What is Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset?
Have you ever heard about the fixed mindset? These are the group of people (whoever has a fixed mindset) who believe that qualities such as their intelligence and talents are constant and fixed. These groups of people also believe that to achieve success, efforts are not counted in, only talents are needed. For those who have a fixed mindset, people will focus on their existing talent and intelligence and will not improve themselves.
While for the growth mindset, it is a complete opposite with the fixed mindset. People who have a growth mindset believe that all their qualities such as intelligence, talents, and skills can be improved from time to time and if they fail, these people will try once again even though they are tempted to give up on doing something.
Challenges of Children in Mathematics
There are a lot of reasons why some children find Mathematics as one of the most challenging subjects for them. However, this is not because the children do not learn well in schools. There are a lot of factors that cause some children to have learning difficulties when it comes to Mathematics subject. Some of the reasons are:
- Low motivation because of anxiety
- Disconnected from Mathematics
- Lack of understanding how to perform Mathematical operations
- Needed more time to grasp mathematical concepts
To tackle this issue, the parents need to have growth mindset to help the children. Not only the parents, but the teachers too! This is because the children are highly affected with the words of the people around them.
As for the children, it is important to nurture them to have a growth mindset at early age so that they will be more motivated and ready to improve themselves from time to time.
Say This! Not That!
There will be days when parents realize that their children have difficulty in solving Mathematics problem. It is normal for human being to react whenever we are facing any issues in our lives. Some phrases differentiate parents that have fixed mindset and growth mindset. Let’s see which one are you!
Fixed Mindset
| My child is bad in Mathematics. |
| Some children are born to be good in Mathematics, my child is not one of them. |
| This is so hard, my children keep making mistakes. |
| My children cannot solve complex mathematics question. |
Growth Mindset
| Mathematics have been challenging to my child. |
| Everyone is not born with mathematical skills, my child just needs to learn it all from the basic. |
| Making mistakes are fine, my children could learn from them. |
| My children cannot solve complex mathematics question YET. |
Are these phrases familiar to you? Which one are you?
Parents are the model for the children. When the parents are leaning towards the growth mindset more, this will influence the thinking or mindset of the children. They will think that it is okay to make mistakes because they will improve themselves from there.
Children that have growth mindset is more engaged in classroom and more confident to do anything new because they know they have to develop their existing skills. The right words or phrases will determine your children’s success, especially in Mathematics!
Praises and Encouragement are Love
Have you ever wondered why praises and encouragement are needed most by the children? This is because it will leave an impact in their brains that when they do something worthy to the parents (no matter how small or big they are), parents will acknowledge that and give encouragement, love and praises. This will reinforce good behaviours.
In learning Mathematics, scolding the children every time they make mistakes solving mathematical problem, will lead to no good. Children will be discouraged and think that Mathematics is not meant for them or they are not good enough to do Mathematics.
So, take note parents, even though there are negative results that you face after your children studied hard, praise their efforts, and encourage them to do better next time. Trust me, children will be closer to you and comfortable to share their concerns with you, not only for Mathematics, but also everything that is going on in their lives.
Everybody Can do Mathematics!
With the right attitudes from everyone close to the children, they can do Mathematics and overcome the difficulties that they faced before. How to do this?
Parents need to plan the learning time for Mathematics with the children, especially for working parents as they have limited time to be with their children. In these learning sessions, parents need to encourage the children and assure them making mistakes is a part of learning Mathematics.
Children need to know that making mistakes in not a stopper in learning Mathematics. Positive phrases need to be used to train the children to have growth mindset which will make them more persistence in learning Mathematics despite the obstacles they have.
Do not forget to celebrate the success of the children in solving a problem that they cannot do before! This is very important to boost the children’s confidence.
Dear parents and teachers, can you see now that every word that come from you have an impact in children’s learning? Therefore, it is important for you to have a growth mindset and try to influence the children to have the same mindset as yours, too! You will see that you make a difference in their lives. Not only the children’s perspective and values in Mathematics will change, but also they way their perceive life challenges will transform to a better way as well!
