The National Education Strategy 2024-2030, published by the Ministry for Education, which is open for public feedback until February 13, marks the beginning of an educational transformation. The strategy aims to improve the education system, placing special emphasis on the well-being of educators and students through a focus on the skills of emotional intelligence, emotional regulation and empathy.
Neuroscience has shown the significant impact of emotions on learning processes like memory, attention, and problem-solving, emphasising that emotional well-being is at the heart of teaching and learning. Positive emotions such as curiosity boost engagement and deepen learning, while negative emotions, such as anxiety, can impede cognitive functions. Higher cognitive functions and academic performance therefore necessitate the crucial skill of emotional control – known as ‘emotional regulation’ – which can be developed and enhanced through appropriate modelling and support.
Empathy in education creates a supportive environment, fostering better teacher-student relationships and enhancing learning. The inclusion of social and emotional learning programmes in the national education strategy, which aim to develop emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills, demonstrates the goal of integrating insights from neuroscience into education.
Additionally, understanding the neurological impact of stress and mental health on learning is crucial. Chronic stress can adversely affect brain functions related to learning and memory, emphasising the need for neuroscience-based strategies to manage stress and promote better educational outcomes.
[The strategy] is missing the ‘secret ingredient’ – a commitment to cultivating a ‘growth mindset’ among students, educators and parents alike
All of this augurs well for an impactful strategy, except that it is missing the ‘secret ingredient’ it requires to truly be a recipe for success. By this, I refer to a commitment to cultivating a ‘growth mindset’ among students, educators and parents alike.
In contrast to a ‘fixed mindset’, which perceives talent and intelligence as static, a growth mindset embraces the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This shift in perspective is not just pedagogical but cultural, reshaping our approach to learning, teaching, and even how we face life’s challenges. Indeed, the distinction between these two mindsets has profound implications in educational settings.
In Malta, the shift towards a growth mindset is more than necessary; it is imperative. Our students move through a world where adaptability and lifelong learning are not just valuable but essential for personal and professional success. The Maltese education system has progressed in acknowledging the importance of flexibility in thinking, but traces of a fixed mindset still persist, often hindering students’ potential to flourish fully.
The classroom is where the battle between these different mindsets happens, allowing the growth mindset a chance to emerge victorious. By praising student’s approach and hard work, rather than just their natural talents, teachers can instil in them a growth mindset that focuses on, and reinforces their personal efforts, learning methods, and progress.
In Maltese classrooms, this change in mindset can help students to take on challenges, keep going when faced with adversity, learn from important feedback, and derive motivation from others’ success.
Nonetheless, embracing a growth mindset comes with its own challenges. Worldwide, traditional educational models often reward the end result rather than the students’ learning journey, while standardised testing and competitive academic environments can encourage a fixed mindset. These trends tend to be reflected in the local education system, too, which is a fundamental part – and reflection – of our sociohistorical values and beliefs.
A shift towards a growth mindset thus necessitates the rethinking of long-established educational structures as well as practices.
Fostering a growth mindset in Maltese students would enhance their academic success as well as their resilience, equipping them to face life’s challenges with grit. This, in turn, would contribute to building a society that is stronger and more adaptable. However, for a growth mindset to take root, it requires a collective effort from students and educators, creating a supportive community that values progress and resilience.
As Malta keeps moving forward in the field of education, the choice is clear: to build a system that not only teaches but inspires, not one that simply informs but transforms.
By instilling emotional intelligence and a growth mindset in students, we prepare them not just for tests and examinations, but for life. We equip them with the confidence to say: “I may not know this yet, but I am on my way to learning it.” And in that sentiment lies the future of learning, the hope for our students, and the growth of our nation.
The author is founder and director of the Educational Neuroscience Hub Europe (Malta), which aims to raise awareness of evidence-based strategies, with the goal of enhancing the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process, placing students at the centre of their education. erikagalea@educationalneurosciencehub.com.