<p>I’m very grateful to a psychologist with a specialization in gifted education who told me in online discussion about Carol Dweck’s research on “mindset” and its influence on learning success. </p>
<p>Her research has helped me open my eyes to a different way of looking at many cases I know in my generation and my children’s generation of gifted young people who are overcome by learning challenges. It points the way for learners of all initial ability levels to improve beyond expectations. Carol Dweck’s popular book on her research, titled Mindset, </p>
<p>Thanks for the link. Some of Dweck’s findings confirm what has been written about the differences between American and Asian students. The latter are more likely to attribute success to effort than to innate talent; the former, like the British players, to talent rather than practice.</p>
<p>I also liked her take on mindset concerning challenge. We told our S that as long as he kept to the middle of the pack, he could take the most challenging courses he wanted and he need not worry about getting top grades. I suspect that if we had told him he needed to worry about his GPA, he would have been more cautious in his choice of classes, and would have enjoyed them less than he did.</p>
<p>Thanks for the link. Have also ordered the book. I’m particularly interested seeing if she has shown why the same kid can have a different “mindset” in different fields. Eldest D took the most challenging courses, never worrying about how well she would do, as long as she could learn something new. As a child, she had the voice of an English choirboy, and was regularly praised for something which came as naturally to her as breathing. She never took a singing lesson, and at 18,having decided that singing was her dream, she applied to one of the top music conservatories. She was waitlisted (only 8 out of 100 were admitted). Speaking for myself, I would have camped on their doorstep, begged for lessons or at least the name of a decent vocal coach and tried again the following year. Not so. This was perceived as the ultimate rejection and singing has never been mentioned since. Is this because even bright children categorize too soon: school = work, art= pure talent, with no grey zone? Do other parents have any similar esperiences?</p>
<p>I think learners can have different mindsets about different domains. One of the things that I like about Dweck’s popular book is that she gives examples from many different domains of human ability.</p>
<p>I have a sign in my office saying “Genius is 90% perspiration, 10% inspiration”. I’ve always believed that talent and personality can be developed.</p>
<p>bookworm , I grew up with unsophisticated folks who wouldn’t know any of the people or theories espoused here , but somehow they understood enough to have this phrase at the ready after any child failed at anything and wanted to give up - “Cain’t never could”. Maybe they needed a better agent. But their book WOULD be shorter. LOL. Maybe we just went to different shrinks? Only mine were more colorful and used smaller words.</p>
Maybe we just went to different shrinks? Only mine were more colorful and used smaller words.</p>