Academic Mindsets for Learner Success

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What are Academic Mindsets?

Academic Mindsets are four key beliefs which deeply influence our behaviors as learners, and which enable learning success. These mindsets affect our motivation, strategies, and perseverance. They are:

I belong in this learning community.
I can change my abilities through effort (a growth mindset).
I can succeed.
This work has value and purpose for me.

Is my school's culture conducive to developing Academic Mindsets?

Check out our Mindset Assessments to receive feedback on your school’s culture from an Academic Mindsets lens.

Mindsets can be learned and taught! How?

Academic Mindsets can be developed. Teaching students about how the brain grows with effective effort makes a big difference. So does teaching growth-minded strategies. Here are some additional tools and resources:

TED-Ed Unit on Growth vs. Fixed Mindsets
Brainology: An excerpt of Mindset Works' blended learning curriculum for teaching growth mindsets and malleable intelligence.
You Can Grow Your Intelligence: article from the original research study with New York City middle school students that served as the inspiration for Brainology (Blackwell, et al 2007.)
MindsetMaker™: a Mindset Works professional development course that provides teachers with knowledge and tools to embrace a growth mindset and support it in the classroom every day.
Mindset: the seminal book by Dr. Carol Dweck about how mindsets affect success and motivation, see www.mindsetonline.com

How can I share this idea?

1. Share this page!

Use this Printable PDF to share and discuss some of these resources with your colleagues and school leaders.

2. Share videos:

Visit the Mindset Works Video Library including The Power of Belief, Growth vs. Fixed Mindsets, and more. Send the links out to your colleagues or put in your signature line!