My presentation at St. Joseph's Institution, Singapore

1. Growth Mindset:
an introduction
Shona Schwartz, MA: Education
S2 Training and Development
Shonas@gmail.com
SJI, Singapore

3. Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset
Intelligence and ability is innate. People are
either smart or not. They are born with
talent.
Intelligence and ability is developed through
effort. Intelligence can be improved. Talents
can be learned.
Traits:
● Blames others
● Ignores feedback
● Gives up
● Avoids challenges
● Sees effort as a waste of time
Traits:
● Takes responsibility
● Accepts critique and feedback
● Persists
● Accepts challenges
● Sees effort as a path to improvement
I can not. I am. How can I? What can I do?
S2 Training and Development Shonas@gmail.com

6. What to say…
You’ve done your best effort to study You’re smart, you’ve got this
I’m proud that you didn’t procrastinate Of course you’ll be ok, you always do well
I’m sorry you were frustrated, what can
you do different next time?
Math isn’t your thing, it’s OK
I noticed that you put in a lot of effort to
work collaboratively with others
You’re the smartest one in the group
It always takes lots of practice to learn
new things
Here, I’ll do it for you
Give it a try- here’s an idea of a way to do
it
No one in our family was ever good at that
S2 Training and Development Shonas@gmail.com
Growth mindset:(On process) Fixed mindset: (On product)

7. The Research

8. Effort +Persistence
=Talent
S2 Training and Development Shonas@gmail.com

11. Fixed
Mindset
Growth
Mindset
ME
S2 Training and Development Shonas@gmail.com

12. I didn’t really mean it!

15. Singapore: learning to fail
“This notion of failing and learning fast was raised by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during the
launch of the Smart Nation programme... Singapore schools need to imbue students with tech skills as
well as the Silicon Valley mindset of "fail fast, learn quickly" so that they can create the technology of
the future, he said.”
“ he [Minister for Environment and Water Resources, Vivian Balakrishnan] said Singaporeans need to
overcome their fear of failure and be prepared to keep experimenting rather than give up in despair.”

16. in the classroom
implementing a growth mindset

19. Step 1:
Teach it

20. Step 2:
Own it

21. Step 3:
Make it the culture

22. Step 1: Develop a curriculum
Literature/pop culture
S2 Training and Development Shonas@gmail.com

23. Step 1: Develop a curriculum
Research on Growth Mindset

24. Step 1: Develop a curriculum
Classroom Posters

25. Step 1: Develop a curriculum
Student worksheets

26. Step 2: Adjust your classroom norms:
Student revisions
Multiple opportunity for mastery

27. Step 2: Adjust your classroom norms:
Encourage Challenge

28. Step 2: Adjust your classroom norms:
Room for failure

29. Step 2: Adjust your classroom norms:
Strategy conferencing
“Praise the effort and the strategy and tie it to the outcome” (Dweck)

30. Step 2: Adjust your classroom norms:
Feedback loop

31. Step 2: Adjust your classroom norms:
Self-Evaluation opportunities

32. Step 3: Make it the culture!
Common language

33. Step 3: Make it the culture!
School signs/motos

34. Step 3: Make it the culture!
Parent training

35. Practical strategies for everyday:
“Go To” phrases
Student signs
Rubrics

36. ‘Go To’ phrases
- “I appreciate your persistence”
- “Not quite right-can you try again?”
- “Let’s think of another strategy”
- “Who can accept the challenge”
S2 Training and Development Shonas@gmail.com

37. Student Signs
- I need some support
- I’m accepting the challenge
- I’m going to try again
- I need more tools
S2 Training and Development Shonas@gmail.com

38. Rubrics
- Focus on specific and clear standards
- Use growth-mindset language in titles
- Create space for self-evaluation
- Create column titled “strategy for improvement/growth”
- Include ‘process’ and ‘product’ side
S2 Training and Development Shonas@gmail.com

39. Event Date Time Comments Hrs
Workshop for
Teachers
3 Mar 2.30pm-4pm Printed slides 1.5
Lesson Training
1
23 Mar (introduce growth
mindset)
1.30pm-2.30pm 1
Actual Lesson 1 30 Mar 1.30pm-2.30pm
Lesson Training
2
6 Apr. Research about mindset +
famous people
1.30pm-2.30pm 1
Actual lesson 2 13 Apr 1.30pm-2.30pm
Lesson Training
3
14 Apr (student reflection
worksheets/classroom posters)
2.30pm-3.30pm Dept 1
Actual Lesson 3 4 May 1.30pm-2.30pm
Workshop GMS
in curriculum
5 May 2.30pm-3.30pm Exams for S2-4, Lvl
Meeting
1
Workshop GMS
in curriculum
11 May 1.30pm-2.30pm 1

40. Thank you for your time!
For questions or comments, please contact me at Shonas@gmail.com