Unleashing Students’
Mathematical Potential By
Embracing a Growth Mindset
Sydney Cleveland
Research Questions
u How does having a growth mindset impact students’ mathematical learning?
u What can educators do in order to
u Increase interest in learning math?
u Help boost confidence?
u Increase self-belief in mathematical ability?
u How many Georgia College students demonstrate a growth mindset for
learning mathematics?
Literature Review
u Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset
u Research proving compelling evidence that no one is born with a math brain
and that no one is born without one
u Mathematics should be taught in a way that every student is given the
opportunity to succeed
u Teaching methods that can help educators create and maintain a growth
mindset in math classrooms
1. Believing in All Students
2. Valuing Struggle and Failure
3. Opening Up Mathematics
Methods
Pre-Test Survey
u 21 statements to rate from 1 to 5
u 11 Dealing with characteristics relating to math anxiety
Examples:
u I am afraid to ask questions in a math class.
u I fear math tests more than any other kind.
u I am uneasy about going to the board in a math class.
u 10 Dealing with characteristics of a growth mindset
Examples:
u I am okay if the math class is challenging if I am given the right support.
u I want to be mathematically successful.
u I feel better in math class when my teacher allows me to work with my classmates.
Video
u Jo Boaler Speaking at an Oxford TEDex Talk
u In the video she
1. Explains why mathematics is traumatic for many people
2. Describes what it means to embody a growth mindset towards mathematical
learning
3. Shows a different way people can relate to math
4. Shares latest brain science to show the ways our brains process math
5. Explains the importance of visual learning and self-belief to our learning and
experiences
u The purpose of this video
1. Give students insight from someone who has done research on the theory of a
growth mindset
2. Determine whether or not students support these theories
Post-Test Questionnaire
u What do you think about the video?
u In your experience with math, what kinds of messages have been given to you
that have influenced your perspective of math?
u If you could give math teachers three recommendations of what could be
done to help increase your interest, build your confidence, or meet your full
potential in math, what would they be?
u We asked each student to circle where they think they would fall on a number
line with 0 having a strong fixed mindset and 10 having a strong growth
mindset.
u How often did your teachers encourage you to make mistakes? In what ways
do you believe or do not believe that making mistakes is an essential part to
learning?
One-on-One Interviews with Students
u We also conducted ten 30 minute interviews with students who volunteered
u Students were chosen randomly from a list of volunteers
u The purpose of the interviews were to get more information on students’
perspectives and experiences.
Characteristics of Students
u 72 Georgia College students
u 64% Female
u 36% Male
u 89% White
u 7% African American
u 4% Other Ethnicity
Findings
Believing in All Students
In your experience with math, what kinds of messages have been
given to you that have influenced your perspective of math?
Top reoccurring responses:
u I am not good at math/struggled with math.
u I had good math teachers.
u I was always good at math.
u We are supposed to memorize math.
u You are either good or bad at math.
Believing in All Students
Believing in All Students
Excerpts from students who shared positive messages from their experiences:
u Math is a process.
u Effort goes a long way.
u Never give up on math.
u Math takes practice.
u Math depends on social interaction.
u It is okay to not understand as long as you are willing to figure out what you did
wrong.
u Math can be compared to real world things.
u Problems can be broken down.
u There are several ways to solve a problem.
u Giving math a purpose would ultimately make it easier to grasp.
What we need to do is bring these types of message to the forefront, as in
these are the types of messages every student should be receiving.
Valuing Struggle and Failure
Math Anxiety Score Math Anxiety vs. Post-Mindset Rating
Post-Mindset Rating
Valuing Struggle and Failure
Pre-Mindset Score vs. Post-Mindset Rating
Pre-Mindset Score
Post-Mindset Rating
Valuing Struggle and Failure
How often did your teachers encourage you to make mistakes? In what ways do you
believe or do not believe that making mistakes is an essential part to learning?
u Category 1: Students who believe that making mistakes is an essential part to learning.
Valuing Struggle and Failure
u Category 1: Students who believe that making mistakes is an essential part to learning.
It is in the time of
struggle when the brain
grows the most!
Valuing Struggle and Failure
u Category 2: Student(s) who believe that making mistakes is not an essential part to learning.
Valuing Struggle and Failure
u Category 3: Students who are conflicted on whether or not making mistakes is an essential
part to learning.
Valuing Struggle and Failure
u Category 3: Students who are conflicted on whether or not making mistakes is an essential
part to learning.
Opening Up Mathematics
Top reoccurring recommendations for teachers:
u Use different activities such as competition, visuals, prizes, etc.
u Allow students to discuss problems with their classmates (Group work)
u Show students you care by encouraging intentionally and often
u Make mathematics interactive/interact and talk with students
u Extra study sessions/more review
u Relate math to real world problems
u Put less emphasis on grades and more emphasis on learning the content
u Contact students more frequently and encourage one-on-one conversations
u Break down problems, show all steps, and take more time when teaching a new
subject
u Encourage students to make mistakes and earn from them
Other Big Ideas
Top 5 positive concepts student’s took away from the video
1. Numerous ways to solve problems
Agree that everyone can learn math
Visual mathematics is important
2. Not everyone learns the same way
3. Self-belief is important in math
“I believe in you” from a teacher can have a big impact on a student’s learning
4. Students can learn and grow by changing their mindset
5. Positive criticism and encouragement impact the growth of students
Working together creates opportunities for learning
Other Big Ideas
Disagreements with the video
u Group work is not a good idea
u Not everyone learns the same way
u ”I disagree because I am not a math person.”
u “I disagree with visual math because visual representations always confused me.”
Other Big Ideas
Interview Process
u Students were open to sharing their own experiences
u Everyone has a different background and has had different experiences
u Students want their teachers to care about them and make the effort to talk
and interact with them
Personal Reflection
u Math does not have to be the dreadful subject many people think it is.
u We as educators cannot assume that students already know how to learn.
u I plan to implement these ideas in my own classroom in the future.
u Growth mindset can translate to any area of our lives
References
Boaler, Jo. Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students Potential through
Creative Math, Inspiring Messages, and Innovative Teaching. Jossey-Bass
& Pfeiffer Imprints, 2016.
Dweck, Carol S. Mindset. Robinson, an Imprint of Little, Brown Book Group, 2017.
