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Beliefs people hold about their most
basic qualities and abilities
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Privately circle your level of agreement
with the 8 statements.
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1. For questions with ODD numbers (1,3,5,7), write the number of your
answer in the right column.
2. For questions with EVEN numbers (2,4,6,8), use the table below to fill in
the gray boxes in the right column.
3. Now, add up all your profile numbers and write the total in the last box.
Source: Brainology Curriculum Guide
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Source: Brainology Curriculum Guide
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Mindsets are beliefs—beliefs about yourself and
your most basic qualities.
 People with a fixed mindset tend to believe that
traits are fixed qualities. They have a certain
amount of intelligence or talent, for example, and
nothing can change that.
 People with a growth mindset believe these
qualities can be developed through dedication and
effort.
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“I’m not good at math!”
“I am not a good writer.”
“My students can’t do this!”
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
Research has shown that students who hold a Growth Mindset
perform better than those with a Fixed Mindset, especially under
conditions of challenge.
(Blackwell, Trzesniewski, & Dweck, 2007)

However, these mindsets themselves are learned, and they can be
changed. Adult feedback can influence students’ mindset and
performance in powerful ways.
(Mueller & Dweck, 1998)

When students are taught that the brain develops and gets
smarter with effort and learning, they become motivated in school
and perform better.
(Blackwell, Trzesniewski, & Dweck, 2007; Good, Aronson, & Inzlicht, 2003)
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Fixed Mindset
Intelligence
is static
Growth Mindset
Intelligence can
be developed
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Fixed Mindset
Intelligence
is static
Growth Mindset
Intelligence can
be developed
Obstacles
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Fixed Mindset
Intelligence
is static
Growth Mindset
Intelligence can
be developed
Effort
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Fixed Mindset
Intelligence
is static
Growth Mindset
Intelligence can
be developed
Criticism
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Fixed Mindset
Intelligence
is static
Growth Mindset
Intelligence can
be developed
Success of Others
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Those with a
Fixed Mindset
may plateau early
and achieve less
than their full
potential.
Those with a
Growth Mindset
reach ever-higher
levels of
achievement.
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Use the graphic organizer to compare and
contrast growth and fixed mindsets, using your
own words
Fixed Mindset
Growth Mindset
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Mindsets in Action
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http://www.mindsetworks.com/webnav/videogallery.aspx
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Winston Churchill
REPEATED a grade during
elementary school
He was placed in the
LOWEST division of the
LOWEST class
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Beethoven’s teacher called
him a HOPELESS composer
He wrote 5 of his greatest
SYMPHONIES while DEAF
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Leo Tolstoy dropped out of
college
He was described as both
“UNABLE and unwilling to
LEARN"
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….Einstein's teacher said that he was ‘academically
subnormal’
….Michael Jordan's coach said that he wasn’t more
talented than other people…
…..Walt Disney was told that he lacked
‘creative imagination’
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The ‘Growth Mindset’
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Reflect on the Standard for Mathematical Practice and
the Anchor Standard for Writing on the handout.
With a partner:
 Identify how a student with a fixed and growth
Mindset might approach each standard
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 Teach
students about how their brain
works
 Praise carefully
 Model a Growth Mindset and nurture
a risk-tolerant environment
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 Teach
students about how their brain
works
 Praise carefully
 Model a Growth Mindset and nurture
a risk-tolerant environment
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Treatment Group
Control Group
Study skills
 How the brain works
and growth mindset
 How to apply growth
mindset to
schoolwork

 Study
skills
Source: Mindset by Carol Dweck
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2.8
2.7
2.6
Control
Brainology
2.5
2.4
2.3
2.2
Before
After
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Percent Showing Increased Motivation
30
25
20
15
Percent Showing
Increased Motivation
10
5
0
Control
Brainology
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29
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 Teach
students about how their brain
works
 Praise carefully
 Model a Growth Mindset and nurture a
risk-tolerant environment
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“Praising intelligence, talent, or ability
harms kids because it puts them in a
fixed mindset. It turns kids away from
learning.”
-Carol Dweck, PhD
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Not intelligence, talent or ability!
 “Look,
you got an A without really working.
You’re really good at math!”
 “You
did that so quickly and easily. That’s
impressive!”
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3
Answer key:
In
yourMindset
envelope,
will find statements
Growth
Praiseyou
statements:
•ofI praise.
like the way you tried a lot of different
strategies…
• You put so much thought into this essay…
•Sort
Thatthe
problem
was really
longtwo
andcategories:
involved. I
statements
into
admire the way…
• You did that so quickly that it must have been too
easy for Fixed
you… Mindset Praise
• Good for you for taking on such a challenging
or
project…
Praise
• Wow! Growth
You got a B.Mindset
You must have
worked really
hard at this.
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Effort, struggle, persistence despite setbacks
 Who had a terrific struggle?
 Great persistence! There were so many hard
things and you worked your way through them!
Strategies, choices, choosing different tasks
 Wow, nice strategies. You kept trying different
things until it worked!
 You chose a nice hard task. You’ll learn a lot!
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3
 Teach
students about how their brain
works
 Praise carefully
 Model a Growth Mindset and nurture a
risk-tolerant environment
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Can you hear yourself asking…
 Did everyone see that
interesting mistake I just
made?
 Who else has an interesting
mistake to share?
 Who experienced a terrific
struggle?
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Use growth-oriented praise and encourage others
to do the same
 Remind learners that faster isn’t always better
 Discourage labels
 Encourage learners to assess their own progress
 Share and celebrate mistakes that move learning
forward

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“I’m not good at math!”
“I am not a good writer.”
“My students can’t do this!”
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As you watch the video, “Austin’s Butterfly,”
look for evidence of Growth Mindsets.
http://vimeo.com/channels/elcommoncore/38247060
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Book: Mindset
Article: “Even
Geniuses Work Hard.”
Carol Dweck, Ph.D.
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Consider how Growth Mindsets will be required for
successful Common Core implementation?
With your team, discuss:
 What are the implications for our system?
 How will current practices need to change?
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