Want to Grow Your Brain?

Better Unfix that Mindset.

Diana Carolina Reyes Paredes

On Today’s Agenda...
Arrival Story

Terminology

Purpose

Research Question

Review of Literature

Methods

Findings

Conclusions
“Education is not the filling of a pail,

but the lighting of a fire.”

-William Butler Yeats
Arrival Story
k

Fixed Mindset
-Intelligence is a fixed trait that
can not be changed
K

Growth Mindset
-Practice, practice, practice: You
will improve depending on the
effort you put in
Purpose
Did someone say...
Investigate how educators can

cultivate a classroom

environment where students

can develop a growth mindset.

 Research Question
What can teachers do to instill a growth mindset in their students?
Review of Literature

1. Praising the Process

2. Powerful Language Builds Confidence

 Praising the Process

Strategy #1 was praising the process instead of

the right answer (Educational Horizons, 2012).

Refers to the act of not telling students whether

an answer is right or wrong, but rather

encouraging inquiry

Allows students to acquire skills of

exploration and analysis.

 Powerful Language Builds Confidence
Strategy #2 was using powerful language to encourage students and build their

confidence (Pawlina & Stanford, 2011).

Refers to the powerful effect vocabulary has on students.

When used correctly, brings them up.

Researchers Pawlina & Stanford (2011) achieved their goal of implementing the

growth mindset in a class of preschoolers by carefully choosing the language and

reactions associated with challenges and mistakes, emphasizing resilience and

problem-solving.
 Research Methods
Qualitative design using classroom observation.

Observed and participated in four classrooms in one San

Francisco Bay Area elementary school during the fall and

spring semesters.

Once a week over the course of over 40 hours.

Compared their methods of incorporating the growth mindset

with student attitudes and responses to challenging work.

Participants

1. Teacher #1

2. Teacher #2

3. Teacher #3

4. Teacher #4
Teacher Quotes
Teacher #1 had her students tell her how many T’s were on the page.

The students gave a range of answers, but teacher #1 never said that

they were wrong. She would simply say “good counting” or “thank

you.”

“Almost there. Try it one more time! You don’t have to know it, yet.”
 Findings
Most teachers and classrooms observed showed
strategies and aspects of growth mindset education.

Strategies used in the classrooms matched those used

by researchers in review of literature. (Educational
Horizons, 2012, and Pawlina & Stanford, 2011).

Strategies include: praising the process instead of the

answer, and using powerful language to encourage
students and build their confidence.
 Conclusions
What can teachers do to instill a growth mindset in their students?

In order to instill a growth mindset in their students, teachers can

praise the process instead of the answer, and use powerful
language to promote confidence.
Limitations
Observation arrangement was a Further research

sample of convenience.
Assume what teachers were doing
and why based strictly on
observation.
Studies to show the success levels
of particular students after
having received mindset
education.
 Final Word
By implementing growth mindset
education, teachers encourage
students to challenge themselves by
building resilience and promoting
critical thinking.
Discussion