In a rapidly evolving, instant-gratification-driven world, it can be hard to see that success often comes from failure and determination. Students see seemingly instantly successful individuals on the internet, without much insight into the process. The perception of instant success can be discouraging when they face a challenge or setback. To stay motivated in the face of adversity, introduce a diamond skill that will stick with them for life: a growth mindset. A growth mindset is crucial for overall learning and transforming the often-stressful experience of test prep into an opportunity for significant development, leading to better outcomes in how to improve test scores. If you want to make an impact far beyond test day, discover ways to integrate this mindset below.
Understanding the Difference: Fixed vs. Growth Mindset
The Fixed Mindset:
Students with a fixed mindset may avoid challenges, give up easily, see effort as pointless, and/or ignore constructive feedback. When it comes to test prep, these students may experience high levels of stress and a fear of attempting difficult questions. For these students, what is the best way to introduce how to reduce test anxiety? Read on to learn more about the growth mindset.
The Growth Mindset:
Core characteristics of a growth-mindset-centered student include embracing challenges, persisting through setbacks, seeing effort as the path to mastery, and/or learning from criticism. In their test prep, how do students with a growth mindset see their mistakes? In short, they view them as valuable information, not as evidence of permanent failure, but as opportunities for learning and adjustment.
Strategies for Teaching Growth Mindset in Test Prep
The Power of “Yet”:
Encourage students to rephrase “I can’t do this” to “I can’t do this yet.” Apply this to complex practice problems or subject areas.
Praising Effort, Not Just Ability:
Focus student praise on the strategies used, the persistence shown, and the effort invested, rather than just the final score.
Normalizing Struggle and Failure:
Foster academic resilience by teaching students that struggle is a necessary part of the learning process. Use unsatisfactory scores on practice tests as diagnostic tools for improvement. Share stories of yourself or others who struggled with something, yet the experience bettered them.
Tailoring the Mindset for Different Age Groups
General Student Application:
To build foundational habits of effective study and self-reflection, here are some simple yet profound motivational quotes for students to reinforce positive self-talk, academic resilience, and the growth mindset. The success of those who spoke these quotes proves that persistence pays off. Perseverance and a growth mindset lead to mastery of any skill, including learning how to improve test scores.
Thomas Edison
Quote: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
His Success: Edison is one of the most prolific inventors in history, acquiring 1,000+ U.S. patents. He didn’t just invent; he created entire systems and industries. His most famous successful inventions—including the practical incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera—fundamentally changed modern life and helped establish the first industrial research and development (R&D) laboratory. His entire career is an example of the growth mindset in action: relentless testing and iteration.
Charlotte Perriand
Quote: “Everything changes so quickly, and what is state-of-the-art one moment won’t be the next. Adaptation has to be ongoing – we have to know and accept this. These are transient times.”
Her Success: Charlotte Perriand (1903–1999) was a pioneering French architect and designer who profoundly shaped 20th-century Modernism. Her early career was defined by resilience: when she applied to work for the famous architect Le Corbusier, he rejected her and dismissed her skills. Instead of giving up, Perriand simply continued her innovative work and impressed him so much with an exhibition later that he hired her immediately. This quote is perfect for addressing the need for constant learning and strategy adjustment. It speaks directly to the question “how do students with a growth mindset see their mistakes?”: not as permanent failures, but as signals that their current strategy needs to adapt. Feeling unsettled by change is normal, but the key is the “ongoing adaptation.” It reinforces the core idea of a growth mindset: that improvement is a continuous process, which is essential to how to improve test scores.
Vincent Van Gogh
Quote: “I am always doing what I cannot do yet in order to learn how to do it.”
His Success: While often cited as an example of an artist who was not appreciated in his lifetime (he sold only one known painting), his story embodies the “yet” principle of a growth mindset. He worked with unyielding dedication despite the lack of public acclaim. Today, Van Gogh is considered one of the most influential artists in history, whose works like The Starry Night and Sunflowers are globally recognized. His enduring legacy proves that the work and struggle to learn what you cannot do yet ultimately defines greatness.
Find examples that you are passionate about, connect with, and want to convey to students. Doing so will be the best way to help students grasp the magnitude of the growth mindset’s impact.
A Growth Mindset for Teens:
Teens experience heightened self-consciousness and peer pressure. Help students see outside the current moment by connecting the growth mindset to long-term goals (college, career). A future-focused mindset helps them see beyond the current moment to improve standardized test scores for future opportunities.
Essential Educational Resources and Tools
Classroom and Tutoring Resources:
Teaching growth mindset is hard work. Learning platforms, like Peterson’s, that provide feedback and reinforce the idea that improvement is always possible, are key in supporting the process of teaching a growth mindset. Tools like progress monitoring, data dashboards, and practice tests help you see where students may need reinforcement in their standardized test prep.
Resources for Home Education:
Parents, remember to model a growth mindset yourself, both in and out of academic hours, to encourage productive study habits. Take up new hobbies, be a beginner at something to remember how it feels!
Read and listen to books, watch documentaries, or engage in activities that reinforce the concept of neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to change).
The Long-Term Impact of Growth Mindset
Adopting a growth mindset is one of the most effective ways to answer the question “how to improve test scores?” and to develop lifelong learners with strong career, life, and academic resilience. Start implementing these mindset shifts today to transform the test-prep experience from a source of stress into a journey of exponential growth.
