My approach is influenced by the zone of proximal development and growth mindset. Compared to what they're able to produce on their own, students can grasp more advanced concepts with help and support from someone more knowledgeable, such as their instructor or high-performing peers (Vygotsky, 1978). A key way to foster learning is to scaffold students' experience with these concepts just outside their reach, offering help and support in their journey toward increased mastery. However, students might be afraid to push themselves, thinking that what they are able to do on their own is the true measure of their intelligence (Dweck & Yaeger, 2019). An instructor's other key task is to reinforce that hard work and a willingness to try are how learning occurs.

References

Dweck, C. S., & Yeager, D. S. (2019). Mindsets: A View From Two Eras. Perspectives on psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, 14(3), 481–496. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691618804166

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: Development of Higher Psychological Processes (M. Cole, V. Jolm-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Eds.). Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvjf9vz4