A growth mindset is one of the key things that can keep musicians at all levels overcome challenges.
Many successful musicians have a growth mindset, which, according to psychologist Carol Dweck, is a strong belief that your abilities in an area can be improved with effort.
As teachers, we already know this! However, sometimes it can be difficult to convince our students that there is a light at the end of the tunnel when practice seems difficult. We have also all met those students, who, no matter what, can give up easily in the face of difficulty, and seem convinced that they cannot do something.
The good news is that a growth mindset can be developed!
Whether your students already have a great growth mindset, or it’s something they need to cultivate, here are some tips that may help!
Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the big aims or achievements, like upcoming exams and concerts. However, taking the time to praise and point out students’ smaller achievements can help them to link their efforts with the payoff, even if it’s something small. Setting small achievable tasks that can be achieved within a week can help students feel the ‘buzz’ of a job well done more frequently, which can help cement the positive feelings of achievement.
Little wins will only happen if you are picking repertoire well-matched to the student’s level. One of the quickest ways for students to feel demoralised is if they are suddenly tackling much more difficult music than they were the week previously. Despite this, students can be architects of their own suffering here, as often they are very keen to move onto pieces for the next grade immediately after finishing the previous one. Explaining to your students why you will cover non-exam repertoire can help set expectations more clearly.
Read: Why playing nothing but exam music is making your students miserable, and how to stop
This one is as much for you as it is for your students! By keeping records, either written or audio-recorded, of your students’ playing and their achievements, you can find ways to remind students of the progress they are making. Having these records pays off for you when you have many students to remember as well.
This can work well in group lessons, or by organising a ‘get-together’ for your individual learners. Encouraging students to think critically about their peers’ playing can help them to recognise their own progress, too. And interactions like these can be fun! Strengthening the social aspects of your students’ music learning can help with their motivation.
It can be tempting to label students as ‘able’ or ‘talented,’ and whilst some students show an earlier aptitude for music than others, it’s consistent effort that ultimately pays off. Students who believe they are ‘talented’ may become discouraged more quickly when faced with difficulties, believing that their talent has now ‘run out.’ When praising your students, make sure to attribute their success to the effort they are putting in.