The Power of Growth Mindset
🌟 One mindset shift can change a lifetime. Here’s how Singapore schools are turning average students into lifelong learners.
Introduction: Why Mindset Matters
We’ve all seen it — two students face the same challenge, but only one keeps trying.
What separates them isn’t intelligence; it’s mindset.
The concept of the Growth Mindset, popularised by psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck, teaches that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, feedback, and perseverance. In contrast, a Fixed Mindset assumes talent is innate — and failure means “I’m not good enough.”
Singapore’s education system, known for rigour and high expectations, is now recognising that growth mindset training helps students embrace learning rather than fear it.
How Growth Mindset Shapes Learning Behaviour
When students believe they can grow, they:
Take on challenges willingly
Bounce back from mistakes
Seek feedback actively
Develop greater intrinsic motivation
A 2021 NIE study found that students with growth mindset interventions improved academic confidence by 17% on average and displayed more resilient problem-solving behaviour in group settings.
Implementing Growth Mindset in Schools
Reframe Failure as Feedback – Make mistakes part of learning, not shame.
Celebrate Effort – Recognise persistence and progress, not perfection.
Model the Mindset – Teachers who share their own struggles normalise growth.
Embed Reflection – Have students journal about what they learned from setbacks.
These approaches create emotionally safer classrooms where curiosity replaces fear.
Read: Building Student Resilience — Proven Strategies for Secondary Schools
The Role of Teachers and Parents
Students take their cues from adults. When parents and teachers say, “You’re smart,” it reinforces fixed traits; but when they say, “You worked hard on that,” it builds growth-oriented identity.
Workshops for educators — like WAN.Cognition’s Motivation & Growth Mindset Programme — train teachers to reframe praise, feedback, and assessment methods to encourage effort-based learning.
School-Wide Growth Mindset Culture
The schools that succeed embed this mindset into their DNA:
Visible posters with affirmations (“Mistakes help us learn”).
Assemblies highlighting perseverance stories.
Cross-departmental projects to reinforce shared values.
Growth Mindset and Future Readiness
MOE’s 21st Century Competencies (21CC) Framework calls for adaptable, lifelong learners. Growth mindset aligns perfectly with this — developing students who thrive even when industries and technologies change.
Read: From Motivation to Mastery — A Roadmap for Student Success Beyond Exams
Or, request for our Growth Mindset Workshop below.
About WAN.Cognition
WAN.Cognition Training Consultancy empowers schools and educators in Singapore through evidence-based programmes in life skills, SEL, motivation, and leadership. Every programme aligns with MOE’s CCE framework and is facilitated by professionals trained in psychology and pedagogy.
👉 Contact us to learn more about our MOE-aligned enrichment solutions or get a copy of our Prospectus below.
