One teacher praises a student by saying "You're so smart!" Another teacher says, "You must have worked really hard at this!" Which student does better in school? Studies show that students who hear the words of the second teacher will do better. Those students are learning that their effort is important.
Psychologists（心理学家）looked at what students did after they were given different types of praise. Some students were told that they were good at a task. They didn't try very hard the next time. Other students were told that they had worked hard at a task. They worked even harder the next time. The first group of students was learning that they had a set amount of skill. They didn't think they could do any better. This is called a fixed mindset（思维模式）. The second group was learning that they could do better if they kept trying. This is called a growth mindset. People who have a growth mindset believe that the brain can grow; people can do better and learn new skills. If they work hard, they can be successful.
How can teachers and parents help students succeed? They can focus mainly on effort and not simply on ability. When students succeed, teachers and parents should praise the actual work rather than intelligence（智力）or talent. When students fail, they should be told how they can do better. Teachers, parents and students need to value effort, not intelligence.
Beliefs of Fixed and Growth Mindsets | ||
| Fixed Mindset | Growth Mindset |
| Things you're born with that cannot change | Things you can grow and improve with hard work |
| Something to avoid—could show lack of skill | Something important—leads to success |
| Things to avoid—in case you aren't good enough | Things that help you learn |
