further and explains that everyone has a growth mindset about some things and “fixed mindset triggers” about others. Look back at your previous answer and expand. What are some of your triggers? How can you tell when you’re “falling into” a fixed mindset? In what other area you find yourself enjoying the challenge?
What I said I fell into a fixed mindset about was math homework and I think a trigger of mine would be when things start building up. When I start having other things to do and I see a math homework that I just don’t understand, no part of me wants to work and do that. Sometimes though I am good at time management and I notice I like the feeling of getting stuff done.
- Dweck positions her “mindset ideas” as a response to what she refers to as a “self-esteem movement.” Use language from the interview to explain why Dweck thinks praise is a consolation prize. Would you agree with her? Why/Why not?
She said that students were aware that if they didn’t make progress but were receiving praise that it was just a consolation prize. She thinks this tried to make kids feel good even though they were not achieving.I don’t think teachers should just be saying random praises emptily either but I also don’t think they shouldn’t just not say anything. If a student is really trying, even without getting the right outcome, a little meaningful motivation could go a long way.
- Near the end of the interview, Dweck describes two workshops designed to help teenagers “grow their brains”: one in which students wrote letters to 9th graders and another in which they encouraged students to look forwards to the kind of contribution they want to make to the world; she asked them to consider how having a growth mindset could help them realize their goal. Write a paragraph that describes a future contribution you hope to make. This could be pretty local (to your family or community) or more global (a larger social problem).
A contribution in the future that I would like to make (hopefully if I somehow get rich) would be using the money I have to provide a good life for myself, my family and others who need it. It’s a lot to say I would be rich and it’s not the likeliest outcome but still in the future I want to use what I have and what I get for the better. There’s a lot of people who have close to nothing so being able to give back and help those who need would be something I would like to do. Also noticing the people who have done a lot for you then going back and helping them a little would be a fulfilling feeling to get and a good contribution to make.
