Our Learning Ethos

At Damers we have adopted a growth mindset approach to teaching and learning because we believe that all children can be successful if they recognise and accept the key elements of the learning process.

We know that children learn best when challenged. A significant part of a child’s learning journey is to recognise the value in making mistakes and to use these as an opportunity to develop perseverance and resilience and their own belief in what they can achieve. Our children are proud of what they achieve through hard work and effort and will frequently tell you when faced with a challenge, that they may not be able to do something …. yet!

 

If you would like to know more about the theory behind our approach we have included some links below and a suggested children’s reading list.

  • The Power of Believing You Can Improve – a TED talk featuring Professor Carol Dweck speaking about the power of ‘Yet’, her research, failure, fixed and growth mindset, attitudes, how to praise, challenge and a little bit of science.
  • Mindsetworks – a website full of information about what growth mindset looks like at school, at home, the science behind it, and how it can be implemented.
  • The Effort Effect – an article called The Effort Effect written by an American journalist. An interesting read which starts with an example of mindset within an English football team.
  • Growth Mindsets: Help Your Child Try New Things – A great link to understanding growth mindset and the impact it has on children. This is a link for parents but there are also links for children including ‘Wussywat the Clumsy Cat’ – a cat who tries things even if he doesn’t understand them, he just keeps trying until he does. 
  • Growth Mindset Animation – a four minute animation on the theory of growth and fixed mindset – good for adults and children with a simple animation based on the tortoise and the hare.

Suggested books that promote growth mindset:

  • The Dot by Peter H Reynolds
  • Ish by Peter H Reynolds
  • The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
  • Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak
  • Beautiful Oops! By Barney Saltzberg
  • The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Gary Rubinstein
  • The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright
  • What Do You Do With An Idea by Kobi Yamada
  • How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
  • Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beaty
  • The Tortoise and the Hare by Janet Stevens
  • Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle by Chris Raschka