How many times, as educators, have we all heard the phrase, “I’m just not good at maths”? It can be frustrating to tackle this fixed mindset but it is a mission worth pursuing. Learning is an exciting part of childhood development but often, as children and young adults develop, so do their experiences and challenges. These obstacles, along with the influence of others, can lead learners to develop either a fixed or growth mindset.
Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset
In a nutshell, those with a fixed mindset believe that intelligence is predetermined. They believe that no matter what they do, they’ll never achieve certain goals because they think “I just can’t do maths”. As a Mathematics teacher, trying to convince learners with a fixed mindset that they CAN do maths can be very challenging. These learners have often had bad experiences of their own in maths, or adults often share their bad experiences, further validating their feelings that they just can’t do it and nothing will change.
Those with a growth mindset believe that hard work, dedication, and effort can contribute to your success. They believe that anyone can achieve, but that the commitment varies, not the intelligence. Someone who makes a mistake and has a growth mindset will have the ability to see it as a learning opportunity rather than a value of their intelligence. Having a fixed mindset means making mistakes becomes the end result, whereas a learner with a growth mindset sees it as a challenge that can be overcome - albeit some challenges quicker than others.
I can’t do it - YET!
A learner with a fixed mindset will frequently use the common phrase, “I can’t do it!”. Often followed by a slump of their body, throwing down of their pencil, and other signals of defeat. They’ve given in. They don’t see the point in trying any further as they’ve decided that they will never be able to do it.
As educators, we have the power to influence our learners in ways that will help them in the moment - but also see future problems in a different light. Have you ever thought about the impact of informing your learners they “failed” a test or exam? By adapting the way we communicate with our learners, we can help instil the confidence they need to change their fixed mindset to a growth mindset and see the value of perseverance.
Perhaps instead of informing them that they have “failed”, the words “not yet passed” could be used. The difference between the two is huge: one says they haven’t achieved it at all and one says they haven’t achieved it just yet but implies that they can. By changing small communications like these, we are helping to change the mindsets of our learners and lead them to a path of perseverance and dedication to reach their full potential, and beyond.
What Else Can We Do to Help Encourage a Growth Mindset in Our Learners?
Talk positively about maths: Learners are doing exactly that - learning. They’re actively listening to everything being said around them. When learners hear other people saying comments such as; “I can’t do maths”, “I’ve never been good at maths”, or “Maths isn’t for me”, they are learning that some people cannot do maths and that there is no way to get better at it. Talking positively about the subject, more importantly when mistakes are made, will help learners to see that maths is more challenging for some people than others. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t do it, just that you can’t do it yet. Encourage learners to see maths as a subject that can also be creative, not just processes and correct answers. Maths is everywhere in the world around us and allowing learners to explore this will help them see the subject in a more positive light - it’s not all questions and answers.
Celebrate mistakes: Allowing learners to experience mistakes positively will encourage a growth mindset in mathematics. Mistakes are opportunities to try new methods, explore what hasn’t worked and gain a deeper understanding whilst helping to instil confidence, perseverance, and determination. A great analogy to help learners understand the importance of mistakes is to relate it to their favourite sport/craft/hobby. Did they know how to ride a bike the first time they sat on one? Do they win every game of football they play? Do they know exactly how to piece a jigsaw puzzle together the minute they open it? Hopefully, by allowing them to see that in other parts of life, we take mistakes as part of the process, maths is no different. We don’t expect anyone to get the correct answers the first time we try; it is part of the process toward a deeper understanding of mathematics.
Pace and expectations: Learners often believe that the faster you learn something, the better you are at it, including maths. It’s crucial to remind learners that it is perfectly acceptable to take their time and even break tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks. Learning a deeper understanding is a better building block to further mathematical problems than learning it quickly. At the same time as encouraging learners to go at their own pace, setting high expectations lets the learners know you believe in their capabilities and haven’t put a ceiling on their ability.
Using the right language: By using phrases such as, “Wow, you’re so clever”, you’re implying that learners are either good or not good at something: encouraging a fixed mindset. Try to praise the action and effort rather than the achievement of the correct answer. Celebrating those who do not get to the final answer of a problem is also important. Phrases such as, “I can see you’ve persevered and managed to make great progress with this type of problem” reinforces the effort the learner has gone through to gain further understanding and not give up.
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