Dr. Carol Dweck, Stanford University social and developmental psychologist, examined the effects of failure on the individual and sought to answer why some people fold under perceived failure while others view failure as an opportunity. What Dweck uncovered is that one’s reaction to failure depends on one’s mindset. Those who uphold a “growth” mindset believe that they have the potential to learn new skills to help meet the next challenge. Growth mindset people accept that through practice and effort increases in intelligence and confidence will follow. Individuals that maintain a “fixed” mindset believe that they are born with a predetermined amount of intelligence that is unchangeable. When faced with obstacles, fixed mindset people internalize the belief that without innate ability, they will not be successful no matter how hard they try. Through interactive case studies and activities, educators will be empowered to develop a growth mindset for themselves, their students, and be prepared to coach students to have a growth mindset, enabling student engagement, persistence, and achievement.

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