Growth Mindset for Mentors Toolkit

Description of Resource:

Coined by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck, “growth mindset” describes the belief that intelligence is malleable rather than fixed. Dweck’s research indicates that when people possess a growth mindset, they are more persistent and better equipped to respond positively to adversity in the learning process. Believing that their efforts will contribute to their learning, people with a growth mindset tend to search for different solutions to a problem when their first approach doesn’t work, a habit that research suggests can promote a range of positive learning outcomes.

PERTS, a research center in the psychology department at Stanford University, developed the original Mindset Kits to support the efforts of parents, teachers, and others to use growth mindset concepts in helping youth achieve school success. With the support of the Raikes Foundation, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) teamed up with PERTS and City Year to develop and pilot the Growth Mindset for Mentors Toolkit, which offers 17 interactive lessons designed to help mentors understand growth mindset and how to apply growth mindset strategies to many of the challenges that youth and adults face in life.

MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership (2017) recently developed an implementation guide to accompany this toolkit. The Implementation Guide offers topics to consider and recommendations for how mentoring programs can incorporate the Growth Mindset for Mentors Toolkit into organizational procedures and support mentors in employing its strategies. This Guide explores how programs can prepare for and use the Toolkit, particularly in regard to staff roles, timelines, ongoing training, and match support.

Target Population/Eligibility of Target Sites:

School-based mentors, mentors providing academic support

Corresponding Elements of Effective Practice:

All

Key Personnel:

None

Additional Information:

N/A

Resource Name:

Growth Mindset for Mentors Toolkit

Publisher/Source:

Stanford University’s Project for Education Research that Scales (PERTS) Lab

Author:

MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) and Stanford University’s Project for Education Research that Scales (PERTS) Lab. Created with the support of the Raikes Foundation.

Date of Publication:

2016

Resource Type:

Mentor Guides and Handouts

Evaluation Methodology:

Resource has not been evaluated for effectiveness

Evaluation Outcomes:

Resource has not been evaluated for effectiveness

Evaluation Validity:

Resource has not been evaluated for effectiveness

Accessing and Using this Resource:

This resource is free and can be accessed at https://www.mindsetkit.org/growth-mindset-mentors

References:

Evidence Base: MENTOR has collaborated with City Year to incorporate the Growth Mindset for Mentors Toolkit into City Year’s mentoring work in schools during the 2015-2016 school year. Survey results from the City Year pilot were used to inform the current version of the Toolkit. During the 2016-17 school year, MENTOR and PERTS will be working on an expanded pilot with City Year as well as adding partners Take Stock in Children and Citizen Schools to further evaluate the impact of the updated Toolkit.

Additional References: You can learn more about Carol Dweck’s research here.