Fixed versus Growth Mindset?

This week’s read is another book that I highly recommend reading if you are attempting to effectuate change upon yourself or others, such as faculty or students. The book is entitled “Switch” and written by Heath and Heath and published in 2010 by Broadway Books. In the author’s words, This book is to help you change things. We consider change at every level – individual, organizational, and societal. Maybe you want to help your brother beat his gambling addiction. Maybe you need your team at work to act more frugally because of marketing conditions…For individuals’ behavior to change; you’ve got to influence their hearts and minds. The problem is this: Often the heart and mind disagree. Fervently.


The authors then boil change down to a matter of directing the rider, motivating the elephant, and shaping the path and provide plenty of examples of how this formula has effectuated both small and large scale change.

One particular section of the book caught my attention as it relates to teaching with people having either a “fixed mindset” or a “growth” mindset. People who have a fixed mindset believe that their abilities are basically static. People with a growth mindset believe that abilities are like muscles – they can be built up with practice. Guess which of the two is harder to teach?! The answer of course is the fixed mindset and you will have to teach them differently than the growth mindset to get them on track to do well in your classes -- because they do not think they can "do it" or "get it."  These students may very well be in need of “brain is like muscle” training before they can get down to the business of tackling the coursework. For a great explanation of this very important concept be sure to read pages 161-168 when reading the book.

By the way, are you reading a great book you would like to recommend to FELC members and others? Just write a short synopsis as I have done in this blog post and send it to mlalopa@fooded.org with your name, title, and school and I will be happy to post it for all to see.