Mathematics

The Power of Mindset

There is an ever-increasing body of research that students mindsets play a key role in their Mathematics and Scientific achievement. Students who believe that intelligence or math and science ability is fixed (a fixed mindset) are at a significant disadvantage compared to students who believe that their abilities can be developed (a growth mindset). 

Mindsets

There seems to be two main trains of thought when it comes to beliefs about intellectual abilities. The first is that intellectual abilities are basically fixed, meaning that people have different levels of ability and nothing can change that. In contrast, the second is that intellectual abilities can be cultivated and developed through application and instruction. They do not deny that people differ in their current skill levels, but they do believe that everyone can improve.

Mindset Predicting Achievement

Research conducted on the topic of mindsets vs achievement discovered several key findings on the topic:

• Students with the growth mindset, compared to those with a fixed mindset, were significantly more orientated towards learning goals. Although they cared about their grades, they cared more about learning.
• Students with the growth mindset showed a far stronger belief in the power of effort. They believed that effort promoted ability and that was effective regardless of your current level of ability.
• Those with a fixed mindset believed that effort was necessary only for those who lacked ability and was, to boot, likely to be ineffective for them.

Students need to be taught that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger and works better the more it gets exercised. They also can be taught that every time they stretch themselves, work hard, learn something new, their brains form new connections and that over time learning becomes easier.

Carol Dweck is the promoter of this idea of ‘The Growth Mindset’. It is an idea that is consistently used and reinforced throughout the mathematical classrooms here at Mater Dei Catholic College as we challenge students to become the drivers of their own learning.

Mr Kurt McPherson |Mathematics KLA Leader