The Power of "Yet"

Introduction

• Concept of "Not Yet": Originated from a high school in Chicago where students received "Not Yet" instead of failing grades.
  • Significance: Indicates a learning curve and future potential rather than failure.

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

• Growth Mindset: Positive Reaction to Challenges
  • Students embrace challenges and see opportunities to grow abilities.
  • Example: 10-year-olds tackling difficult problems and showing enthusiasm.
  • Fixed Mindset: Negative Reaction to Challenges
  • Students fear failure and see it as a test of core intelligence.
  • Example: After failing, some might cheat or find someone worse to feel better.

Research Findings

• Brain Activity Studies:
  • Fixed Mindset: Little brain activity when encountering errors.
  • Growth Mindset: High brain activity, learning from errors.
• Impact on Students:
  • Growth mindset students are more resilient and persistent.
  • Fixed mindset students struggle more with challenges.

Raising Children: Growth Now or "Yet?"

• Current Focus: Many children are fixated on achieving high test scores rather than long-term goals.
• Employer Feedback: Young workers may struggle without constant rewards.

Strategies to Foster a Growth Mindset

• Praise Wisely:
  • Focus on praising the process (hard work, strategies, focus, perseverance) rather than innate talent.
  • Benefits: Reduces vulnerability and builds resilience.
• Reward "Yet":
  • Example: Brain Points game rewarding effort and progress, leading to sustained learning.
• Teach the Growth Mindset Directly:
  • Educate students on brain's ability to form new connections with effort.
  • Results: Those taught showed increased grades; struggling students benefitted greatly.

Equality and Growth Mindset

• Creating Growth Mindset Environments:
  • Examples of transformative results in education through growth mindset interventions.
  • Harlem kindergarten class achieving national high percentile despite initial challenges.
  • South Bronx fourth-grade class excelling in state math tests.
  • Native American reservation schools improving significantly.

Conclusion

• Case Study: Letter from a 13-year-old showing improvement in various life areas after adopting growth mindset principles.
• Call to Action: Promote environments filled with "yet" to ensure basic human abilities can flourish for all children and adults.
• Message: Understanding and adopting the growth mindset is crucial for individual and societal development.