At Otamarakau School we encourage a Growth Mindset in our students. Growth mindset is a scientific theory that suggests that one's intelligence can be grown or developed with persistence and hard work. What it boils down to is, that we encourage our students to make mistakes and learn from them. We promote students to keep trying when the work seems too challenging, thus creating an "I can do this" attitude, or "I haven't got it yet, but I will, if I keep trying." You may hear a teacher at our school praising a student for their effort, patience and practice instead of how smart they are. We say that failing is just another word for growing.
"If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort and keep on learning." Carol Dweck