Another day, another left/right split over whether or not Trump did or didn’t say something.

“No, I didn’t know that [Meghan Markle] was nasty”

Now I’ve no interest in the debate, but folks are throwing around the importance of context in determining exactly what Trump meant. This, I agree with. Context is hugely important.

I believe there are real differences between a fixed and growth mindset and that in education, there’s a role to play in reinforcing a positive, growth-oriented mind. I’ve read articles recently describing this as hindering pupils because they need specific learning strategies instead of a more general philosophy. The language is more strident than I feel necessary – it’s environmental context that must inform which approach is more appropriate.

Some children (and adults) have an environment that is nourishing; tending to the plant will give better results than improving the soil. Some don’t; and attention must first be given to the soil if ever the child is to blossom. Context must be considered. An article might be very well written, but if it ignores the bigger picture then it’s not triumph for semantics.