It’s back-to-school time and many parents are eager for ideas and interventions to help middle and high-schoolers achieve better grades this fall. Instead of relying on teachers, curriculum, and homework, new research points to grade improvements resulting from a growth mindset.

The growth mindset, pioneered by psychologist Carol Dweck, is the simple yet profound concept that cognitive abilities are not fixed, but can grow, change, develop and improve. For a struggling high school student who has resigned themselves to Ds and Fs, embracing a growth mindset can make all the difference. The same goes for the parent of that poorly-performing student; understanding a growth mindset perspective can help foster hope, encouragement, and positivity.

Researchers with the University of Texas at Austin conducted a study with over 6000 low-achieving high school students. Outcomes published in the August edition of Nature showed that a simple online educational program on the growth mindset resulted in GPA improvements in core ninth-grade courses. Additionally, there was a post-intervention increase in registration for advanced level math classes.

Eager for a similar intervention to help boost your teens grades? There are many resources and videos available online describing the growth mindset, and a great place to start is right HERE with Carol Dweck’s TED talk on the subject.

MBJ

Check out the original research:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1466-y

https://www.mindsetonline.com

https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_you_can_improve