Growth Mindset: Tips for Motivating a Struggling Student

Lacking motivation, trouble staying focussed, difficulty taking direction and general withdrawal – all teachers will recognise the signs of a struggling student.

Seeing a student encounter difficulty can be upsetting, especially if you have a large class size and feel unable to spend the necessary time with them. However, there are some growth mindset activities you can integrate into your classroom, and some ways in which you can utilise this way of thinking yourself as a teacher, to provide some much-needed support and motivation.

"Growth Mindset" is a theory pioneered by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D, and it outlines that all brains can be “trained” or developed over time.

Science has shown that the brain is malleable, and can be altered and developed with the right exercises. Growth mindset rejects the notion that talent and capability are innate, and supports instead that with the right discipline, any skill can be learned.

When looking at a struggling student then, a teacher with a "fixed" mindset may see a child that is naturally gifted in other areas, but will never do well in the area in which they are experiencing difficulty. For a teacher with a growth mindset, this is not the case – all that is needed is some development and practice in that area, to grow and expand the part of the brain that deals with learning new concepts, and reaction to praise and failure.

Using Growth Mindset to Motivate Students

If you want to tackle a struggling student using the latter option, there are some easy ways you can do this that will be beneficial when applied one on one, as well as to the whole class:

• Introduce growth mindset

Making your student aware of the concept will help boost their confidence. You can show the class a growth mindset video, or teach them about how the brain works with games or pictures, and show them that it is possible for their brain to develop – and therefore a struggle now is a step towards success later.

• Change how you handle mistakes

For many students, getting something wrong or “failing” can be a source of immense frustration and embarrassment. As such, they may retreat from trying again, which can mean they move further away from getting to grips with the concept at hand. Teach your students that “failing” or making a mistake is a good thing, as it takes them one step closer to getting it right. You could do this by having the acronym “FAIL – First Attempts In Learning” visible in your classroom at all times, and referring to this each time they encounter a stumbling block.

• Administer positive praise

Even if a child isn’t grasping the concept or getting things right, reward them for working hard and attempting to do so. This will encourage them to stick at it, and help them feel less self-conscious about trial and error.

• Show students examples of past failures

It can often be that a mental block hinders students from putting forth their best effort, and it can often be that this is due to fear of embarrassment or failing. To remove this, show students examples of “famous failures” like Thomas Edison or Albert Einstein. By showing them that even some of the brightest minds struggled, you can show them the importance of perseverance and asking for help.

• Help students find value in learning

If students feel they have to do the work or have to do well, they may not be as inclined to try hard. By building the value in mastering the subject or topic, and tapping into the needs and aspirations of the individual student, you can make the subject something they want to learn.

Positiveedgeeducation.com develop educational programs. Thomas Westenholz the founder work with some of the leading figures in Growth Mindset and emotional learning. His personal experience has taken him on a journey to save his son using the principles behind the Growth Mindset that is now leading to innovation in stem cell research. For more information on the programs Positive Edge offers, and for more on aiding student motivation with growth mindset, visit Positive Edge Education's website.