One other point about mindsets -- the self-esteem movement has been shown to push kids into a fixed mindset, ultimately hurting them in the long run. If a kid does well on a test, it's much better to tell them, "Wow, good job, you studied really hard for that!" instead of "Wow, you're so smart!" In the former, it reinforces the concept that hard work is rewarding irrespective of the outcome. In the latter, it makes the kid afraid to challenge himself in the future, because if he doesn't do well on a future test then he will no longer be "smart".