Mindset and the Suzuki Method

I have been digesting a paragraph from Dr. Carol Dweck’s book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, (page 41).

“For them, [people with the growth mindset] even geniuses have to work hard for their achievements. And what’s so heroic, they would say, about having a gift? They may appreciate endowment, but they admire effort, for no matter what your ability is, effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment.”

Photo by Nimajs (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Nimajs (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

I think Dr. Suzuki would be whole heart and soul into that statement. I think that is the thinking behind the way he broke down tasks for the young children to be able to move from one small accomplishment to the next. Some parents embrace this idea and they and their children succeed at this endeavor.

Parents who appreciate the value of effort give their children an example of what effort can do for us in our daily life. It’s the way they face their lives. The children in this environment embrace effort naturally and see their parents appreciate their efforts and accomplishments.