Learning
Edition 11 | November 2025
Bookmarked
Discover thought-provoking book recommendations tailored for educators. Each pick includes
a concise synopsis and actionable takeaways to inspire and enrich teaching practices.
Overview:
Mindset by Carol Dweck explores how our underlying beliefs about intelligence and ability shape every aspect of our lives, from education to relationships and beyond. Dweck’s central argument is that a ‘fixed mindset’, believing abilities are innate, restricts growth and resilience, while a ‘growth mindset’, seeing abilities as developable fuels motivation, persistence, and achievement.
Drawing on decades of research, classroom observations, and real-world examples, Dweck shows that adopting a growth mindset transforms how people approach challenges, setbacks, and learning opportunities.
The book highlights the power of belief in shaping student outcomes: when teachers and schools nurture growth mindset, students are more likely to embrace effort, learn from errors, and persist in the face of difficulty.
Why Teachers Will Find This Useful:
Expanding purpose: Reframes the educator’s role to include fostering beliefs about learning, effort, and potential.
Classroom strategies: Offers practical guidance for feedback, praise, and interventions that build resilience and encourage persistence in students.
Professional perspective: Reminds teachers that their own mindset also shapes classroom culture, student motivation, and outcomes.
Why We Recommend It:
Dweck’s writing is clear, research-driven, and directly applicable to practice which is important for any teacher. The book gives teachers both reassurance and challenge. Reassurance that every child’s ability can grow, and challenge to rethink familiar habits in language, praise, and expectations.
At a time when many educators are grappling with disengagement and the stress of high expectations, Mindset offers a scientific and practical lens to reignite agency, optimism, and long-term learning in classrooms.
Interesting and Actionable Takeaways:
Praising effort and strategy not just talent or outcomes builds a growth mindset and boosts achievement long term.
Students with a growth mindset see mistakes as opportunities to learn, not indictments of ability.
Even highly capable students can plateau if trapped by a fixed mindset; belief in effort is central to ongoing development.
Teachers who model vulnerability and perseverance become powerful agents for cultural change at both classroom and school levels.
Zoom-in Excerpts:
“Picture your brain forming new connections as you meet the challenge and learn. Keep on going.” — Carol Dweck
Explanation:
This excerpt illustrates Dweck’s central message: Learning is an active, ongoing process that physically changes our brains. For teachers and students alike, it reinforces that persistence in the face of difficulty sparks genuine growth. Encouraging students to visualise their brains building new pathways helps normalise challenge, inspires resilience, and fosters a lifelong attitude of possibility and progress.
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