Archive for Harvard University

Do This Growth Mindset Activity To Transform Your Students Into Fearless Learners

I have written and talked about growth mindset in length before. However, developing a school and learners that are deep into growth mindset is nevertheless a sprint. It is a marathon, slow and steady is the mantra here.

Having a growth mindset means developing various attitudes (which I call Infinite Possibilities Manifestos in my book Infinite Possibilities) towards learning and life as a whole. If you are not familiar with the concept of growth mindset, the chart below is a great resource for a quick overview.

Growth Mindset for future-ready children by Sindu Sreebhavan

In this article, I would like to talk about one particular attitude – how to develop an attitude in your students to embrace challenges.

What does “embracing challenges” mean in a school environment?

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The word “challenge” brings different emotions and images to people’s minds. I was curious about it and asked some people what do they think as challenges. I got responses such as “riding a roller coaster”, “going on a solo trip”, “being home alone”, “giving a speech” to “dancing.”

It’s time to look at “challenges” in a different light. You see many people perceive challenges as the hardest things they face in their life. But guess what? Challenges do not need to be the biggest or the scariest challenges you can think of. Of course they are challenges. But, it is conquering the less arduous challenges that lead to developing the attitude for confronting bigger challenges.

So as educators what can you do to develop that mindset and attitude for embracing challenges in your students? What I would suggest you to start with is the “Daily Challenges” activity.

Daily Growth Mindset Challenges Activity

This is what you can do. At beginning of every period, ask your students

What is the challenge you want to take in the class today?

Use this question to let your students know that taking challenges is an everyday affair. That leads to the question, what consists of challenges in a classroom?

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Something one student perceives as a challenge may not be a challenge for another student.

You can find some of the challenges in the infographic below. You may paste copies of this infographic in your classroom and ask your students to choose their challenge for the day. You may download a copy of it here.

growth mindset infographics challenges moe Sindu Sreebhavan Singapore

Benefits for the students

Once you make “Daily Challenges’ a daily habit in your classrooms, you will see many benefits. Many teachers have told me that those benefits go beyond the learning time.

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  1. Responsibility: They become responsible for their own actions and behaviours in the class
  2. Taking challenges is normal and it doesn’t need to be big
  3. Achieving small breakthroughs: Sense of achievement within a short-period which could positively impact their self-confdence
  4. “I have the power”: Students feel that they have the power to transform their mental strength, behaviours and attitudes for a better outcome.
  5. Self-belief and self-motivation
  6. Setting goals and work towards achieving those

Do you use “Daily Challenges” in your classroom? What are the effects that you see in the classroom? I am excited to know the way you did it, the changes you observed and the challenges you faced in adopted this. Leave a comment below.

Don’t forget to read these articles too on growth mindset

5 Strategies Good Teachers Adopt to Provide Effective Feedback to Students

The secret ingredient that makes our children future-ready

14 things a teacher with a growth mindset doesn’t do

Shooting in the self created darkness: A growth mindset story

How To Boost Academics By Growing Growth Mindset

Read Infinite Possibilities by Sindu Sreebhavan to boost growth mindset and unleash your real potentialHave you read my latest book Infinite Possibilities: Unlock your real potential with the secret recipes from superachievers? It comes with 10 case studies, 11 manifestos and 55 steps to unleash your own real potential by boosting your growth mindset. Furthermore, it will show you how you can apply Infinite Possibilities in your personal, professional and academic lives. You can get a copy of it here or at Amazon for yourself, your team, your student or child.

After reading this article, could you please do the three simple steps below?

  1. Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules.
  2. Have you written an article that complements this article? Please share it in the comment section below with one or two lines explaining what that is about.
  3. Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let me know!

You can find another version of this article here.

Have you read Sindu Sreebhavan’s latest book Infinite Possibilities? You can find it here.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

 

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

The 11 Questions You can Immediately Use to Develop a Growth Mindset in Your Students

“Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, calibre, and future of an individual.” – A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

Teachers work towards preparing their students to take on the challenges of their future with confidence and skills. These skills consist of both life skills and academic skills. Developing a growth mindset in students is crucial in cultivating these skills.

In this article, I will share a list of questions that will help you to gradually cultivate a growth mindset culture in your classroom. You can use these questions as the cheatsheet to guide your conversations with your students.

Use the questions below appropriately at different situations inside and outside the classroom.

Don’t forget to check the two handy infographics at the end of this article.

1. What did you learn from that session?

You can use this question to let your students know that learning is a part of every experience. Do not forget to ask this question even after the students faces a negative outcome.

Takeaways: Learning, Self-learning

2. What are the steps you took to achieve a favorable outcome today?

A successful outcome deserves a growth-oriented praise. However, you should not forget to help your student reflect on the process he/she adopted that made this success possible. Acknowledgment of the process helps them to repeat the processes and steps that worked.

Takeaways: Reflect and acknowledge steps that led to success

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3. What are the things you learned from that disappointment?

A failure is not just time for disappointment. Failure can teach your students valuable lessons and to step up their performance in the future. Cultivating a habit of learning from failures will help your students to be prepared better the next time.

Takeaway: Failure is a great teacher

4. What are the other strategies you could have used to do this?

There are times when one question has multiple answers. Then there are other times when multiple routes lead to the same answer. When your students look at alternate strategies, it will lead them to develop their critical thinking.

Takeaways: Having a strategy is good. Identifying a better strategy is even better.

5. What did you do when you faced difficulties and challenges?

It is crucial for your students to know that coming across difficulties and roadblocks is part of success. It is even more important for them to know that facing such situations head on enhances their chances of future successes.

Takeaway: Perseverance

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6. What did you learn from others in the game?

Learning from others helps  to reduce the learning curve. We can learn directly from others or we can learn by observing others. We can learn from people who perform better than us or worse than us. Let your students realise they can learn from their teammates and competitors and learning from others is an important part of every activity.

Takeaway: Learn from others

7. What are the preparations you did to achieve this result?

Making the right preparations is part of working towards a goal. This preparations could be in the form of prioritising, managing time, learning new skills to learn and so on. If your students realise the preparations that led to an outcome, they can fine tune it.

Takeaway: Planning

8. How did you work for this?

Efforts pave way to results. Not just the efforts, the right kind of efforts pave way to excellence.

Takeaways: Hard work is important. Working hard the right way is essential.

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9. How often did you practice before the test/game?

Having a regular practice schedule helps to make the neural connections stronger.

Takeaways: Practice and revision help the brain to make its connection stronger.

10. How did you keep motivating yourself when things were going bad?

Having the belief in our ability to learn and apply new things help us to persist at times of difficulty. Other than that, people use many techniques such as stress-release techniques, approaching mentors, self-coaching etc. to keep the vigour and passion up.

Takeaways: Self-belief, self-motivating

11. How would you give yourself a challenge?

Being in the comfort zone does not add value to the progress of your students. They need to learn to stretch their comfort zones and to do things they are not comfortable with. Success usually happens when we venture outside our comfort zones. Remind your students to find things outside their comfort zones to try on.

Takeaway: Get out of your comfort zone to breakthrough to your success

Growth Mindset Singapore

Growth Mindset for future-ready children by Sindu Sreebhavan

 

Don’t forget to read these articles too on growth mindset

5 Strategies Good Teachers Adopt to Provide Effective Feedback to Students

The secret ingredient that makes our children future-ready

14 things a teacher with a growth mindset doesn’t do

Shooting in the self created darkness: A growth mindset story

How To Boost Academics By Growing Growth Mindset

Read Infinite Possibilities by Sindu Sreebhavan to boost growth mindset and unleash your real potentialHave you read my latest book Infinite Possibilities: Unlock your real potential with the secret recipes from superachievers? It comes with 10 case studies, 11 manifestos and 55 steps to unleash your own real potential by boosting your growth mindset. Furthermore, it will show you how you can apply Infinite Possibilities in your personal, professional and academic lives. You can get a copy of it here or at Amazon for yourself, your team, your student or child.

After reading this article, could you please do the three simple steps below?

  1. Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules.
  2. Have you written an article that complements this article? Please share it in the comment section below with one or two lines explaining what that is about.
  3. Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let me know!

You can find another version of this article here.

Have you read Sindu Sreebhavan’s latest book Infinite Possibilities? You can find it here.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

 

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

5 Strategies Good Teachers Adopt to Provide Effective Feedback to Students

Good teachers know that effective feedback is an essential tool for empowering a student to perform better. When you include growth mindset components to that feedback, it could transform your student’s goals, aspirations and efforts for the better

An effective feedback consists of 5 components. In this article I will outline the TIPSETM model –  a feedback model which I developed based on growth mindset.

effective feedback to students

Giving effective feedback to students is a skill. You can make use of the TIPSE components below to give effective feedback and coach your students to perform to their real potential.

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1. Affirm your TRUST in your student’s ability to grow

Feedback to students using growth mindset

In order for your student to be ready to listen to you and take your feedback seriously, they need to believe that you genuinely trust in their ability to grow and excel.

  • Remind your student of their brain’s amazing ability to rewire and  grow their talents and intelligence. Take example of some of the areas they grew to stress your point.
  • Never tell them that their results are due to their natural ability or what they achieved is the best they can.
  • Remind them that preparation and ability are not the same. So, irrespective of where they are they will be able to set goals and work towards it.

2. Focus on the PROCESS

feedback to students using growth mindset

Everybody is working towards obtaining results. However, results are the outcomes of following certain processes. A good feedback will recognize the process that the student undertook. Irrespective of whether the result was positive or not, acknowledging the process will help your student look at various aspects of their .

  • Acknowledge your student’s hard work
  • Acknowledge the strategies and plans they adopted in achieving their results
  • Acknowledge the difficulties faced and the risks took on by your student

An effort may or may not have brought the desired result. But, taking that effort is a great step. This reminds me of what one teacher told me. She has a student who usually gets failing grades. After one particular test, she observed that although the score has not improved, the student had taken the time to attempt all questions. She told him how proud she was to see his commitment to attempt all questions.

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3. Point out areas for IMPROVEMENT

feedback to students using growth mindset

A feedback is incomplete without highlighting areas to improve.

  • Even with a great result, there is still scope for improvement. Your students are naturally resourceful and have the ability to improve better than their current best.
  • Tell them that some goals might seem unattainable. But, with proper planning and strategy, they will be able to reach there steadily and gradually. Do not lower the standard on what they can achieve.
  • Are there any skills, habits and topics they need to pick up? Discuss it with your student.

4. Guide them with actionable STEPS to move forward

feedback to students using growth mindset

  • Provide specific steps to your student to improve from where they are and move towards their goals. A generic goal such as “do better in the next test” does not provide an actionable task to the student. Tell them what they can do to get better. Some of the action oriented phrases you could use are, “Having a study/revision plan will help you to stay focused and score better next time,” “Do you need my help in brushing up some of the basics so that you can better understand the topic,” “Do you think you can keep your mobile phone and tablet away during your study time? That will help you to study better.”
  • Help them devise a strategy to move forward. Show them how they can break their goal into smaller tasks. Give them measurable and achievable sub-goals to encourage a habit of taking action. This will help your student to find a sense of purpose.
  • Highlight the importance of time management and its effect on reducing their stress.

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5. Provide an ENVIRONMENT where your students feel encouraged to discuss their progress with you from time to time.

feedback to students using growth mindset

If you want  your student to listen to you, they should feel comfortable to have an open discussion with you from time to time.

  • Do not judge your students by their academic results. They might be better in other areas, talk about those areas to understand what drives them to perform better in those areas.
  • Your communication skills play an important role in deciding how your feedback will influence and persuade your child. Have a patient ear, pause before you respond and make an effort to know more about your student.
  • Find time to have one-on-conversation with your students. Two minutes is enough for a meaningful conversation. Over time, it paves way for forming a good relationship.

 

Growth Mindset for future-ready children by Sindu Sreebhavan

 

Don’t forget to read these articles too on growth mindset

The secret ingredient that makes our children future-ready

14 things a teacher with a growth mindset doesn’t do

Shooting in the self created darkness: A growth mindset story

How To Boost Academics By Growing Growth Mindset

Read Infinite Possibilities by Sindu Sreebhavan to boost growth mindset and unleash your real potentialHave you read my latest book Infinite Possibilities: Unlock your real potential with the secret recipes from superachievers? It comes with 10 case studies, 11 manifestos and 55 steps to unleash your own real potential by boosting your growth mindset. Furthermore, it will show you how you can apply Infinite Possibilities in your personal, professional and academic lives. You can get a copy of it here or at Amazon for yourself, your team, your student or child.

After reading this article, could you please do the three simple steps below?

  1. Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules.
  2. Have you written an article that complements this article? Please share it in the comment section below with one or two lines explaining what that is about.
  3. Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let me know!

You can find another version of this article here.

Have you read Sindu Sreebhavan’s latest book Infinite Possibilities? You can find it here.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

 

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

The secret ingredient that makes our children future-ready

An earlier version of this article was published on the Empowered Teacher magazine. “Our education systems do not make children future-ready”, sounds all too familiar? I guess we all agree that what we need is an education system which is more than just academics and standardised tests. So, what is that secret ingredient that makes our children future-ready?

So, what does future-readiness mean in the VUCA world? We need people who are problem finders and problem solvers. That essentially means, we need the flames of creativity and exploration inside the kindergarten students to shine long after they leave kindergarten, instead of compelling them to kill it. If our education systems do not serve this purpose, it is impossible to guarantee that no child is left behind when it comes to future readiness.

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In order to create a pool of innovative people, our children should be equipped to learn how to learn, unlearn and relearn. With this intention, schools usually set out to create innovation projects and technology classes. But what most forget about is the mindset. Nurturing the right mindset in children is essential to enable them to create their own future possibilities.

Secret Ingredient for infinite possibilities and success

In my work helping educational institutions and corporations build growth mindset and innovation, I come across one question very often — What is the secret ingredient that helps individuals, children and organizations ready for the future? There is only one answer – grow your growth mindset.

So, what is growth mindset all about? Growth Mindset is a term that Stanford Professor Carol Dweck introduced after her years of studies on the psychology behind academic success. She classifies our mindset into two – growth mindset and fixed mindset.

People who consciously cultivate a growth mindset believe that they have direct influence in changing themselves for the better. They cultivate attitudes, behaviors and beliefs that position themselves towards progress and success. So, is growth mindset all about having a positive outlook in life? The answer is – it is not, although that helps.

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People with a growth mindset think that they have the ability to change their intelligence, talents and attitudes. They believe that they can do it with hard work, planning, learning and reflection. They focus on the process rather than the outcome. Studies have found that in a growth mindset environments innovation, collaboration, learning and growth flourish.

Growth Mindset for future-ready children by Sindu Sreebhavan

So, why does growth mindset work?

Growth Mindset is enjoying much acceptance and popularity in the education industry. Many successful corporations too have embraced growth mindset. Organisations like Microsoft have adopted growth mindset for developing their employees’ potential and innovative mindset.

The effectiveness of growth mindset is hugely supported by the latest discoveries in the neuroscience field. Our brain has an amazing gift called neuroplasticity. As the word suggests, it means that our brain is like a plastic. It means that we can mold our brain in any way we want to.

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Neuroplasticity is our brain’s marvelous ability to reorganize itself based on the experience and exposure we subject it to. This reorganizing could come from our actions, efforts, thoughts, beliefs and attitudes among other things. In simple words, we can rewire our brain. So the question is, if we can really rewire our brain, how do we do that? Growth Mindset is the way to make that possible.

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Why do several growth mindset initiatives fail?

Despite the wide acceptance of growth mindset, many educational institutions fail at implementing or sustain growth mindset initiatives. Some of the main reasons behind that are

1.   Lack of implementation tools

Teachers and schools find it difficult to find step-by-step processes to implement growth mindset as part of their pedagogy. As a result, the adoption is left with individual teachers or implementing it wrongly or abandoning it altogether. Having a clear implementation plan and sufficient resources is essential for the success of growth mindset project that lasts.

2.   Not starting from the right group

Many educational institutions embark on their growth mindset journey with growth mindset workshops for students. This is a wrong approach. A growth mindset journey should start with the school management, school leaders and educators.

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growth mindset singapore

 

3.   Confining growth mindset within the classroom

Four centuries of conventional school system has conditioned our brains to look at everything about education as subjects and academics. Anything that is not part of the conventional ‘subjects’ is termed ‘extra-curricular’. Whereas, when you decide to adopt a growth mindset, it is essential that you take the decision to create a culture of continuous improvement in every area of the life of your students and faculty – a culture that makes children future-ready. Furthermore, teachers who practice growth mindset is an essential component to ensure the success of a growth mindset initiative.

As you will read in my book Infinite Possibilities: Unlock your real potential with the secret recipes of superachievers, many successful people in the world today were not academically exceptional. It is the growth mindset in their overall outlook of their life and dreams that helped them to achieve their stupendous stature. Schools need to Implement growth mindset in every area, from classrooms to the sports field and the school canteen to faculty rooms.

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Adopting a growth mindset is a culture change project. Experience, tools, and a long-term approach really matter here. If you would like to read more about growth mindset and its application in education, read Infinite Possibilities. If parents and teachers of today embrace a culture of growing their growth mindset, that will do wonders in developing generations of future ready children.

Growth Mindset is the only way you can develop, boost and sustain the growth mindset in your school.

You can download a complimentary copy of the high resolution Growth Mindset Infographics for your school or home at www.asmanyminds.com/growth-mindset-resources/

Read Infinite Possibilities by Sindu Sreebhavan to boost growth mindset and unleash your real potentialHave you read my latest book Infinite Possibilities: Unlock your real potential with the secret recipes from superachievers? It comes with 10 case studies, 11 manifestos and 55 steps to unleash your own real potential by boosting your growth mindset. Furthermore, it will show you how you can apply Infinite Possibilities in your personal, professional and academic lives. You can get a copy of it here or at Amazon for yourself, your team, your student or child.

After reading this article, could you please do the three simple steps below?

  1. Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules.
  2. Have you written an article that complements this article? Please share it in the comment section below with one or two lines explaining what that is about.
  3. Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let me know!

You can find another version of this article here.

Have you read Sindu Sreebhavan’s latest book Infinite Possibilities? You can find it here.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

 

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

14 things a teacher with a growth mindset doesn’t do

Success is not the result of mere talent and intelligence. In fact, success is the result of how we fuel our skills with attitudes, beliefs, behaviors and habits. It is the result of cultivating a growth mindset.

Teachers have a major role in setting a child for success. Teachers who practice a growth mindset culture, follow certain processes, beliefs and practices that help them to cultivate a growth mindset in their students.

Between two students, one who says, “This is hard. I don’t want to do it now” and the other who says “It is hard. But, I am going to figure it out”, who has got a better chance to succeed?

According to Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, one thing that determines the success of a child (and an adult) is having a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the result of carefully cultivated attitudes, thoughts, behaviors and habits that set a child on the path of developing abilities and courage over a period of time.

Take a look at the chart below to find how different a person with a growth mindset thinks compared to a person with a fixed mindset.

Growth Mindset chart by Sindu Sreebhavan

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Check out these things that growth mindset teachers don’t do so that you too can boost your classroom’s growth mindset culture.

1.  They don’t let their students forget their failures

At the same time, they do not let their students beat themselves up for their failure. They teach their students how to look at failures constructively. They teach them how to find valuable lessons from their failures.

2. They don’t label their students

They would not make comments such as “That was a clever answer” or “Don’t be so lazy” or “Don’t be shy.” A label is an attitude setter. A label, set by self or by others, has the power to make a person believe that is what they are. It has lifelong effects. They will develop a habit to protect that label instead of taking steps to come out of their comfort zone or taking up challenges. They encourage students to encourage each other and themselves with process-based praises rather than outcome based labels. I have written about how I strived to live up to my label of “Math-dumb” in my book Infinite Possibilities.

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3.  They don’t let their students feel superior for a great result

Since the students are on a journey to achieve more than the results at school, it is important for them to understand the process that leads to better results. A great result is the opportunity to learn more about the process of reaching that result. A great result is the result of hard work, planning, strategies, various learning styles, multiple mistakes or failures, practice routines, habits and behaviors.

4.  They don’t punish students for making mistakes

Instead, they encourage students to take a closer look at those mistakes and provide them with the strategies to learn from those mistakes. They encourage them to look at it from various perspectives such as the approach they adopted, the understanding of the topic, thinking patterns, emotional factors, routines and so on.

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5.  They don’t control the Growth Mindset culture

In a classroom where growth mindset is celebrated, it is not the teacher who is actively driving it, students are also enthusiastically involved in suggesting and leading activities related to growth mindset.

They let their students have a say in the resources and activities needed to help them reinforce and practice growth mindset in and outside the classroom. They let your students learn how to communicate and brainstorm to find solutions for tough challenges, both academic and non-academic.

6.  They don’t consider growth mindset as an additional chore

They truly believe in what they are doing since they are practitioners of growth mindset too. Hence, they find personal growth and collective growth in incorporating a growth mindset into their pedagogy and classroom.

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7.  They don’t preach to students about growth mindset

In a classroom, you see students of multiple intelligence. Teachers who practice growth mindset use various auditory, verbal and kinesthetic methods to make students understand the neuroplasticity elements that outline why growth mindset works. They incorporate effective thinking routines and projects in the curriculum to enable these concepts stick.

8.  They don’t give unattainable goals to students

Taking up challenges is something children need to feel comfortable with practice. In order to create a risk-taking culture in the classroom, it is essential to make the students tolerant to taking challenges. Teachers who are passionate about creating a growth mindset culture in their students, start with attainable goals and then gradually increase the intensity of those challenges. They believe in creating an environment for consistent, incremental progress.

 

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9.  They don’t ask students to just sit down and follow what they ask them to do

They provide opportunities for students to verbalize their thoughts. They give their students pointers to verbalize different aspects of their progress, challenges, mistakes, self-reflection and feedback for other students’ growth mindset efforts and so on.

10. They don’t use words that reflect a fixed mindset

They actively practice a growth mindset in their lives. They use vocabulary that reflects they are persistent, confident, lifelong learners and enablers. They do not use phrases such as “I wish I were young enough to do that” or “I wish I had picked up that skill when I was younger.” Instead, they use phrases like that reflect their ability to be a lifelong learner such as, “I am not good at it yet, but will some practice I am sure I will be able to get better at it.”

 

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11. They don’t shy away from receiving feedback

They demonstrate genuine grace and kindness when they receive a feedback. In fact, they create a culture in the classroom where the students have the right to give feedback to them. They teach them how to receive a feedback with grace and kindness. Moreover, they teach students how to make any feedback a ‘helpful feedback’ by asking questions to know more about the reason and the situations behind the feedback. Such teachers also present themselves as exemplary feedback recipients by incorporating feedback into their attitudes and behaviors. In addition, they find time to they share with their students how their feedback have been useful in becoming a better teacher or a person.

12. They don’t cultivate a one-sentence-feedback culture

They teach students how to give and receive constructive feedback. They believe in the power of constructive feedback. They create an environment which focuses on process-oriented feedback. In such an environment, both areas of excellence and areas for improvement comes into discussion. And they ensure that such discussions are focused on the process that led to excellence and the process that will lead to excellence.

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13. They don’t just focus on individual learning

They make students understand the value of collaboration. They promote a collaborative learning culture where students learn in groups and understand how their efforts and participation results in the success of their group. This helps them to take responsibility for the group and to encourage each other to work hard for the group’s performance. They learn from each other’s learning and working styles, gain confidence and feel a sense of accomplishment from these group activities. Moreover, they will be able to carry these learnings on other areas of their lives as well.

14. They don’t create a culture of downplaying successes  

They encourage students to celebrate another student’s achievement. They encourage their students to praise the achiever with process-oriented praises. This provides an environment where other students gain the courage to ask the achiever for their tips than feeling jealous or intimidated by their achievement. This also fosters a culture of success mantras being shared for collective excellence.

Read Infinite Possibilities by Sindu Sreebhavan to boost growth mindset and unleash your real potentialHave you read my latest book Infinite Possibilities: Unlock your real potential with the secret recipes from superachievers? It comes with 10 case studies, 11 manifestos and 55 steps to unleash your own real potential by boosting your growth mindset. Furthermore, it will show you how you can apply Infinite Possibilities in your personal, professional and academic lives. You can get a copy of it here or at Amazon for yourself, your team, your student or child.

 

After reading this article, could you please do the three simple steps below?

  1. Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules.
  2. Have you written an article that complements this article? Please share it in the comment section below with one or two lines explaining what that is about.
  3. Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let me know!

You can find another version of this article here.

Have you read Sindu Sreebhavan’s latest book Infinite Possibilities? You can find it here.

Look out for our next Growth Mindset for Teachers workshop at www.asmanyminds.com/gm-tw

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

 

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

Making children future ready for the age of artificial intelligence

How do we make today’s children future ready to help them face the uncertain world of artificial intelligence with confidence?

Over lunch my friend was talking about her daughter Evelyn. Evelyn studies in a high profile secondary school that focuses on hardcore science and technology. They are at a stage where the daughter has to start considering the choices for her university education. To the dismay of the family, the daughter announced that she wants to major in psychology in her undergraduate degree.

Before jumping into conclusions, let me state this. The parents are both doing great as technology leaders in their careers and they want to give freedom to their daughter to make her own decisions about her future. Yet, they are in a dilemma. They want to want to make sure that Evelyn is taking the right decision. They are also not sure whether studying psychology will give her enough job opportunities in the future.

Here is my take: Psychology graduates will have a bright future.

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There are three aspects that we need to consider when we think about the future.

1. Artificial Intelligence and the job landscape

Artificial intelligence has already started disrupting many traditional job roles. The impact of the new disruptive forces in the global economy is massive. This impact is estimated to be 3,000 times larger compared to the impact from the industrial revolution in 18th and 19th centuries (as stated in the book No Ordinary Disruption.) So, are our children future ready?

2. What are the new job opportunities emanating from the widespread use of AI?

Accenture’s global study of 1,000 companies that are already using/planning to use AI has identified three new categories of jobs that would emerge as AI gets sophisticated. Surprisingly, these are not jobs that require deep technological knowledge. These are jobs that will require humans as intermediaries to include, review or correct empathy and emotions in the machine-learning algorithms.

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3. What are the driving factors for these new jobs?

A major hurdle in the progress of AI taking over a large part of our lives is one factor – our emotion. Human emotion is the final frontier for AI. Effective ways to read and replicate human emotions are yet to be invented.

I believe that the way we see psychology will change in the future. We will certainly see dramatic changes in the role of psychologists in the workplace. This means that we need to consider that when we talk about future readiness of today’s children.

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Should Evelyn pursue psychology?

Today’s and tomorrow’s job market and requirements are very different from yesterday’s. Any field that will provide more insight into human emotions and consciousness will be of demand. So, I think she should. What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

 

After reading this article, could you please do the three simple steps below?

  1. Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules.
  2. Have you written an article that complements this article? Please share it in the comment section below with one or two lines explaining what that is about.
  3. Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let me know!

You can find another version of this article here.

 

Have you read Sindu Sreebhavan’s latest book Infinite Possibilities? You can find it here.

 

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

 

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

Shooting in the self created darkness: A growth mindset story

A fixed mindset almost destroyed my life

“Sindu, what are you waiting for? Finish it and go back to your seat.”

“Why are you looking so lost as if it is the toughest problem in the world?”

“It is very easy. You are wasting everybody’s time.”

It was a rainy day. But, the outpour of those angry words hit me louder than the thunder storm outside. I wanted to tell her that I did not know, but I could not. I was shaken from outside, but numb from inside.

This had become a daily affair ever since the new school year started a month back. I was twelve and we had a new Math teacher in our convent school—Sister Hakim. She was the teacher you didn’t want to mess with. Within a short period, she had built the reputation of a strict teacher. Sister Hakim used to get me to work on Math problems every day on the blackboard (there was no whiteboard those days).

I used to score average marks in Math. I had the belief that I was not good in Math, and I did not think I would be able to get any better than where I was. I found it difficult to understand Math.

Why are you so bad in it?

I grew up hearing how gifted my dad was in Math as a child. People used to tell me stories of how he helped high school students in Math when he was in middle school. Many would ask me “How come you are so poor in Math?”

My confidence in my Math skills was so poor that I used to make huge blunders even when I knew how to solve a problem. Hence, I managed to hear an earful of scolding from Sister Hakim on a daily basis. But, I was confused about one thing. Of all people in the class why does Sister Hakim have to pick me on a daily basis, that too to work out sums in front of the class? I started hating the Math lessons all the more.

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She hates me

“Sister Hakim hates me. That is why she likes to make me look like a fool every day”, I complained to my friends. They looked at me with sympathetic eyes, agreeing with my point. I used to dread the Math period.

As I was struggling with that Math problem on that rainy day, other students in the class were laughing at me as they thought it was very easy. I turned my face away from the laughing crowd and stared at the blackboard. Sister Hakim started to say something and I closed my eyes waiting for the worst. She said, “Sindu has the potential to do very well in Math, if she puts some effort. But, I do not know why she is not trying hard.”

She does not think I am an airhead

I turned around and looked at her, she was not looking at me. I felt an unknown spark jolting through my body. I told myself, “Sister Hakim thinks I have the potential! She does not think I am an airhead!”

Sister Hakim continued, “I give her enough opportunities to show her that. But, she does not seem to get it.” I don’t think Sister Hakim remembers the impact those words had on me. For her, it was mere a comment about a lazy student, but for me it was a life changing moment.

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Growth Mindset Singapore

Until then, I had thought my teacher hated me and was bent on troubling me. Until then, I thought I was not born with a Math brain. But, after hearing those words, I truly felt she saw something in me that I did not see myself.

She could see something that I could not

From that day onwards, I started working hard on Math. As I started putting more effort into it, I began understanding it better. After that, it was all about looking at each problem as a new challenge and finding ways to solve that problem. When I received the results of the exam in the following term, I realised that I had turned from an average scorer to one of the top scorers in my class. It did not take much time for Math to become my favourite subject. Later, that passion paved the way for me to study engineering and then MBA.

Those words of my teacher helped me to look at my life with a growth mindset, not just in solving Math problems, but in several other areas. What made that miraculous change within just two months? I realised that there were certain attitudes and habits that I unconsciously followed needed change.

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1. I nurtured fixed mindset

I thought my intelligence was fixed. I thought I did not have the potential to improve my skills and more importantly I was ok with that.

2. I did self-labelling

I labeled myself ‘bad in Math’. I thought I was not gifted in Math. I thought only ‘gifted’ students were able to score high in Math.

3. I was looking at feedbacks as threats and criticisms

I was quick to think that my teacher thought the worst about me when all the while what she wanted was to make me realise that I have the potential.

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4. I felt insecure instead of inspired

I used to feel insecure when people compared my Math skills with my dad’s, instead of getting inspired. It is true that comparison is not good. But, you should not ignore the fact that you can’t completely stop other people from comparing you with others. Other people often have clear expectations from us. But, what matters is how sincere is your expectations from yourself. What I could have done was to reframe my thoughts to get the best out of myself.

5. I did not ask for help

I was happy inside the little label I had created for me and hence did not think it was necessary to ask for help.

6. I overlooked the concept of hard work

It is the efforts that lead to mastery.

When I realised that my teacher thought I had the potential to improve my Math skills, I started believing that truly I had that potential. The result of that was, I put in more effort, came up with study plans and started asking and seeking help from others to learn better. As I started thinking with a growth mindset, I started seeing the results in my marks.

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Growth Mindset Singapore

Growth mindset as a term was not coined at that time. But, the growth mindset that I started developing then, guides me to take on new challenges even today. Though learning and following a growth mindset early in life helps, you can adopt it any point in your life.

Start your growth mindset here

Take an area that you feel you need to develop. Think about these.

  1. How often do you label yourself as not good?
  2. How often do you ask for feedback? How open are you for those feedbacks?
  3. Who can you ask for help?
  4. What adjustments can you make to plan your day to improve that area?
  5. Do you know anyone better than yourself in it? Get inspired by them, not insecure.

For our workshops on growth mindset, please visit Growth Mindset Camp.

Did you read my latest book Infinite Possibilities: Unlock your real potential with the secret recipes from superachievers? It comes with 10 case studies, 11 manifestos Read Infinite Possibilities by Sindu Sreebhavan to boost growth mindset and unleash your real potentialand 55 steps to unleash your own real potential by boosting your growth mindset. Furthermore, it will show you how you can apply Infinite Possibilities in your personal, professional and academic lives. You can get a copy of it here or at Amazon for yourself, your team, your student or child.

After reading this article, could you please do the three simple steps below?

  1. Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 
  2. Have you written an article that complements this article? Please share it in the comment section below with one or two lines explaining what that is about.
  3. Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let me know!

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

How To Think? Use Visible Thinking to Help Your Child Master the Art of Thinking

“Think from different perspectives.” Sounds all too familiar? This is a phrase we keep repeating to ourselves, to our friends as well as to our children. But, how can we make someone think? Have you ever wished you were able to impart your thinking process to someone else? But, thinking is not visible, it happens inside our brain. How do you cultivate visible thinking?

Is it possible to make thinking visible? How can we make it visible to our kids, just like teaching them writing or dancing? There are many ways to encourage visible thinking in children.

Visible Thinking is part of the Project Zero program of Harvard University. Educators practicing Visible Thinking make use of many thinking routines to enhance the thinking horizon of their students. Here are five strategies you can use in strengthening your child’s thinking habits.

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1. Use the language of thinking

Visible Thinking Singapore

Many children have the habit of saying “I don’t know” when they are unable to express their ideas or think in a coherent manner. One powerful way for you to help your child in expressing their ideas is by using the language of thinking. “What makes you think so?”, “What is another way to do this?”, “What else?”, “Why does the other group think so?” Questions like these make your child think about their thinking patterns.

2. Circle of viewpoints

Visible Thinking Singapore

This activity encourages diversity of viewpoints. Often in groups, children (as well as adults) tend to get influenced by other people’s ideas and viewpoints. Encourage your child to pick up a particular point of view from available choices and talk about it. For example, if you are talking about pollution, they may pick up the viewpoint of the factory owner, the factory worker, the people suffering from the pollution, an environmentalist, an economist and so on. Use this activity to boost your child’s confidence in expressing their viewpoints, when those are different from other people’s.

You can do circle of viewpoints as a family activity. Take up everyday situations or funny scenarios as a starting point.

3. Questioning

Visible Thinking Singapore

Ask your child to make as many questions as they can after they read a storybook or an academic book. The questions could also be related to a movie they watched or a game they played. It is the questions that lead to answers. Focus on the questions first, irrespective of whether they know the answers or not.

4. Get in touch with past experiences and knowledge

Visible Thinking Singapore

“What does it remind you of?” Use this powerful question in various situations and experiences. While helping in relating to their previous knowledge, this activity also helps in connecting with their emotions. The way they answer to this question does not have to be verbal all the time. Help them to express it in terms of words, pictures, music or movements depending on what their style is or the current mood they are in.

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5. Storytelling without words

Visible Thinking Singapore

“How can you say stories without words?”, “What are the options?”, “It is impossible”. Be ready to hear these responses when you introduce this strategy. However, when your child realises you really mean what you said, they would start thinking. Now, their responses would be different. They may ask you questions like “Can I use puppets?”, “Can I use pictures or crafts?”, “Can I act it out?” This is a great strategy to make your child explore ideas on how they can express those stories in a manner another person can enjoy it, without the help of words.

Making thinking visible helps your child in cultivating good thinking habits and in expressing their thoughts clearly. Further more, it gives the confidence to play around with alternative plans and solutions.

For our workshops on thinking skills, please visit Thinkers Unlimited.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

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The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.