Proof of Growth Mindset in Math

We here at Brassfield have been having many, many conversations about our mindsets as educators. Each of us lands somewhere on the continuum between the opposite poles of fixed and growth mindsets. Where are you? Take this quiz to find out: Mindset Quiz

I will admit that I was raised to believe that my achievement was in direct (and equal) relation to two factors: intelligence and effort. I was told that I lucky to have been born to a father with a PhD and a mother with two M.Eds, since their intelligence was an excellent predictor of my own IQ. Luckily, both of my parents spent a great deal of time highlighting the importance of hard work and good study habits. It was not until recently that I started swaying in my belief that I was born with a certain amount of fixed intelligence. It blew my mind last week when a colleague told a group of people that I am "naturally good at math." You can tell that we have met within the last few years of my life because there is a mountain of evidence from my childhood to the contrary. I am "good at math" today because I have spent the last seven years of my life fully immersing myself in it. I have "grown," mathematically speaking. Trust me when I tell you that I was NOT born with a gift for mathematics. Just ask my parents, teachers, siblings, and the janitor in my high school who used to offer me a tissue after math class every day.

I happened upon an intriguing article this morning that I just had to share, Teaching the Brain to Learn, which focuses specifically on MATH. Here's an excerpt from the author, Greg Thompson:

These systems (the distributed neuro functional systems) are not wired at birth, and they’re not determined by our genetics. They’re profoundly influenced by the type of stimulation and activity that children receive while growing up. This neuroscience brain research point of view is consistent with the need to emphasize early developmental experiences in preschool, kindergarten, first grade and second grade.”