Stanford Video Podcast

After searching endlessly for this podcast, I finally found it.I found this podcast on the Stanford link under the Stanford Challenge: Seeking Solutions, Educating Leaders and then click on "Growth" vs "Fixed" Minds. The video podcast was the conversation of Carol Dweck, a Professor of Psychology and author of the book, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success", with an unknown woman. She is discussing her book and the effects it has had on students and even race car drivers.

Dweck states that some students have a fixed mindset that their basic intelligence is a fixed trait. They are always wondering if they are going to look smart or not so smart. Some students believe it is something they can develop with studying, passion or education. Dweck developed an eight session workshop to study the "Growth" vs "Fixed" mindset.Half of the students used study skills and growth mindset and the other just used study skills. The latter group didn't do as well as the growth mindset students. The study skills group lacked motivation. The growth mindset students were told that the brain is a muscle and it gets stronger with use and they read articles on the subject with energetic discussions. Dweck claims that even a race car driver can benefit from growth mindset by using the winning and losing mistakes to his advantage. She also says that for business, flexibility of growth is essential for success. You can't keep up with the changing world if you don't allow yourself to change and grow.

All teachers need to understand the motivation most students need to succeed. Growth mindset is essential to keep children interested and keep their brains stronger. Not all students struggle, but even the smartest students need to be challenged and motivated. Every child has some level of intelligence and we need to encourage them with study skills and a growth mindset that works for them. Quite a few students struggle with the way they are perceived intellectually when they are in the classroom and it is our responsibility to create that growth mindset and keep it going. I would like to get Carol Dweck's book and read it before I enter my own classroom.