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Back to School With a Growth Mindset

Read how a New Jersey math specialist starts off the school year

August 2018
Headshot of a woman By Dina O’Brien, New Jersey math specialist

Alexa Kurzius

Elementary math students make math learning goals with a growth mindset 

Developing a growth mindset is a topic I love reading about, sharing, and teaching. My favorite time to do this is during back to school, when I create a class culture that will carry students through the whole school year. Here’s how I do it as a K-5 math specialist.

Growth mindset basics

Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck came up with the idea of a growth mindset through her research. She also wrote Mindset, one of my favorite books, based on her work.

Dweck found there are two types of mindsets: a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. A fixed mindset is when a person believes their natural ability or intelligence are fixed traits that come without effort.

In contrast, a growth mindset is when a person believes that ability can be achieved through dedication and hard work. Intelligence and talent are simply the starting points.

I strive to make sure all of my students develop a growth mindset, by telling them that with hard work, they can change their brain. It sets the tone for a great school year and inspires a love of learning.

Dina O’Brien

Elementary students in New Jersey are greeted with growth mindset principles.

Applying growth mindset principles to the classroom

Creating a growth mindset culture starts as soon as students walk into the room and lasts until they leave. Here’s how I do it in my classroom:

  • “Believe in your #selfie” bulletin board: Last year I made a “Believe in Your #Selfie” bulletin board, where students made math learning goals. This aligned with the growth mindset approach that my whole school adopted.

Framing feedback to encourage a growth mindset

Getting students to believe they have a growth mindset involves reframing how you provide feedback. With my students, I avoid complimenting their talent or intelligence, as this reinforces a fixed mindset. Instead, provide feedback in the following ways:

  • Focus on student effort and their solving strategies: For example, you can say things like, “I noticed you tried really hard,” or “I like how you tried a new way to solve that.”
  • Remind students that their abilities improve over time with practice: When I notice students have been working to improve their skills, I mention it and tell them that they were strengthening their growth mindset.  
  • Mistakes and challenges are part of the learning process: Students can never hear this enough! I always say it’s not a failure but a first attempt in learning. 

Finishing each math lesson with a memorable mistake

One of my favorite activities to end with is “What was your favorite mistake?” Students find a mistake in their problem solving or in some “pre-made” mistakes that I made for them to catch.

Over time students come to enjoy finding mistakes, and it reinforces the idea that mistakes good because we learn from them!

What do you do to encourage a growth mindset in your classroom? Share your ideas with us by sending us an email!

Want more elementary math education tips and news? Check out Scholastic's archive.

Dina O’Brien (@Dina0Brien) is an elementary math specialist from Edison, NJ, who works with students in grades K through 5. She’s been with the district for more than 20 years and loves inspiring teachers and students in her job.

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