What happens when your child says, “I’m just not good at math” or “I can’t do this”?
Those simple statements can reveal something important about the way children view their abilities and how they respond when learning gets difficult.
In this episode of the Homeschool Connections Podcast, host Kaitlin Zara welcomes developmental and educational psychologist Dr. Kristi Moore for a fascinating and practical conversation about growth mindset: the belief that our abilities can grow and develop through learning, practice, perseverance, and even mistakes.
Dr. Moore explains the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset and shares how seemingly innocent messages—including repeatedly telling a child how “smart” he or she is—can unintentionally make children afraid of challenges or failure.
Drawing from psychological research, her experience as a professor, and life as a Catholic homeschooling mother of six, Dr. Moore gives parents practical strategies they can begin using right away.
And Kaitlin gets a surprise along the way when Dr. Moore challenges one of her long-held beliefs about “learning styles”!
This Episode Is Sponsored by Ascension Press
Pillars of Faith from Ascension Press is a brand-new K–8 Catholic curriculum deeply rooted in Sacred Scripture and Tradition and designed to evangelize the whole family.
Learn more about Pillars of Faith for your homeschool:
https://ascensionpress.com/pillarshomeschool
Resources
Using Praise to Build a Growth Mindset by Dr. Kristi Moore
https://homeschoolconnections.com/using-praise-to-build-a-growth-mindset/
Other homeschool articles by Dr. Moore
https://homeschoolconnections.com/author/?n=230089
Explore Dr. Moore’s High School Courses with Homeschool Connections
https://tinyurl.com/mutbc57r
Meet Dr. Kristi Moore
https://homeschoolconnections.com/instructors/kristi-moore/
Is Everything You Know About Learning Styles Wrong? (blog article)
https://homeschoolconnections.com/learning-styles-homeschooling/
In This Episode
- What a growth mindset is and why it matters
- The difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset
- Why children who have always been told they are “smart” can sometimes struggle when learning becomes difficult
- What parents should praise instead of natural ability
- Why challenge, effort, progress, and mistakes are important parts of learning
- Practical phrases parents can use when a child is frustrated
- How to tell the difference between a motivation problem and a genuine learning gap
- Why homeschooling gives us a unique opportunity to go back and fill those gaps
- The surprising research behind the popular concept of “learning styles”
- How to balance a child’s natural interests with subjects they simply need to learn
- Why motivation is not one-size-fits-all
- How parents can model a growth mindset through their own mistakes and challenges
- How to talk with older children and teens when they are struggling
- Why giving teens ownership in solving academic problems can build motivation and important life skills
One Big Takeaway
Instead of focusing on whether your child is naturally “good” at something, focus on progress.
Challenges don’t mean a child lacks ability. They provide opportunities to develop new skills, discover what may be missing, learn from mistakes, and keep moving forward.
As Dr. Moore reminds us, the goal isn’t perfection. We want children to learn that setbacks are okay: get back up, keep going, and keep making progress.
About Dr. Kristi Moore
Dr. Kristi Moore is a Catholic wife and homeschooling mother of six children. She holds a PhD in developmental and educational psychology and serves as a professor of psychology at Angelo State University.
Her areas of specialization include child and adolescent development, with research interests focused on motivation and self-regulation. Dr. Moore also teaches psychology courses through Homeschool Connections and seeks to encourage parents in their vocation by sharing insights from psychological research as well as her own experiences as a homeschool mom.
About Your Host
Kaitlin Zara is a veteran educator, homeschool mom, and host of the Homeschool Connections Podcast. See her homeschool blog posts here:
https://homeschoolconnections.com/author/?n=245991