Why we should teach kids about mindset | Glenn Cosby | TEDxAberystwyth

Quick Overview

Glenn Cosby argues that teaching young people three core mindset tools—Calm (using the Drop technique), Confidence (using the ABC technique), and Consistency (using 'Just for now, just this')—is crucial for building resilience, citing research showing that students practicing these techniques exhibit increased self-efficacy and reduced fear of failure compared to control groups.

Key Points: The speaker, Glenn Cosby, promotes teaching three core mindset tools: Calm (using the 'Dropping' technique), Confidence (using the 'ABC' technique), and Consistency (using 'Just for now, just this'). The 'Dropping' technique involves consciously allowing and feeling emotions without judgment, then breathing deeply to regulate the physiological response (lasting less than 90 seconds, according to Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor). The 'ABC' technique for confidence involves allowing negative thoughts (A), breathing deeply (B), and consciously choosing (C) a positive reframe, like 'I can handle this difficult task.' The MYRIAD study (Kylen et al., 2021) showed that resilience training in schools has potential but faces challenges, including inconsistent participant engagement. The first cohort coached using these tools showed a 31% initial self-efficacy score rising to 75% after coaching, a 44% increase. The second cohort showed a smaller rise from 22% to 34% (a 12% increase) in the control group, highlighting the impact of the coached intervention. Consistency is built by practicing these tools, even small steps, turning regulation into muscle memory and habit.

Context: Glenn Cosby, formerly Head of Sixth Form and now working at the University of Bristol, presents his argument for integrating specific mental resilience tools into education, drawing parallels between how athletes and dancers push past discomfort and how students can be taught to manage stress and negative emotions like anxiety and fear of failure.

Detailed Analysis

Glenn Cosby advocates for teaching students three specific mindset tools to enhance resilience, curiosity, and happiness, arguing that these skills can be taught and proven effective through neuroscience and high-performance coaching. The first tool is 'Calm,' achieved through 'Dropping'—allowing the physiological reaction to an emotion (like fear or anger) to occur without judgment, feeling the body's response (like heart rate changes), and then consciously breathing deeply to regulate the nervous system. Cosby references Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, noting that the physiological reaction lasts less than 90 seconds before the prefrontal cortex reasserts control. The second tool is 'Confidence,' taught using the 'ABC' technique: students must Allow the negative thought (A), take a deep Breath (B), and Choose (C) to reframe the thought into one with a growth mindset (e.g., changing 'I can't do this' to 'I can handle this difficult task'). The third tool is 'Consistency,' summarized as 'Just for now, just this,' which involves habitually practicing these exercises, even in small increments, to build muscle memory and make regulation a habit. Cosby references the MYRIAD study (Kylen et al., 2021) on resilience in adolescence, which showed that while mindfulness techniques show potential, implementation faces challenges like inconsistent engagement. Data from his trials showed that students coached with these methods saw their academic self-efficacy scores rise significantly (from 31% to 75% in one cohort), far surpassing the growth seen in control groups (22% to 34%). He concludes that these tools give students a sense of control over their emotional responses, which is critical for sustained learning and well-being.