Learners operating under a growth mindset are more likely to see effort as a path to mastery.

For them, there is a connection between effort and growth.

This gives effort meaning.

Meaning tends to underpin motivation which, in turn, drives behaviour.

Consider, in contrast, a learner who has a fixed perspective.

For them, intelligence, talent and ability are finite and unchanging.

This learner is less likely to see effort as a path to mastery.

Mastery is instead something you either have or don’t have.

It cannot be gained but simply is.

Therefore, effort has less meaning, less purpose.

You will no doubt have encountered learners who think in these ways.

On the one hand, some learners persist in the face of difficulties, driven by an underlying belief that application of effort can lead to change and growth.

On the other hand, some learners quickly give up and, when questioned, say things like:

• ‘What’s the point, anyway?’
• ‘I’ll never be able to do it, so why bother?’
• ‘I’m no good at it so I don’t see why I should try.’

When it comes to effort, we want all learners to see it as a path to mastery.

From this we hope that certain behaviours will follow.

Namely, persistence, increased focus, and a belief that learning and development is possible for all, in any situation.

But here we’re not just thinking about effort.

We’re thinking about targeted effort.

Why?

Because effort on its own is not enough.

The statement ‘effort is the path to mastery’ rests on an unspoken assumption: that effort needs to be targeted, preferably with useful input from the teacher or through self-reflection and analysis.

Promoting growth mindsets is therefore not just about promoting the primacy of effort.

It is about promoting the primacy of targeted effort.

Effort that has a direction and a purpose.

This is a crucial point.

Sometimes work around growth mindsets is misrepresented as meaning we simply praise effort and all will be well.

Not true.

To illustrate, consider the difference between someone running towards a finish line and someone who is running on the spot.

They could both put in the same amount of effort, but the person running towards a finish line gets where they want to be, whereas the person running on the spot stays where they are.

Effort is a Vector

One way to describe this in the classroom, for your learners, is to say that effort is a vector.

By this we mean that it has size and direction.

For the person who runs on the spot, their effort only has size.

For the person who runs towards the finish line, their effort has size and direction.

Another way to think about this is that their effort has size and purpose.

A few points follow.

First, it is important that effort has meaning in your classroom.

If the term remains vague and ambiguous it is less likely learners will target their efforts effectively.

It will also be harder for them to understand what you mean by effort and how effort makes itself known in the learning process.

Second, a good way to help learners understand what you mean by effort, and what targeted effort involves, is to use a metaphor like the one above.

Of course, other metaphors are available.

But whichever metaphor you settle on, be sure to use it consistently so that learners gain the clearest understanding possible of what you are trying to convey.

Third, it is helpful to clarify for learners what targeted effort may involve in concrete terms.

This sits in complement to the general description provided through your guiding metaphor.

Here are some concrete examples of targeted effort to get you started:

• Using different strategies to try to solve problems.
• Using trial and error to deal with challenges.
• Using success criteria to direct what you do during an activity.
• Asking for feedback on how to improve and then applying this to your work.
• Focussing on the task in hand and reminding yourself to refocus if your mind starts to wander.

In each of these examples something is directing learner attention.

This is either:

• The learner themselves through self-regulation
• Or information provided by the teacher – such as the feedback and success criteria

The goal is to help learners to understand what targeted effort involves both in a general sense and in a specific sense.

Armed with this information they will be better placed to successfully target their efforts and to see the positive results that follow.

Defining and Modelling Effort

The most effective use of the term ‘effort’ always comes when teacher and learners have a shared understanding of what is being referred to.

This follows on from our previous point.

We can further clarify the meaning of effort in learners’ minds by defining and modelling it in the context of the classroom.

Here are four examples of how to do this.

The first two concern defining effort, the second two focus on modelling it.

Example 1 – Defining Effort

Decide on a definition of effort that works for you.

For example, my definition would be:

• Effort in our classroom means you are focussing your mind on the work we are doing.

Then, develop this definition by coming up with specific examples for different situations.

For example:

• Effort in our classroom means paying attention to whoever is speaking.
• Effort in our classroom means trying different strategies when you get stuck, then asking for help if you still can’t do it.
• Effort in our classroom means using feedback to change what you do and why you do it.

Finally, share this with your learners.

You can use the definition repeatedly through the year.

When returning to it, ask learners if they still agree with it and whether they can suggest any concrete examples of their own.

Example 2 – Defining Effort

Set up a discussion activity near the beginning of the year during which you come up with a whole-class definition of effort.

If you choose to use this technique, make sure you guide your learners, so they avoid the pitfalls of defining effort too broadly.

You should also make sure your learners think about targeted effort.

And you will need to help them develop some clear examples of what targeted effort looks like in concrete terms, in the classroom.

Example 3 – Modelling Effort

One of the best ways to model effort is to show learners what it looks like in individual activities.

For example, imagine a Design and Technology teacher has set their learners the task of designing a Christmas gift that they will later make and try to sell at the school fair.

The teacher models what effort will look like in the design process before giving learners the signal to start.

They do this by showing how they would go about the task, narrating their thinking, and indicating where and how they would focus their energies.

Example 4 – Modelling Effort

Another effective modelling technique is to show learners a piece of exemplar work and to draw out a series of salient points concerning targeted effort.

For example, a Year 6 teacher might show their learners an exemplar story.

They might then indicate how the learner who wrote the story has rewritten two sections, has focussed on including a high level of description, and has also changed the ending after deciding it wasn’t sufficiently gripping.

These three points then become highly specific models that learners can imitate or adapt to ensure they effectively target their own efforts.