1. Growth Mindset Math Climbing any Mountain!
Lea Rosenberry,
Tami Tacker,
Kirsten K. Meymaris,
Kaplan University, School of General Education, Math

2. Growth Mindset
“People with a growth mindset are those who believe that smartness increases with hard work, where as those with a fixed mindset believe that you can learn things, but you can’t change your basic level of intelligence.”

3. Growth Mindset
“When people change their mindsets and start to believe that they can learn to high levels, they change their learning pathways (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, & Dweck, 2007) and achieve at higher levels . . .”

4. Brain Plasticity
Studies show capacity of the brain to grow and change within a short period of time.
When we are learning something new, an electrical current fires across synapses and actually connects new pathways between different areas of the brain.
“Neurons that fire together wire together.”
Cynader, M. (2013, April 26). Enhancing the plasticity of the brain: Max Cynader at TEDxStanleyPark. Retrieved May 12, 2016, from

5. Mistakes are a VERY Good Thing
Mistakes cause your brain to spark and grow
Mistakes are a time of struggle
The brain is challenged and this is when the brain grows the most
Brains react with increased activity when we make mistakes

6. Mistakes are a VERY Good Thing

7. Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train
Choreography by Hillbilly Rick, 48 counts, two walls
Music: Baby Likes to Rock It by The Tractors
Lets put ourselves in our student’s shoes – DANCE SHOES!
We are going to do some dancing!!!
Record comments – Tami and Betsy for feedback discussion
Watch 1 minute of this…
(start at 2:41) or

8. Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train
Swivel Heels and Bump Hips    1-2  Swivel heels to right and stomp to right
   Two Jazz boxes    29-30  Step right across front of left, Step back on left    31-32  Step to right on right, Stomp Left next to right    33-36  Repeat      Vine right and Scuff, Vine Left with 1/2 turn, Scuff    37-38  Step right to right side, Cross left behind right    39-40  Step right to right side, Scuff Left forward,    41-42  Step left to left side, cross right behind left    43-44  Step left to left side making 1/2 turn left, Scuff right forward         Vine Right And Stomp    45-46  Step right to right side, Cross left behind right    47-48  Step right to right side, Stomp Left next to right
3-4  Swivel heels to left and stomp to left, 5-6  Swivel heels to right and left as you bend knees and twist down   
7-8  Swivel heels to right and left as you twist back up   
      Four Steps back with Claps    9-10  Step back on right turning slightly to right, Clap   
11-12  Step back on left turning slightly to left, Clap   
13-16  Repeat
    Two Shuffles Forward, Step Pivot, Then Repeat    17-18  Shuffle forward right-left-right   
19-20  Shuffle forward left-right-left   
21-22  Step forward on right, touch, pivot 1/2 turn left   
23-28  Repeat

9. Swivel Heels and Stomp 1-2 Swivel heels to right and stomp to right
3-4  Swivel heels to left and stomp to left, 5-6  Swivel heels to right and left as you bend knees and twist down   
7-8  Swivel heels to right and left as you twist back up   
Swivel, stomp :30-:45

10. Four Steps back with Claps
9-10  Step back on right turning slightly to right, Clap   
11-12  Step back on left turning slightly to left, Clap   
13-16  Repeat
Step backs :45-:55

11. Two Shuffles Forward, Step Pivot, Then Repeat
17-18 Shuffle forward right-left-right Shuffle forward left-right-left Step forward on right, touch, pivot 1/2 turn left Repeat
Two Shuffle at :55-1:02

12. Two Jazz Boxes    
29-30  Step right across front of left, Step back on left   
31-32  Step to right on right, Stomp Left next to right   
33-36  Repeat
just show thru 1:30 minute – shows box, modified version and low floor version, 4 steps Or
Through 1:26 1 2 3 4

13. Vine right and Scuff, Vine Left with 1/2 turn, Scuff
37-38  Step right to right side, Cross left behind right   
39-40  Step right to right side, Scuff Left forward,   
41-42  Step left to left side, cross right behind left 
  43-44  Step left to left side making 1/2 turn left, Scuff right forward   
Through 1:26 Or
Start at 0:56 for backend view….

14. Vine Right And Stomp   
45-46  Step right to right side, Cross left behind right   
47-48  Step right to right side, Stomp Left next to right
You are now facing BACK Wall – REPEAT!
Through 1:26

15. Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train
Choreography by Hillbilly Rick, 48 counts, two walls
Music: Baby Likes to Rock It by The Tractors
Let run from 1:55 onward as time allows

16. Your effort? Your dance skill level? Your attitude? Your ability?
Give yourself Kudos!
Your effort? Your dance skill level? Your attitude? Your ability?
Let run from 1:55 onward as time allows

17. Design for Growth Mindsets
Design Features:
Can you open the task to encourage multiple methods, pathways and representations?
Can you make it an inquiry task?
Can you ask the problem before teaching the method?
Can you add a visual component?
Can you make it low floor and high ceiling?
Can you add the requirement to convince and reason?
This is taken from chapter 5 specific to math but can be applicable to any subject! Use this as starter for our ideas and expand / give examples

18. Feedback
Leave you now thinking about ways that you can be encouraging growth mindsets in your classes/lives. Here is a bulletin board from Heather Bullard, Math Instructor – at her children’s school.

19. Assessment for a Growth Mindset
Developing Student Responsibility and Self Awareness:
1. Self Assessment 2. Peer Assessment 3. Reflection Time 4. Traffic Light 5. Jigsaw Groups 6. Exit Ticket 7. Online Forms 8. Doodling 9. Students Write Questions and Tests
Starter outline from list in chapter 8. We can add/take from this list and expand on some of these examples. Perhaps we can each try one in our classes this next month?

20. Unit 1 DB - How do our students view mistakes?
"How to learn Math: Four Key Messages" /
Everyone can learn math to high levels.
Believe in yourself.
Struggles and mistakes are really important.
Speed is not important.
Required now as part of Unit 1 MM150 Survey of Mathematics

21. Watching the video … really hit home for me.
I lack confidence and positive self talk, I hope for this class to help build up my self esteem and support while gaining knowledge of a subject I have always struggled with.
I have always believed that I was not a math person because even the sight of math causes confusion in me…. Hearing that there are actual studies done that disproves this statement is such a relief because it gives me the confidence to try my best in this class. I will not give up just because something is hard to understand
when you believe in yourself your brain grows. I never knew that. I also never looked at the more you fail and struggle the more your brain grows. who would think that? you would assume your brain is trapped. I can’t lie this video gives some motivation.
Allow you some time to hear what our students said after watching this video.
It makes me want to try hard at everything and if I fail, learn from my mistakes and figure how to do it better next time

22. I am not good at math at all, and I always thought I just never had the skill. It is a reassurance to know that the only way to truly be good at math is to just keep moving forward and practicing.
When I first started the reading for this class, I felt so lost. It made me feel stupid in a way. A couple [math problems] I got wrong at first, but re read and tried again and got them correct. This is an example from the video because I struggled, but I kept "Believing in Myself". I had a growth mindset and not a fixed one. I took my time and focused and didn't try to speed through the readings.
I learned that the brain is flexible and can regrow, so there is no excuse that I missed out in elementary to high school, there is still hope for me
After watching the video I am really excited to expand my brain and see how big I can get it, ha, ha, ha.
It did a lot to reassure me. I was so nervous about starting college and picking a finance degree because I always struggled in math all through school … I too always thought that I just was not good at math…the video made me feel better and now I know that it is normal to go slow and need assistance once in a while.
Allow you some time to hear what our students said after watching this video.

23. Your Examples!

24. College Algebra
Develop an original mathematical expression which must be simplified using order of operations.
Include addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, exponents, and at least one set of parentheses.
Simplify the expression INCORRECTLY, showing each step as you simplify.
Do not include the reasons for each step.
Design: Inquiry Task, Low Floor/High Ceiling
Development: Students Write Questions

25. Survey of Mathematics
If a customer has a lawn that is watered regularly, the amount of a customer’s water bill can be modeled using the following combined variation equation 𝑊= ∗𝑇 ∗𝐴 ∗ 𝑁 𝑅 Design: Inquiry Task and Low Floor/High Ceiling

26. Business Statistics and Quantitative Analysis
Design: Add a Visual Component

27. Selected References
Boaler, J. (2016). Mathematical mindsets: Unleashing students' potential through creative math, inspiring messages, and innovative teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House.